The Lightning should take a chance on this former Blackhawks defenseman.
The Tampa Bay Lightning should consider bringing in some players on professional tryout (PTO) agreements for training camp.
When looking at the free agents still available for the taking, the Lightning have an interesting option to consider in former Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Matt Grzelcyk.
The Lightning could use more depth on the left side of their blueline, so there would be no harm in them taking a chance on Grzelcyk with a PTO. If he impressed during his PTO and earned a contract for the season, he could be a nice fit on Tampa Bay's bottom pairing or work as their seventh defenseman.
Grzelcyk played in 69 games last season for the Blackhawks, where he posted 12 assists. This was after he had a career year with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2024-25, as he recorded 30 assists and 40 points in 82 games. With numbers like these, he could provide Tampa Bay with a little more offense from the point if he bounced back.
With all of this, the Lightning should strongly consider taking a chance on Grzelcyk with a PTO. If they were not impressed by him during it or they did not see a fit, they could simply release him from his PTO without signing him.
