Over the past month, I've written two pieces about the players the Jackets have already signed on PTOs for the upcoming training camp.
But what about some additional PTOs?
Yesterday, my colleague Dan Dukart wrote about five potential UFA defensemen that Columbus could sign on a PTO. Today, I will talk about five potential UFA forwards that could receive an offer.
The Blue Jackets already have 24 forwards under contract for the 2022-23 season, but if they take a flyer on an established veteran and said veteran shines in camp, who knows? Maybe they'll sign someone who contributes throughout the season.
According to capfriendly.com, there are 46 remaining UFA forwards that played at least five games in the NHL last season. Here are five that I think could be options for the Jackets to sign.
Sonny Milano
Milano has a history with the Jackets organization. They selected him with the 16th overall pick in the 2014 Draft and he played parts of five seasons with the team before being moved to Anaheim in the 2019-20 season. Despite scoring 14 goals and a career-high in assists with 20 and points with 34, the Ducks did not give him a qualifying offer, making him a UFA at the age of 26.
SONNY MILANO IS CLOWNING ON THE STARS #CBJ pic.twitter.com/ETif0Fd87m
— 1st Ohio Battery (@1stOhioBattery) October 17, 2019
Antoine Roussel
According to hockeyfights.com, Roussel has been in 56 fights in his NHL. He only fought once last season, but he would add toughness to a team that some would say lacked an edge last season. Also, he was born in France, so he and Alexandre Texier could establish another 'French connection'.
May I have this dance?
— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) January 26, 2021
- Antoine Roussel pic.twitter.com/jolquPloHu
Jonathan Dahlén
Like Milano, Dahlén did not receive a qualifying offer, so after just one NHL season with San Jose, he is a UFA at 24. He scored 12 goals and 22 points in 61 games for the Sharks in 2021-22.
JONATHAN DAHLEN INSURANCE POLICY pic.twitter.com/dwZIaL2Vb5
— Sharks on NBCS (@NBCSSharks) January 27, 2022
Joe Thornton
Thornton's resume speaks for itself: 1,714 regular-season games played, 430 goals, 1,109 assists, and the winner of the 2005-06 Hart and Art Ross Trophies. At the very least, he could teach the various young players on the team some things he's learned throughout his 24-year NHL career.
1,533 career points for Joe Thornton now tied with Mark Recchi for the 12th most in NHL history. pic.twitter.com/zotVeWsfXS
— NHL (@NHL) December 1, 2021
Tyler Ennis
Ennis, who has played 700 NHL regular-season games, would bring a veteran presence to a relatively young Jackets squad. He scored eight goals and 24 points in 57 games for Ottawa during the 2021-22 season.
Tyler Ennis, curl and drag. pic.twitter.com/ung4LoBWT8
— NHL (@NHL) February 9, 2021
We'll have to wait and see if the Jackets sign any veterans to PTOs before training camp, and it'll be interesting to see if/who they sign. But, if you think it's unrealistic to think that any of the remaining UFAs will get a PTO from an NHL team rather than a standard contract, Mike Hoffman signed a PTO with St. Louis following the 2019-20 season where he scored 29 goals and 59 points in 69 games. Yes, he eventually would sign a one-year, $4M deal, but the point remains that players who you don't expect to accept a PTO may still do so.
