Montreal Canadiens PTO Options Ahead Of Training Camp

The Montreal Canadiens have a long and illustrious history in almost every aspect of hockey, but when it comes to professional tryouts (PTOs), the examples are few and far between.

They’ve invited just three players to camp on a PTO in the last five years: Cody Goloubef in 2021, as well as Simon Despres and Joel Ward in 2018. They bucked the trend in 2016, inviting nine players on PTOs to camp, but that goal, in that case, was to re-stock the AHL team with warm bodies rather than identifying NHL players that may have slipped through the cracks.

The last player to actually sign a contract thanks to a PTO with the Canadiens was Tomas Fleischmann, way back in 2015.

But now that the team is amid a rebuild, there could be value in bringing a few players to camp to ensure the internal competition is maximized, while also giving a useful player an opportunity to prove his worth.

However, the options are limited.

But there are a few names that may be worth exploring.

The first that comes to mind is Ethan Bear.

Bear is a right-handed defenceman, which makes the prospect of having him involved in the team much more enticing. Kent Hughes has put an onus on bringing more right-handed defencemen into the mix, and it’s usually one of the most sought-after positions among all teams in the NHL. He has produced very interesting underlying numbers in the last four years and also has the ability to pitch in offensively, albeit he should not be counted upon as a primary or secondary source of offence.

Unfortunately, he sustained a shoulder injury while representing Canada alongside Samuel Montembeault and Justin Barron at the World Championship, which is why the Vancouver Canucks did not qualify the 26-year-old defenceman.

He’s expected to miss the first few months of action, but his case is worth revisiting once he completes his shoulder rehab.

Beyond Bear, the options are mostly limited to much older players.

Slim Pickings

Forwards such as Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews are still unsigned, but Kane is looking for a legitimate contract, and Toews has decided to take a year off.

Former Montreal Canadiens forward Tomas Tatar is still available, which is somewhat confusing. He’s an established forward who plays a very strong defensive game, combined with an underrated offensive presence.

In addition to his offence, other than his brief time with the Vegas Golden Knights, Tatar has a track record of having fantastic seasons when it comes to underlying numbers.

While he was on the ice last year the New Jersey Devils controlled more than 57 percent of the shots and almost 63 percent (!!!) of the expected goals.

In other words, he was excellent.

But there’s no fit to be had in Montreal. He’s 32 years old, which means he doesn’t fit the Canadiens’ plans, and he’s likely looking to play for a team that has a shot at the playoffs.