Story Summary
Professional tryouts (PTOs) rarely lead to long-term NHL security, but recent examples show they can produce useful seasons and, occasionally, lucrative contracts. Early 2026 PTO signings include goaltenders Cal Petersen and Chris Driedger, plus forward Alex Nylander, with more camp invites expected ahead of the 2026-27 season. Past successes include Matt Grzelcyk making the Chicago Blackhawks in 2025; Daniel Sprong turning a Seattle Kraken PTO in September 2022 into a one-year, two-way deal and a 21-goal, 46-point season; Jimmy Vesey earning a Rangers roster spot in 2022-23 and contributing 11 goals and 25 points; Mason Raymond parlaying a 2013 PTO with Toronto into a 19-goal, 45-point season and a subsequent three-year, $9.5 million deal from Calgary; and Alex Chiasson repeatedly converting PTO opportunities into NHL stints.
Key Facts
- Early PTO signings for 2026 include goaltenders Cal Petersen and Chris Driedger, plus forward Alex Nylander.
- The 2026-27 NHL season is expected to bring more professional tryouts as teams prepare for training camp.
- Matt Grzelcyk signed with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2025 after a season with the Pittsburgh Penguins; he had 175 NHL points (26 goals, 149 assists) in 527 regular-season games before that tryout and posted 12 assists in 69 games for Chicago.
- Daniel Sprong attended Seattle Kraken camp on a PTO in September 2022, earned a one-year, two-way deal, and posted a career-high 21 goals and 46 points in 66 games that season.
- After his Sprong breakout, he signed a $2-million deal with the Detroit Red Wings and then scored 18 goals there.
- Jimmy Vesey joined the New York Rangers on a PTO before the 2022-23 season, played 81 games, scored 11 goals and 25 points, excelled on the penalty kill, and earned a two-year extension with an $800,000 average annual value midway through the year.
- Mason Raymond signed a PTO with the Toronto Maple Leafs in September 2013, earned a contract, scored 19 goals and 45 points in 82 games that season, and later received a three-year, $9.5 million extension from the Calgary Flames.
- Alex Chiasson used multiple PTOs to make NHL rosters: he made the Washington Capitals in 2017 (nine goals), the Edmonton Oilers in 2018 (22 goals, 38 points in 72 games), the Vancouver Canucks in 2021 (13 goals in 67 games), and later had an AHL stint that led to 20 games with the Detroit Red Wings in 2022-23.
- Most players signed to PTOs do not earn an NHL roster spot, but several have converted tryouts into impactful seasons or further contracts.
IHM Discussion
PTOs allow NHL clubs to extend their evaluations into camp and pre-season without committing a roster spot in advance. The examples show two clear outcomes: most tryouts do not produce NHL roster players, but successful ones can fill a defined role. Vesey contributed as a fourth-line penalty killer, while Raymond and Chiasson supplied offence. Sprong’s path from a PTO to a breakout season is the clearest example of a tryout producing immediate value and a subsequent contract elsewhere.
Why It Matters
For teams: PTOs let general managers and coaches evaluate veteran and fringe players in their systems without committing cap or roster spots up front. That low-risk approach can uncover short-term solutions for depth, special-teams needs or scoring touch. For players: PTOs are one of the few practical routes back into the league; success can lead to anything from a one-year, two-way contract to multi-year, multi-million dollar extensions, as Mason Raymond’s post-PTO payday shows. The mixed historical record makes PTOs a tactical tool rather than a development panacea – valuable when they work, invisible when they do not.
IHM Market Outlook
Teams are likely to continue using PTOs as an off-season roster-management tool ahead of 2026-27 training camp. The early signings of two goaltenders and a forward show how tryouts can provide depth options and opportunities for players seeking another NHL chance. A successful PTO can lead to an immediate roster place or a short-term contract.
Mini Q&A
Do PTOs often lead to NHL contracts?
No. Most players invited to camp on PTOs do not earn a roster spot, although some convert tryouts into contracts and meaningful seasons.
Which recent players turned PTOs into successful NHL seasons?
Examples include Daniel Sprong (PTO with Seattle in September 2022, then 21 goals and 46 points), Jimmy Vesey (PTO with the New York Rangers before 2022-23, 11 goals and 25 points), Mason Raymond (PTO with Toronto in September 2013, 19 goals and 45 points), Matt Grzelcyk (made Chicago in 2025) and Alex Chiasson (multiple PTOs, including 22 goals and 38 points with Edmonton in 2018).
Can a successful PTO lead to a substantial contract?
Yes. Mason Raymond’s PTO season was followed by a three-year, $9.5 million deal from Calgary, while Daniel Sprong’s breakout led to a $2-million deal with Detroit.
Are PTOs used for specific positions or needs?
PTOs appear across positions. The early 2026 signings include goaltenders and a forward, and historical PTO successes have provided scoring depth, penalty-killing forwards and defensive options, suggesting teams use PTOs to address a variety of positional needs.
Will there be more PTOs for 2026-27?
More professional tryouts are expected as teams prepare for the 2026-27 training-camp period.
Coach Mark Comment
PTOs work best as focused auditions. A player who can show a reliable, clearly defined contribution in camp gives coaches a straightforward case for keeping him on the roster.
What Comes Next
More PTO signings are expected as NHL clubs prepare for training camp ahead of the 2026-27 season.
IHM Final View
Professional tryouts remain a low-probability gambit for players, but the historical examples show they are far from futile. When a player’s skill set aligns with a team’s immediate need – whether scoring depth, penalty killing or veteran stability – a PTO can turn into a meaningful NHL season and, sometimes, into a multiyear contract. Teams and players will continue to treat PTOs as a pragmatic, low-cost evaluation method as the league heads into training camps.
