The Devils have signed three players to professional tryout (PTO) contacts ahead of training camp and the preseason schedule starting up on September 22. These are unsigned veteran free agents who will attend camp hoping to land a job for the 2021-22 season.
According to a press release that I accessed through the Devils’ app, forwards Jimmy Vesey and Mark Jankowski and defenseman Tyler Wotherspoon have inked PTO deals.
Vesey, a one-time highly sought-after college player from Harvard, split last season with the Maple Leafs and Canucks totaling five assists, five goals and ten points. He was drafted by the Predators in the third round (88th overall) in 2012 but chose to sign with the Rangers in 2016.
Over his time with New York, he had his best offensive season, notching 35 goals in 2018-19. In 2019, he moved to the Sabres. His career totals include 64 goals and 56 assists for 120 points along with 92 penalty minutes over 354 NHL games. He has a goal and four assists (five points) over 12 playoff games.
The Boston-native has been given number 16 for camp.
Jankowski spent last season with the Penguins where he had four goals and seven assists (11 points) over 45 goals.
He was drafted by the Flames in the first round, 21st overall, in 2012 and played three seasons in Calgary. The press release notes his career total of 40 goals, 35 assists (75 points) over 235 games at the NHL level. He also has 75 penalty minutes as well.
The left-shooting center, a Hamilton, Ontario native, who attended Providence College, will wear number 14.
Wotherspoon has played the majority of his pro career in the American Hockey League after being drafted in the second round (67th overall) in 2011 by the Flames out of the Portland Winter Hawks of the Western Hockey League.
He has played for the Stockton Heat in the Calgary organization, the San Antonio Rampage (AHL affiliate of Arizona at the time) and the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (Flyers organization). According to the press release, he served as an alternate captain with Stockton and Lehigh Valley.
He has played in 433 AHL games and 30 NHL contests. In the NHL, he has five assists (five points). All of his NHL appearances have come with Calgary.
The Burnaby, British Columbia native will be assigned number 34.