Breaking: Florida Panthers Confirmed In Talk to Acquire Six NHL Free Agents Who…
NHL training camps are underway, and teams have handed out tryouts to players on the open market. However, not every top free agent remaining has been invited to a camp on a professional tryout (PTO) as they look for another NHL contract. Here are some of those players: JUSTIN SCHULTZ, D Justin Schultz is possibly the best free-agent defenseman left. It’s surprising he’s not even on a PTO somewhere, given he still has the skill level to play in the NHL.
The 34-year-old spent the last two seasons with the Seattle Kraken, where he scored 34 and 26 points. He also played with the Washington Capitals, Pittsburgh Penguins – where he won two Cups – and the Edmonton Oilers. In 745 NHL games, he has 71 goals and 253 assists for 324 points. There is hope for Schultz to sign with an NHL club, especially given the injuries that can happen during training camp. KEVIN SHATTENKIRK, D The 35-year-old Kevin Shattenkirk has had a great career and could accept a role to mentor younger players in the NHL so he can have another chance to play.
Shattenkirk spent last season with the Boston Bruins and scored 24 points in 61 games while averaging 15:47 of ice time. Before that, he played for the Anaheim Ducks, Tampa Bay Lightning – where he won a Cup – New York Rangers, Washington Capitals, and St. Louis Blues. In 952 games, he scored 103 goals and 381 assists for 484 points. Shattenkirk is only 48 games away from reaching 1,000 in his career. BLAKE WHEELER, RW The first forward on the list is Blake Wheeler. Last season, Wheeler struggled with a lower-body injury that limited him to 54 games. The 38-year-old recorded nine goals and 12 assists for 21 points with the New York Rangers. Before that, Wheeler was the captain of the Atlanta Thrashers and Winnipeg Jets franchise, where he spent 13 seasons, and he also played for the Boston Bruins. In 1,172 games, he scored 321 goals and 622 assists for 943 points. Wheeler is also nearing a huge milestone. He is only 57 points away from reaching 1,000 in his career. CAL CLUTTERBUCK, RW It will be strange not to see Cal Clutterbuck with the New York Islanders. He spent 11 years there and was part of the “Identity Line” with Matt Martin and Casey Cizikas. Martin got a PTO with the Islanders, but Clutterbuck did not. Last season, Clutterbuck played in all 82 games and had 19 points, but he’s mainly known for his physicality. He ranked fifth in the NHL in hits, with 273 last season. In fact, since the NHL started tracking hits in 2005-06, Clutterbuck has had the most, with 4,029. Although most will always think of Clutterbuck as an Islander, he also played six seasons with the Minnesota Wild. In 1,064 games, he collected 143 goals and 150 assists for 293 points. Clutterbuck is in a tough situation. Given that he is 36 years old, he may not be a regular in an NHL lineup again. That’s not to say that it won’t happen, but at his age, he will likely want to win a Cup, and that could mean playing as the 13th forward.
TONY DEANGELO, D DeAngelo is an interesting target still on the open market. He has had dressing room issues and had his contract bought out twice, which could give the rest of the NHL pause. That said, Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli called it “baffling” that DeAngelo is unsigned and that, on due diligence, he is a well-liked teammate. If teams choose to look past DeAngelo’s past issues, his power-play skill is undeniable, which should make him a target for teams that need help on a second power-play unit. DeAngelo is coming off his second stint with the Carolina Hurricanes. In 31 games, he had three goals and eight assists for 11 points. Six of those points came on the power play. The 28-year-old had a career high of 53 points in 2019-20 and reached 51 points in 2021-22 as well. In 371 games between the Hurricanes, Philadelphia Flyers, New York Rangers and Arizona Coyotes, DeAngelo has 48 goals and 162 assists for 210 points. MARK GIORDANO, D The 40-year-old Mark Giordano isn’t ready to call it a career. In three seasons with his hometown Toronto Maple Leafs, he scored 12 points in 20 games in 2021-22, 24 points in 78 games in 2022-23 and nine points in 46 games last season. In 1,148 career games, Giordano scored 158 goals and 419 assists for 577 points. Giordano also spent time with the Seattle Kraken after serving as their first captain in franchise history. Before that, he spent 15 years playing for the Calgary Flames. Giordano’s agent, Rich Winter, said his client has spoken to the Maple Leafs, Flames and Edmonton Oilers as possible teams to take him on as a veteran mentor and depth player. He has also yet to win the Stanley Cup in his career.
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