Coaching camps are achingly shut on the horizon, which implies that groups throughout the league are making some last-minute additions to their rosters in an effort to maybe uncover a diamond within the tough.
In different phrases: It is PTO season, child!
This previous weekend was stuffed with a flurry {of professional} tryout provides prolonged to a number of gamers nonetheless on the open market. So, let’s check out essentially the most notable ones and decide what every group might be getting of their camp invitee.
Zach Aston-Reese – Toronto Maple Leafs
2021-22 Stat Line: 69 GP, 5 targets, 10 assists, 15 factors, 13:02 TOI
By far the most probably member of this listing to earn a contract for the approaching season, Aston-Reese is attending Leafs camp together with his eyes set firmly on carving out a spot for on the group’s re-vamped fourth line.
Frankly, it is form of shocking that the 28-year-old may solely muster a coaching camp invite in any respect, actually. Aston-Reese is undoubtedly an NHL-caliber participant — a defensively-focused ahead who drives possession regardless of being tasked with unfavorable utilization and may add a component of pace and forechecking to his group’s bottom-six that almost all related items across the league lack.
Will he put up a lot in the way in which of offense? No, he will not. Aston-Reese racked up simply 5 targets and 15 factors in 69 video games final season cut up between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Anaheim Geese, managing to earn a constructive expected-goal share, nevertheless, regardless of starting almost 70 % of his shifts within the defensive zone.
By all accounts, Toronto was not the one group to increase Aston-Reese a camp invite this summer season. And if he cannot discover a spot on the Leafs, there is a good probability another person will scoop him up.
Jimmy Vesey – New York Rangers
2021-22 Stat Line: 68 GP, 8 targets, 7 assists, 15 factors, 14:25 TOI
I think about the New York Rangers as Thanos, sitting on their throne and lecturing Jimmy Vesey about how his failure inevitably led him again to them.
Possibly that is a little bit harsh. Nevertheless it all the time appeared like Vesey would wind up again within the Massive Apple finally, particularly after spending the primary three seasons of his profession there following the frenzy over his signing.
Vesey by no means managed to copy the success he had as a Ranger all these years in the past. Since leaving New York in free company again in 2019, Vesey has topped out at 11 targets in a single season whereas bouncing round between the Sabres, Maple Leafs, Canucks, and Devils, failing to earn common NHL minutes at any cease.
The 2021-22 season was a very tough one for Vesey, because the 29-year-old completed with simply eight targets and 7 assists for 15 factors in 68 video games whereas logging only a smidge above 14 minutes in common nightly ice time.
The excellent news, although, is that Vesey’s underlying numbers do not look too dangerous in the event you squint arduous sufficient, with the previously hyped collegiate product posting constructive expected-goal and scoring probability shares at even energy regardless of starting simply 37.7 % of his shifts within the offensive zone.
At this level, Vesey is a really low-event participant. He does not make anybody round him higher, and may’t actually sustain when positioned alongside elite expertise. However as a depth ahead who can cease the ice from tilting the improper approach throughout his utilization? There are far worse choices on the market.
Danny DeKeyser – Vancouver Canucks
2021-22 Stat Line: 59 GP, 0 targets, 11 assists, 11 factors, 18:30 TOI
Oh, what may have been.
There was a time when Danny DeKeyser was among the many higher defensive defensemen within the NHL — a participant who by no means produced a lot on the offensive aspect of issues however made up for it by successfully neutralizing opposing prime traces.
Accidents have robbed DeKeyser of these glory days, sadly. And after being purchased out by his hometown Pink Wings following a very brutal 2021-22 marketing campaign, the 32-year-old is hoping to increase his NHL lifespan with a robust efficiency in Canucks camp.
There is no sugar-coating it, although. DeKeyser was brutal final season.
In 59 video games, DeKeyser went goalless with simply 11 assists as his physique continued to fail him, failing to drive possession in any conceivable kind whereas additionally showing to be a step behind the tempo of the big-league recreation. At even-strength, DeKeyser acquired caved in by his opponents to the tune of producing simply 41.67 % of the accessible scoring possibilities, and completed with a dismal 42.53 % expected-goal share.
Maybe a wholesome summer season and a contemporary begin in a brand new group may also help flip DeKeyser into an NHL defender as soon as once more. However even then, as he creeps into his mid-30s, it is a tall process to anticipate.
