Top 5 notable UFAs still seeking NHL contracts with training camp looming

With NHL training camps set to begin next week, we’re at the stage of the summer where pretty much any movement involving an unsigned player is watching them sign a professional tryout offer.

While it doesn’t give any of the players who sign the deal any true comfort, we do see players use PTOs to earn a spot on an NHL roster and turn it into something more lucrative. Danton Heinen started the 2023-24 season on a PTO with Boston last year, only to register 17 goals and 36 points for the second-best season of his career. Now, he’s set to make $2.25 million per season for the next two years in Vancouver.

It’s not to say many of the top remaining UFAs won’t get actual contracts before training camp, but with things set to kick off on Sept. 19, time is running out. And in some cases, performing well on a PTO could be an opportunity to receive a bigger payday.

While there aren’t a ton of UFAs left on the market, these five could still provide value across the NHL if teams come calling:

James van Riemsdyk, LW, 35

After signing an inexpensive deal with the Boston Bruins last year, JVR finished with a respectable 38 points in 71 games. He was a healthy scratch on occasion, but had he played all 82 games, he could have potentially put up the most points in his career in over half a decade. He still has above-average hands, and his 6-foot-3 frame makes it hard for him to knock off the puck around the net. 

The veteran winger isn’t a spring chicken these days, but he can still be a decent middle-six option for a team needing some extra depth. On some teams, JVR might not be an everyday player anymore, but he’s still a decent playmaker who can put up double-digit goals in the right environment. Of all the remaining wingers on the market, JVR has the best chance at being an actual impact player, and contending teams should look to snag him for cheap.

Kevin Labanc, RW, 28

When Kevin Labanc signed a one-year, $1 million deal fresh off his 56-point campaign in 2018-19, just about everyone was shocked. But then he saw offense dip to 33 points in 70 games the following year, which still resulted in him signing a four-year deal worth $4.725 million per season. That deal ended up being quite ugly, with the winger never coming close to his career-high and ultimately becoming a healthy scratch more often than not last year.

Labanc has dealt with numerous injury issues over the past few years, and his inconsistent player makes him hard to trust. But in the right situation, he’s still a decent playmaker who’s more than capable of generating scoring chances and driving the play. But at the very least, it feels like Labanc could still do some damage on a PTO. The situation in San Jose just wasn’t good anymore, and he needed a fresh start, but any team taking him on knows they’re dealing with an injury-prone winger coming off a career-worst season.

Justin Schultz, RHD, 34

Schultz has scored over 300 points in 700 games and provided reliable power-play production while averaging nearly 20 minutes per game. And if you’re looking for a winner, Schultz was part of Pittsburgh’s two Stanley Cup championships in 2016 and 2017. But he’s coming off an ugly season in Seattle while mainly playing on the third line. It just felt like the puck got past him way too often for someone who, for years, proved to be a steady presence in the NHL.

Schultz has always been more of an offensive defenseman, but his best days are behind him. Still, he’s a right-handed blueliner with an extensive career to his credit, and teams could do worse than signing him to a PTO. It can’t be easy for someone who has spent the past decade with a steady source of income coming his way to agree to a tryout deal, but this late in the game, it looks like that’s all that’s possible.

Tony DeAngelo, RHD, 28

DeAngelo has been a polarizing figure throughout his career and that’s unlikely to change anytime soon. With the puck, it’s hard to deny his talent – he has two 50-plus point seasons to his credit already, and even in a real off year for him in Philly two years ago, DeAngelo had 11 goals and 42 points. But he comes with plenty of baggage, and he was a healthy scratch more often than not in Carolina last year with just 11 points in 31 games.

With rumors earlier this summer that DeAngelo was exploring options in Europe, it’ll be interesting to see if any NHL clubs look to give him a chance on a PTO. His defensive game is still a massive liability (which isn’t ideal if you’re a defenseman) but his offensive game – led by his smooth skating – makes him an intriguing gamble for many teams. We’ll see if anyone bites ahead of training camp.

Kevin Lankinen, G, 29

Lankinen’s rise to becoming an NHL goaltender was an interesting one. He signed with the Chicago Blackhawks as an undrafted UFA in 2018, and went on to steal the show against quality NHLers by helping Finland win gold at the 2019 World Championship. Two years later, he was Chicago’s No. 1, and while he quickly fell into a backup role, he proved to be a decent option for the Nashville Predators over the past two years.

But with Scott Wedgewood signing with the Preds, Lankinen found himself on the outside looking in. Lankinen has plenty of NHL experience over the past five years, with a 45-43-12 record in 112 games. He has never played on a real contender, but he has proven he can on his head on occasion. In fact, Lankinen allowed just one goal – or, against Florida, zero – in five of his last six starts. Teams looking to add some veteran goaltending depth (Vancouver, perhaps) could do much worse than a goalkeeper with plenty of experience taking over as a starter when needed.