5 players Canucks should invite to training camp on a PTO
Vancouver Canucks training camp is approaching soon and the team’s roster is nearly filled out.
The organization has signed 49 of a maximum of 50 contracts and is right up against the salary cap. They already made their late summer addition with the signing of Daniel Sprong.
But this doesn’t mean they can’t continue to tinker with the group. One option available to Patrik Allvin and his staff is to invite unsigned players around the league to training camp on a professional tryout (PTO).
Training camp kicks off on September 19 in Penticton, and these are five players still waiting for a contract who the Canucks should consider inviting.
1. Justin Schultz
- 2023-24 stats:Ā 70 GP, 7 G, 19 A, 26 PTS
- Position:Ā RD
- Age:Ā 34
Justin Schultz checks a lot of boxes for the Canucks. He’s a right-handed defenceman, he can provide puck-moving ability in the bottom-four, and he’s likely to be extremely cheap. The veteran also has two Stanley Cup rings and is familiar with this management group from his time in Pittsburgh.
Schultz on the spot! š pic.twitter.com/eHMyspWVxQ
— Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) March 6, 2024
Schultz’s resume is impressive enough that it wouldn’t be surprising if he got a legitimate contract done before training camps around the league begin. If he’s still in the free-agent pool, he makes a lot of sense for the Canucks.
2. Kevin Shattenkirk
- 2023-24 stats:Ā 61 GP, 6 G, 18 A, 24 PTS
- Position:Ā RD
- Age:Ā 35
Veteran defenceman Kevin Shattenkirk has played for seven NHL teams across his career, and the Canucks could make it eight. The right-handed shot has still managed to put up at least 20 points in each of the past three seasons.
He can move the puck and quarterback a power play in a pinch. The 35-year-old won the Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020 and was playing nearly 20 minutes per night just two years ago.
3. James van Riemsdyk
- 2023-24 stats:Ā 71 GP, 11 G, 27 A, 38 PTS
- Position:Ā LW
- Age:Ā 35
James van Riemsdyk continues to evade Father Time and has stayed effective well into his mid-30s. He’s scored at least 10 goals in 15 consecutive seasons and uses his 6-foot-3 frame well.
The winger would offer the Canucks another veteran presence up front and one who has a knack for scoring goals. The team could let van Riemsdyk and Sprong battle it out as veteran offensive-focused contributors.
4. Tyler Johnson
- 2023-24 stats: 67 GP, 17 G, 14 A, 31 PTS
- Position:Ā C
- Age:Ā 34
Tyler Johnson has been a consistent scorer in the league for a long time. While he’s been stuck on a bad Chicago Blackhawks team for the past few seasons, he still scored 17 goals in just 67 games last season.
Bedard ā”ļø Johnson ā”ļø šØ pic.twitter.com/ZpGVU2xBUg
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) February 20, 2024
At just 5-foot-8, Johnson doesn’t have the size that this management group has typically gone for. However to get a forward who scored better than a 20-goal pace last season for cheap can be hard to pass up on.
5. Kyle Okposo
- 2023-24 stats: 67 GP, 12 G, 10 A, 22 PTS
- Position:Ā RW
- Age:Ā 36
Kyle Okposo is just coming off a Stanley Cup victory and could be an important mentor for some of the younger players on the Canucks. He suited up for 17 postseason games for the Florida Panthers on their way to the sport’s ultimate trophy.
After 17 seasons and 1,051 games played, Kyle Okposo gets his #StanleyCup! š¤© pic.twitter.com/7KPzg5BbTe
— NHL (@NHL) June 25, 2024
He’s in the twilight years of his career, but Okposo offers an intriguing fourth-line option who can contribute to a winning culture. If the Canucks want to replace the intangibles they lost with Ian Cole’s departure, this could be a starting point.