Five NHL Veterans Who May Have To Accept PTOs

These five veteran NHL players could have no choice but to accept tryouts to play in hockey's top league this coming year, says Adam Proteau.

The NHL’s training camp season is fast approaching, and with it, we’re seeing a group of veteran players who’ve yet to sign contracts for the 2024-25 season. 

Some of those players are unsigned because their perceived value isn’t the same as what the free-agent market will bear, but some others are unsigned because of salary cap constraints. 

The best many unsigned players will get is a professional tryout offer (PTO), and they’ll have to make the most of that opportunity to eke out an NHL contract for the coming year. 

Here are five longtime NHLers who appear headed for a PTO situation in the next handful of weeks.

It’s a bit shocking that no team has signed the 34-year-old Johnson, who posted 17 goals and 31 points in 67 games this past season for the Chicago Blackhawks. 

But Johnson – who earned $5 million per year in each of the past seven seasons – may be waiting out the pre-season to see if any teams have injuries that free up more money for him. But if that doesn’t happen, and Johnson wants to play on a legitimate Stanley Cup playoff contender, he may have no choice but to accept a PTO and show he’s worth more than the minimum salary at this stage of his career. 

Johnson has two Cup wins to his credit, so he has nothing to prove to anyone. But the cap makes teams a little (or a lot) more discerning as to who they pay and how much they pay them, so a PTO for Johnson could be the best offer he gets at this point.

Although his goal totals have dropped significantly in each of the past two seasons, the 35-year-old van Riemsdyk still produced 11 goals and 38 points in 71 games with the Boston Bruins last year. 

He’s still chasing his first Cup, so van Riemsdyk may accept the league-minimum salary in the right situation. But as a solid net-front presence and someone who can offer decent results on the second power-play unit for a Cup contender, he’s likely to get at least a PTO opportunity and go from there. 

After that, it’s up to him and the skill he still has left to demonstrate his value to an organization. He played last season for a $1-million salary, and he may have to accept less than that to stick with the right team this time.

Vrana played on a $5.25-million cap hit for each of the last three years, but he ended up in the AHL for the St. Louis Blues’ affiliate last year. 

The 28-year-old winger has had personal issues in recent seasons, but he did generate 16 goals and 36 points in 42 AHL games last year, so there are clearly some finishing skills left in his game. 

The Czech is a Cup winner from his time with the Washington Capitals, and if the money he wants isn’t outrageous, we can see a team extending a PTO to him. And if he continues to work on himself on and off the ice, he could have a bounce-back season.

Injuries have bit into the 35-year-old Pacioretty’s effectiveness in recent years – he hasn’t played more than 50 games in a season since 2019-20 – but Pacioretty might still have something decent to offer. 

He’s also looking for his first Cup win, but if he’s seeking a deal that resembled the incentive-laden contract that could’ve paid him $4 million per year, he’s likely to be waiting a very long time. Pacioretty has to show he can stay healthy via a PTO to land another contract, and even then, he will have to accept something far less than what he’s accustomed to. That may not be entirely fair, but that's business.

The 34-year-old Schultz served on the Seattle Kraken's blueline in the past two seasons at an annual cap hit of $3 million. As a right-shot defenseman and a two-time Cup-winner from his days in Pittsburgh, Schultz has the pedigree to help a team seeking depth on ‘D.’ 

The fact he hasn’t signed yet is either an indication that he’s looking for too much money or that his game has fallen. He doesn’t have to be a top-four D-man, nor does he have to live up to his past performances. But if he’s on a PTO, he can work to solidify his status as a third-pairing blueliner and a veteran who can bring his experience to a team in need. 

Big paydays for him are likely done for, but on a one- or two-year deal, he still has value left in his game.

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