After a handful of players landed professional tryout contracts on Monday, another group of UFAs inked PTO deals with NHL clubs for training camp on Tuesday, including a member of the 2022 Men's US Olympic hockey team and a former first-round pick.
The Carolina Hurricanes, who have been one of the busier teams in the PTO market as we approach camp, announced that they've signed U.S. Olympian Nick Shore to a PTO. Shore, 30, has spent his last three seasons playing in Europe, in Slovakia, Switzerland, Russia and Sweden. Shore also has 299 games of NHL experience under his belt, having spent time with Los Angeles, Ottawa, Calgary, Toronto and Winnipeg.
In other PTO news, the Dallas Stars are bringing back a very familiar face in 36-year-old Jordie Benn, who had previously spent parts of six seasons with the Stars. Since leaving Dallas via trade in 2017, he's made tops in Montreal, Vancouver, Winnipeg, Minnesota and Toronto as a part of his Northern tour of duty.
The Pittsburgh Penguins announced a pair of PTO's on Tuesday as well, both of whom are blueliners. 25-year-old Libor Hajek, who was not issued a qualifying offer by the New York Rangers earlier this year, and 2010 first-round pick Mark Pysyk are the two names inked to PTOs by new Pens GM/President Kyle Dubas.
Hajek spent the majority of the 2022-23 season in the AHL with the Hartford Wolf Pack, putting up six points in 24 games, while also skating in 16 games for the Rangers.
As for Pysyk, the ex-Sabre was set to play for the Detroit Red Wings during the 2022-23 season, but he missed the entire campaign due to an unfortunate Achilles injury, for which he underwent surgery. He last played for in Buffalo in 2021-22, recording 12 points in 68 games.
