Edmonton's Sam Gagner, Boston's Danton Heinen and Toronto's Noah Gregor are among the NHL free agents who signed deals off PTOs this season. What are they up to now, and who could be next?
Before every NHL season, teams invite players to training camps on professional tryout deals. It's a no-cost way to get a look at free agents in pre-season action, and while most tryouts don't result in a contract, a select few created a success story.
Some players stand out on the deal and turn the tryouts into an NHL contract, either with the same squad or with another club.
Let's look at three of the more prominent PTO deals from the first half of this season, plus an honorable mention who could be next.
Sam Gagner, C, Edmonton Oilers
Cookies and cream, peanut butter and jelly, and Sam Gagner and the Edmonton Oilers. Some things are meant to be together.
This off-season, Gagner signed a PTO with Edmonton and came to training camp hoping to have a third tenure as an Oiler. Since then, he's converted it into a role as a depth forward, where he's slotted in nicely while putting up nine points in 18 games.
Gagner, 34, may not be the same offensive player when he first broke into the league in 2007-08, but he's found some success playing on a line with Derek Ryan and James Hamblin.
Danton Heinen, LW, Boston Bruins
Like Sam Gagner, Danton Heinen returned to where it all began.
After four seasons with Boston and stints in Anaheim and Pittsburgh, Heinen returned to the Bruins on a PTO deal this season and earned a one-year deal worth $775,000. The 28-year-old has 11 points in 26 games and has played in a variety of roles in the Bruins lineup, including coach Jim Montgomery giving him time on the Bruins' first line.
Noah Gregor, C, Toronto Maple Leafs
After four seasons with the San Jose Sharks, Noah Gregor came north, looking to crack the Maple Leafs roster on a PTO. He impressed many with his play, putting up three points in six pre-season games but also proving to be a strong physical presence among the Leafs' bottom six forwards.
Playing mainly in a fourth-line role for Toronto, 25-year-old Gregor has chipped in offensively occasionally and showed off his speed while still continuing to throw the body. For a one-year deal at $775,000, it's been a good move during the short tenure of Brad Treliving as GM of the Maple Leafs.
Honorable Mention: Jesse Puljujarvi, RW, Pittsburgh Penguins
While Puljujarvi has yet to play this season, the former Oiler and Hurricane is looking for another NHL home.
After recovering from double hip surgery, Puljujarvi signed a PTO with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Dec. 10. The Penguins opted to take a mid-season look at the fourth overall pick from the 2016 draft as they search for more depth.
Pittsburgh appears to be still working on getting the 25-year-old up to speed at practices. But if Puljujarvi lands a contract, he can be a defensively responsible forward who could get to the front of the net and put up points during his time with the Oilers.
