Every NHL season provides a new opportunity for players to try and prove their worth, even if they aren't under an official contract. That's where professional tryouts come in. Jim Parsons takes a look at some of the recent success stories from PTOs in recent NHL history.
The NHL’s 2026-27 regular season is bound to bring more professional tryouts, with some players earning a spot on an NHL roster and others ultimately falling short.
So far, only a handful of players have signed PTOs, but more are expected as teams prepare for training camp.
Early PTO signings tracked by the PuckPedia 2026 NHL PTO Tracker include goaltenders Cal Peterson and Chris Driedger with the Washington Capitals and Vancouver Canucks, respectively, and forward Alex Nylander landing with the Calgary Flames.
That raises an interesting question: Which PTO signings have actually worked in the past?
While most players invited to camp on professional tryouts ultimately fail to earn a roster spot, there have been plenty of NHLers who have seized the opportunity, earned a contract, and gone on to make a meaningful impact during the season.
Matt Grzelcyk - Chicago Blackhawks
In 2025, Matt Grzelcyk signed with the Chicago Blackhawks after a season with the Pittsburgh Penguins in which he scored 40 points (one goal, 39 assists) in 82 games.
Grzelcyk had 175 points (26 goals, 149 assists) in 527 regular-season games for the Boston Bruins and the Pittsburgh Penguins before his tryout, and he was decent as a Blackhawk, posting 12 assists in 69 games.
It clearly wasn’t enough to wow NHL clubs this summer, as he remains without a job and sits as a free agent, likely looking at another PTO situation. Still, he made a team, which is more than many players can say last summer.
Daniel Sprong - Seattle Kraken
Daniel Sprong is an example of how an opportunity can turn into an impressive season.
In September of 2022, after the Seattle Kraken didn't qualify him as an RFA, he attended the team’s camp on a PTO. He landed a one-year, two-way deal and turned that into a breakout year, posting a career-high 21 goals and 46 points in just 66 games.
He then cashed that season in, landing a $2-million deal with the Detroit Red Wings. Once there, he scored another 18 goals. His production dropped off a cliff once he landed in Vancouver, back in Seattle, and ultimately with the New Jersey Devils before heading to the KHL.
Still, his story shows that a PTO can prolong an NHL career by a few seasons.
Jimmy Vesey - New York Rangers
Jimmy Vesey entered the 2022-23 season with low expectations after failing to live up to his hype as college hockey's top undrafted free agent.
He spent three seasons bouncing between four teams. He joined the New York Rangers (his second stint there) on a PTO and impressed enough in preseason to earn a one-year, league-minimum deal.
He went on to play all 81 games as a reliable fourth-liner, posting 11 goals and 25 points while excelling on the penalty kill. His strong season earned him a two-year, $800,000 AAV extension midway through the year.
Mason Raymond - Toronto Maple Leafs
Mason Raymond signed a professional tryout (PTO) contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs in September 2013. He earned a contract and proceeded to score 19 goals and 45 points in 82 games for the Leafs that season.
That season led to Raymond earning a three-year extension from the Calgary Flames. It was a $9.5 million payday that wouldn’t have happened without a successful PTO.
In terms of dollars and cents, this might be one of the more lucrative results of a successful tryout.
Alex Chiasson - Washington Capitals, Edmonton Oilers, Vancouver Canucks, Detroit Red Wings
Alex Chiasson is known in some circles as the master of the PTO.
He made four different NHL clubs after being offered a tryout opportunity, and successfully turned those opportunities into semi-productive seasons.
In 2017, he made the Capitals and turned that PTO into a nine-goal season. In 2018 he really wowed, earning a spot with the Edmonton Oilers before proceeding to score 22 goals and 38 points in 72 games.
He made the Canucks in 2021, and proceeded to score 13 goals in 67 games. His final PTO in Arizona didn’t pan out as hoped, but he got offered an AHL stint that turned into 20 games with the Red Wings in 2022-23.
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