New York Rangers sign Adam Erne to professional tryout

On Tuesday, TSN’s Darren Dreger was the first to report that forward Adam Erne has been invited to the New York Rangers training camp on a professional tryout agreement.

Erne spent last season with the Edmonton Oilers organization, splitting time between the NHL and the Oilers’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Bakersfield Condors. The New Haven, Connecticut native was invited to Edmonton’s camp on a PTO, and was able to earn a one-year contract as a result.

Erne played just 24 games for the Oilers during the regular season, scoring a goal and an assist. His lone goal came on Dec. 21 against the New Jersey Devils. In 36 appearances with the Condors, the former Quebec Rempart notched six goals and six assists, playing in two of the team’s Calder Cup Playoff games last spring.

The Oilers were the third team Erne had played for. The winger was originally taken in the second round, 33rd overall, by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2013 NHL Draft. He only played one full season with the Lightning, as he also played a lot with their primary affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch. Erne became an everyday NHLer after he was traded to the Detroit Red Wings in Aug. 2019. The 29-year-old played four seasons in Hockeytown before being left unsigned after the 2022-23 campaign.

In 379 NHL games, Erne has scored 43 goals and 50 assists but has only made appearances in three Stanley Cup Playoff games. That came in the first round of the 2019 postseason, where the Lightning were infamously swept by the Columbus Blue Jackets.

It will be interesting to see where Erne could fit into the Rangers’ roster heading into training camp. The team has a ton of depth wingers already signed for this coming year, including Will Cuylle, Jimmy Vesey and Matt Rempe. The Blueshirts also don’t have a ton of cap space. With 46 of a possible 50 contracts on the books, they have just under $700,000 available, according to CapWages.