Unsigned veteran players can earn a contract with an NHL team by impressing enough during training camp on a professional tryout contract (PTO). Training camps opened on Sept. 16 and the regular season begins Sept. 29.
Players signed to professional tryouts for NHL training camps
Jost, Soucy, Blankenburg among those looking to earn job
© Vincent Ethier/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The following notable players (listed alphabetically) will be in an NHL camp on a PTO:
Nathan Bastian, F, Florida Panthers
The 28-year-old forward had seven points (six goals, one assist) in 36 games for the Dallas Stars last season. Selected by the New Jersey Devils in the second round (No. 41) of the 2016 NHL Draft, Bastian has 75 points (39 goals, 36 assists) in 312 regular-season games for the Stars, Seattle Kraken and Devils, and two points (one goal, one assist) in 17 Stanley Cup Playoff games.
Bastian signed a one-year, two-way contract Sept. 27.
Nick Blankenburg, D, Toronto Maple Leafs
The 28-year-old defenseman had 24 points (eight goals, 16 assists) in 61 games for the Colorado Avalanche and Nashville Predators last season. Signed by the Columbus Blue Jackets as an undrafted free agent on April 8, 2022, Blankenburg has 58 points (18 goals, 40 assists) in 176 regular-season games for the Avalanche, Predators and Blue Jackets, and one goal in five playoff games.
Blankenburg signed a one-year contract Sept. 27.
Collin Delia, G, Pittsburgh Penguins
The 32-year-old goalie was 1-4-0 with a 3.87 goals-against average and .791 save percentage in six games (five starts) with Brynas IF of the Swedish Hockey League last season. He last played in the NHL with the Vancouver Canucks in 2022-23 when he was 10-6-2 with a 3.28 GAA and .882 save percentage in 20 games. Signed by the Chicago Blackhawks as an undrafted free agent on July 28, 2017, Delia is 19-18-7 with a 3.51 GAA and .897 save percentage in 52 games (45 starts) for the Blackhawks and Canucks.
Delia was released from his tryout contract Sept. 25.
Chris Driedger, G, Vancouver Canucks
The 32-year-old goalie was 8-9-2 with a 3.05 GAA and an .897 save percentage in 23 games with Traktor Chelyabinsk of the Kontinental Hockey League last season. Driedger last played in the NHL with the Seattle Kraken in 2023-24 (two games). Selected by the Ottawa Senators in the third round (No. 76) of the 2012 NHL Draft, he is 31-24-5 with a 2.45 GAA, .917 save percentage, and five shutouts in 67 games (60 starts) for the Kraken, Florida Panthers and Senators. He is 0-1 in three Stanley Cup Playoff games (two starts).
Ben Gleason, D, Dallas Stars
The 28-year-old defenseman had 22 points (two goals, 20 assists) in 59 games for Iowa of the American Hockey League last season. Signed by the Stars as an undrafted free agent on Sept. 13, 2018, Gleason has one assist in four NHL games with Dallas, each coming in 2018-19.
Gleason was released from his tryout contract Sept. 23.
Luke Glendening, F, Tampa Bay Lightning
The 37-year-old forward had nine points (two goals, seven assists) in 70 games for the Philadelphia Flyers and New Jersey Devils last season. Signed by the Detroit Red Wings as an undrafted free agent on July 5, 2013, Glendening has 175 points (85 goals, 90 assists) in 934 regular-season games for the Flyers, Devils, Tampa Bay Lightning, Dallas Stars and Red Wings, and 11 points (seven goals, four assists) in 60 playoff games.
Glendening was released from his tryout contract Sept. 25.
Scott Harrington, D, Ottawa Senators
The 33-year-old defenseman had 19 points (three goals, 16 assists) in 68 games with Belleville of the AHL last season. He last played in the NHL in 2022-23, when he recorded four points (three goals, one assist) with the Anaheim Ducks. Selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round (No. 54) of the 2011 NHL Draft, Harrington has 49 points (11 goals, 38 assists) in 255 regular-season games for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Columbus Blue Jackets, San Jose Sharks and Ducks, and four assists in 14 playoff games.
Ben Hutton, D, Ottawa Senators
The 33-year-old defenseman had 15 points (six goals, nine assists) in 55 regular-season games for the Vegas Golden Knights last season and one assist in seven playoff games. Selected by the Vancouver Canucks in the fifth round (No. 147) of the 2012 NHL Draft, Hutton has 139 points (30 goals, 109 assists) in 575 regular-season games for the Vancouver Canucks, Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks, Toronto Maple Leafs and Golden Knights and one assist in 10 playoff games.
Tyson Jost, F, Nashville Predators
The 28-year-old forward had 16 points (eight goals, eight assists) in 69 games for the Predators last season. Selected by the Colorado Avalanche in the first round (No. 10) of the 2016 NHL Draft, Jost has 165 points (69 goals, 96 assists) in 564 regular-season games for the Predators, Carolina Hurricanes, Buffalo Sabres, Minnesota Wild and Avalanche, and 10 points (six goals, four assists) in 46 playoff games.
Kole Lind, F, Tampa Bay Lightning
The 27-year-old forward had 35 points (11 goals, 24 assists) in 70 games with Texas of the AHL last season. Selected by the Vancouver Canucks in the second round (No. 33) of the 2017 NHL Draft, Lind has eight points (two goals, six assists) in 31 regular-season games for the Seattle Kraken and Canucks.
Lind was released from his tryout contract Sept. 25.
Kevin Mandolese, G, Montreal Canadiens
The 26-year-old goalie last played in the NHL in 2022-23, appearing in three games for the Ottawa Senators, who selected him in the sixth round (No. 157) of the 2018 NHL Draft. Mandolese played two games in the AHL last season and 11 with HKM Zvolen in Slovakia.
Mandolese was released from his tryout contract Sept. 26.
Dysin Mayo, D, Winnipeg Jets
The 30-year-old defenseman had one assist in three games for the Columbus Blue Jackets last season and 29 points (three goals, 26 assists) in 59 games for Cleveland of the AHL. Selected by the Arizona Coyotes in the fifth round (No. 133) of the 2014 NHL Draft, Mayo has 13 points (four goals, nine assists) in 85 regular-season games for the Coyotes and Blue Jackets.
Mayo was released from his tryout contract Sept. 23.
Alex Nylander, F, Calgary Flames
The 28-year-old forward had 53 points (24 goals, 29 assists) in 65 games with Toronto of the AHL last season. He played five NHL games with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2024-25. Selected by the Buffalo Sabres with the No. 8 pick of the 2016 NHL Draft, Nylander has 49 points (25 goals, 24 assists) in 126 regular-season games for the Maple Leafs, Columbus Blue Jackets, Pittsburgh Penguins, Chicago Blackhawks and Sabres, and no points in eight playoff games.
Nylander signed a one-year, two-way contract Sept. 25.
Yaniv Perets, Philadelphia Flyers
The 26-year-old goalie has played two NHL games, the last coming in 2024-25 with the Carolina Hurricanes. He split last season with Reading in the ECHL and Lehigh Valley of the AHL, going 2-3-0 with a 2.71 GAA, .905 save percentage and one shutout in five AHL games.
Cal Petersen, G, Washington Capitals
The 31-year-old goalie was 13-16-2 with a 2.73 GAA, .896 save percentage and four shutouts in 33 games with Iowa of the AHL last season. He last played in the NHL with the Philadelphia Flyers in 2023-24 and was 2-2-0 with a 3.90 GAA and.864 save percentage in five games (four starts). Selected by the Buffalo Sabres in the fifth round (No. 129) of the 2013 NHL Draft, Petersen is 46-44-10 with a 2.96 GAA, .903 save percentage and four shutouts in 106 regular-season games (98 starts) for the Flyers and Los Angeles Kings. Petersen has appeared in one playoff game.
Petersen was released from his tryout contract Sept. 27.
Carson Soucy, D, Columbus Blue Jackets
The 32-year-old defenseman had 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in 76 games with the New York Rangers and New York Islanders last season. Selected by the Minnesota Wild in the fifth round (No. 137) of the 2013 NHL Draft, Soucy has 99 points (32 goals, 67 assists) in 441 regular-season games for the Islanders, Rangers, Vancouver Canucks, Seattle Kraken and Wild, and seven points (two goals, five assists) in 38 playoff games.
Vadim Zherenko, G, Ottawa Senators
The 25-year-old goalie was 17-16-5 with a 3.08 GAA and .902 save percentage in 42 games for Springfield of the AHL last season. Selected by the St. Louis Blues in the seventh round (No. 208) of the 2019 NHL Draft, Zherenko has yet to make his NHL debut.
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