Edmonton Oilers release Jake Virtanen from PTO

Jake Virtanen’s time at Edmonton Oilers training camp has come to an end, TSN’s Darren Dreger reported Thursday.

The 26-year-old winger has reportedly been released from his professional tryout agreement with the Oilers and is without a contract entering the 2022–23 season.

The Vancouver Canucks originally selected Virtanen with the No. 6 pick in the 2014 NHL Draft. The big forward never met expectations in Vancouver, topping out at 18 goals in 2019–20 before falling to just five (and zero assists) the following year.

With Virtanen facing allegations of sexual abuse and his production at an all-time low, the Canucks bought out the final year of his contract in 2021. A B.C. jury later found Virtanen not guilty of sexual assault.

Virtanen spent the 2021–22 season playing for Spartak Moscow in the Kontinental Hockey League, scoring nine goals and 16 points in 36 games — good enough to finish ninth on the team points leaderboard.

In six exhibition games with the Oilers, Virtanen picked up two assists but failed to make the necessary impact on coaching or management to earn a contract.

Virtanen has scored 55 goals and 100 points in 317 career NHL games (all with the Canucks) over parts of six regular seasons. He added two goals and one assist in 16 games with Vancouver during the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs.