Notable players on PTO deals fighting for jobs during 2026-27 NHL preseason
The shorter 2026-27 NHL preseason means players on professional tryout offers will have a tougher time locking in real contracts.
Many teams are bringing smaller training camp rosters in hopes of locking the opening night lineups in a little earlier. In the past, we’ve seen players on PTOs earn contracts after five-plus solid outings. This year, though, it’s been much quieter on that front, beyond players most expect to be AHLers anyways.
Today, we’re breaking down the most notable PTO candidates (with help from our partners at PuckPedia) and considering what their roads to NHL deals look like. There’s so little time to impress, with the regular season set to begin on Sept. 29. But with the right circumstances, and some excellent play, these veterans could force their way back into the big leagues for the upcoming season:
Calgary Flames: Alexander Nylander, RW, 28
The younger brother of Toronto Maple Leafs star William Nylander, Alexander is hoping to get into his first NHL action since 2025. He had a five-game stint with the Leafs when depth became an issue in 2024-25 but failed to register a point. Toronto elected to not sign him last summer, and he instead spent the year helping the Toronto Marlies win the Calder Cup on an AHL contract. The 28-year-old winger was once a top prospect with the Buffalo Sabres, but he has struggled to remain a constant threat in the NHL. He had an impressive 11 goals and 15 points in 23 games with Columbus in 2023-24, but it wasn’t enough to earn himself a new deal. At the very least, Nylander should be able to remain a strong contributor in the AHL, and he could be a highly skilled winger with the Calgary Wranglers. But with the Flames expected to be one of the worst teams in the league again this year, Nylander could turn a strong training camp into a bottom-six scoring role.
Columbus Blue Jackets: Carson Soucy, LHD, 32
Once a top-four defenseman with the Vancouver Canucks, Soucy now has to prove himself worthy of an NHL deal. He was an unrestricted free agent after the conclusion of his three-year contract with a $3.25-million cap hit, and is coming off a 12-point campaign between the New York Rangers and Islanders. The 6-foot-5 defender was a bit of a slow riser in the NHL, but teams seemed to like him for his big frame and shutdown abilities. Inconsistency has plagued his career, but he still has 441 regular-season games to his credit. The Blue Jackets have a largely untouched blueline group from last year, so it’s not clear where Soucy would fit in. It’s no secret Rick Bowness likes big defenders who lay their bodies on the line, though. Maybe Soucy earns an opportunity as a No. 7-8 defender, or perhaps he plays well enough to earn the attention of another team needing extra depth after training camp comes to a close.
Florida Panthers: Nathan Bastian, RW, 28
Bastian hasn’t played more than 60 games in an NHL season, but has spent the better part of the past six years in the NHL. The physical winger plays an old-school power forward game, but the offense has never really followed him. Bastian had six goals and seven points in 36 NHL games with Dallas and another three points in four games in his first AHL action in over half a decade. At this point in his NHL career, he’s a fourth-liner at best; but that’s something that might intrigue the Panthers. With Garnett Hathaway and Sandis Vilmanis, the Panthers have solid wing depth on the fourth line. But if the Panthers elect to send Vilmanis back to the AHL, or injuries arise, you could do much worse than Bastian in a depth role.
Nashville Predators: Tyson Jost, LW, 28
Selected 10th overall by the Colorado Avalanche in 2016, Jost never seemed to live up to his potential. He has never registered more than 26 points in a season (his sophomore campaign in 2018-19), and has even spent significant time in the AHL in two of the past three seasons. Jost had eight goals and 16 points in 69 games in a depth role with Nashville last year, so they’re definitely aware of his playstyle. The Preds have done a lot to address their bottom-six depth this year, bringing in Ross Colton, Jack Drury, Nils Hoglander, Alex Kerfoot and Vitali Pinchuk over the summer. They also have rookie Brady Martin looking to land a full-time role after getting a taste early last season. This could be a situation of Jost simply being an insurance policy in case anyone gets hurt. Or perhaps new GM Chris MacFarland, who was an AGM with the Avs when Jost was with the club, is simply offering Jost a lifeline to prove himself in order to secure a one-year deal elsewhere.
Tampa Bay Lightning: Kole Lind, RW, 27
Lind has been a depth forward throughout his career, with just two goals and eight points in 31 games over his career. His last NHL point came during the 2021-22 season, with Lind instead establishing himself as a big-time AHL contributor. He has a pair of 60-plus point seasons to his credit in the minors, but he’s ultimately coming off a difficult campaign with the Texas Stars. The Bolts seem to love their cheap depth; it’s partly what made them so dangerous at the start of the 2020s. But will Lind factor into the team’s fourth line? He’s always been more of a point producer at the next level, but that hasn’t translated to the NHL. Jeff Viel and Ilya Mikheyev feel like better depth options on the fourth line, so it feels like a full-time gig in Tampa is unlikely for Lind. But a spot in Syracuse? The Lightning organization should be all-in on that.
Toronto Maple Leafs: Nick Blankenburg, RHD, 28
The Leafs made some big moves this summer to address the blueline. Darren Raddysh is expected to play on Toronto’s top pair, while Emil Andrae will give the third-pair some much-needed puck-moving capabilities. Blankenburg has 176 games of NHL experience but has never been an everyday NHLer. He did put up 21 points in 49 games with Nashville last year while averaging just under 18 minutes a night. For the most part, though, he was inconsistent in his own zone, and he lacks ideal NHL size at 5-foot-9. It’s unlikely Blankenburg will get enough of an opportunity to push Andrae out of a job, and Philippe Myers, Dakota Mermis and William Villeneuve will be among those with the Toronto Marlies looking to push for playing time (not to mention top defensive prospect Ben Danford). Blankenburg would be a great addition for the Marlies, though. It’s a smart training camp addition, no doubt, but one that seems unlikely to result in Blankenburg spending the year with the big club.
Vancouver Canucks: Chris Driedger, G, 32
Driedger last played in the NHL in 2023-24, earning two starts with the Seattle Kraken. He has 67 NHL games to his credit, and his stats are quite solid with a 31-24-5 record, five shutouts and .917 save percentage. Driedger also helped backstop Canada to silver at the 2022 IIHF World Championship, outplaying Logan Thompson for the starter’s gig. Without an NHL job last year, Driedger elected to go to the KHL, but he ultimately struggled with Traktor Chelyabinsk and terminated his deal in November. He hasn’t played since, but with Thatcher Demko still battling injury problems, Driedger has an opportunity to prove himself worthy of an NHL contract. If Demko isn’t good to go, Kevin Lankinen will assume the starter’s duties. From there, the Canucks also have Nikita Tolopilo, who played in 21 games last year with mixed results. Driedger feels like an upgrade there; he might have one of the best cases for an NHL contract of anyone on this list.
Washington Capitals: Cal Petersen, G, 31
At one point, Petersen looked like the L.A. Kings’ goalie of the future. His numbers were excellent early on, and his play at the 2021 World Championship was enough to suggest big things were on the horizon. Instead, Petersen’s play fell off a cliff, and he has spent the past four years primarily fighting for playing time in the AHL. The Capitals needed some extra goaltending depth with NHL experience in case something happens to Logan Thompson or Charlie Lindgren, and Petersen could be a decent addition as a third-stringer. Clay Stevenson and Mitch Gibson look primed to handle things down in Hershey, with Gavin Bjorklund also proving capable of winning a game every so often, too. This feels like either the Caps want Petersen up with the big club as the No. 3, or this could be a last-ditch effort to keep his NHL dreams alive.
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