Canucks release Danny DeKeyser from PTO

The Vancouver Canucks have announced that defenseman Danny DeKeyser was released from his professional tryout deal on Tuesday.

The 32-year-old defenseman has battled injuries throughout his career, having not played at least 70 games since 2016-17. DeKeyser has 547 games to his credit – all with Detroit – which included an 11-point run in 59 games last year.

DeKeyser seemed to struggle in exhibition action, and the emergence of Christian Wolanin and the return of Tucker Poolman left little room for DeKeyser to earn a roster spot.

A back injury limited DeKeyser to just eight games in 2019-20, and that seemingly marked the end of DeKeyser’s effectiveness as a defenseman. He still had value as a penalty-killer, but his overall value has dropped after years of injuries.

DeKeyser is available to be signed by other teams, and a group looking to add cheap defensive depth could make a run at him. But after a mediocre preseason showing, the opportunities for him to continue his career in the NHL might be slim.