Calvin de Haan – Carolina Hurricanes
2021-22 Stat Line: 69 GP, 4 targets, 4 assists, 8 factors, 18:57 TOI
Look, de Haan is way from the jack of all trades he was throughout his six-year reign as a legit top-four defender for the Islanders within the mid-2010s. However for a budding contender just like the Hurricanes wanting so as to add some further veteran stability to their third pair, there are actually worse choices accessible.
That de Haan has already performed in Carolina, and is aware of the group, will solely assist his trigger.
On a foul Blackhawks roster final season, de Haan struggled to provide a lot of something at even-strength, with opponents caving him in to the tune of a forty five.48 % anticipated purpose share and scant 45.21 % share of the accessible scoring possibilities, too.
However, let’s be actual. The Blackhawks have been a catastrophe — each on and off the ice final season, with virtually nobody of their beleaguered ranks strolling away with career-best numbers.
Amidst that chaos, de Haan continued to log almost 19 minutes per night time in roughly 70 video games whereas demonstrating he may nonetheless transfer the puck fairly effectively. In a greater setting with much less duty on his shoulders, maybe de Haan returns to being the versatile depth anchor he is all the time been. And if there’s anyplace that may coax it again out of him, it is Carolina.
James Neal – Columbus Blue Jackets
2021-22 Stat Line: 19 GP, 2 targets, 2 assists, 4 factors, 11:58 TOI
It has been a tricky experience for James Neal since serving to information the Vegas Golden Knights to the Stanley Cup remaining of their inaugural season.
After leaving in free company that summer season again in 2018, Neal has didn’t ever carve out a slot in any of the three organizations he is bounced round to — a path which finally landed him within the AHL final season after 19 uneventful video games for the St. Louis Blues.
All shouldn’t be misplaced, nevertheless. Taking his demotion in stride, Neal proceeded to rack up some critical numbers down within the American League, ending the 12 months with 14 targets and 12 assists for 26 factors in 28 video games with the Springfield Thunderbirds that was quickly adopted up by a formidable playoff run, too.
Neal is getting up there in age, having simply celebrated his thirty fifth birthday earlier this month. His time within the NHL is quickly coming to an finish, and, by all accounts, he is aware of it. However an invite to Blue Jackets’ camp is an efficient (maybe remaining) alternative to maybe present what he has left. And even when it does not end in a big-league deal, Neal may all the time stick round within the Blue Jackets group as an AHL veteran mentor for the membership’s younger prospects.
Eric Staal – Florida Panthers
2021-22 Stat Line: N/A
Eric Staal is one in a protracted listing of free brokers who thought their participation within the Beijing Winter Olympics final season would translate into an NHL contract.
That, after all, didn’t occur, because the Staal-captained Group Canada didn’t earn a medal whereas producing few, if any, noteworthy performances.
That hasn’t stopped the distinguished veteran from nonetheless making an attempt, although.
Becoming a member of his brother Marc, who truly already has a contract, Staal with be attending Panthers coaching camp within the hopes of incomes the coveted “tremendous depth outdated man” roster spot occupied by Joe Thornton in 2021-22. It would not be a large shock if he pulled it off, both.
In a four-game, pre-Olympic tune-up with the AHL’s Iowa Wild in early 2022, Staal seemed like a person amongst boys, turning heads with a formidable two targets and three assists that acquired the hockey world speaking. He might not be an NHL common anymore, as his most up-to-date big-league stint in Montreal demonstrated, however as a revered chief who can set a superb off-ice instance whereas maybe drawing into the lineup on the fourth-line every time the damage bug strikes, Staal would possibly very effectively be a strong add.
Derek Stepan – Carolina Hurricanes
2021-22 Stat Line: 58 GP, 8 targets, 10 assists, 19 factors, 10:48 TOI
One other former Hurricane hoping to earn a second tour of responsibility with the membership — he performed for them final season, in truth — Stepan will probably be in powerful to earn a spot in a ahead corps stuffed with a deep assortment of expertise.
It is not all hopeless for him, although. Stepan is clearly aware of the Hurricanes teaching employees, programs, and roster whereas additionally having been an honest bottom-six ahead for them final season by driving possession in extraordinarily restricted minutes.
For a group with the championship aspirations of Carolina, GM Don Waddell and his employees would possibly merely go for the recognized commodity of Stepan over the still-raw prospect in the case of filling within the margins of their roster.
Hockey Males love issues which are acquainted to them. Stepan undoubtedly suits that invoice and will flip that familiarity into yet one more kick on the can.