With it being September, most of the players who hit the market as unrestricted free agents (UFAs) this summer have been signed. While this is the case, there are still some interesting players available for the taking who could land professional tryouts (PTOs) over the next few weeks.
Among the veteran defensemen still looking for their next contract is former New Jersey Devils blueliner Jon Merrill.
Merill played this past season with the Minnesota Wild, where he posted two goals, six points, 41 hits, and 85 blocks in 70 games. This was his fourth season with the Wild, but his tenure in Minnesota came to an end this summer after he was not re-signed. Now, with the regular-season being only one month away, he still has not found his new home.
Yet, when noting that Merrill can work well in a bottom-pairing or seventh defenseman role, the possibility of him getting a PTO before NHL training camps start is certainly there. Teams are always on the hunt for more defensive depth, and Merrill is one of the top unsigned blueliners left. It also does not hurt that he has 12 years of his NHL experience.
Merrill was selected by the Devils with the 38th overall pick of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. In 216 games over four seasons with the Devils, he recorded six goals, 30 assists, 36 points, and 173 hits.
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