Edmonton Oilers Should Sign Veteran Forward Curtis Lazar to a PTO – The Hockey Writers – Edmonton Oilers

Nearly 10 weeks have passed since NHL free-agency opened, and veteran centre Curtis Lazar remains unsigned after his one-year contract with the Edmonton Oilers expired on June 30.

From all appearances, the Oilers moved on from Lazar. During July, Edmonton stocked up on forwards, adding free-agents Mathieu Joseph and Eduards Tralmaks, while bringing back Colton Dach, Max Jones and Owen Michaels.

Since then, the Oilers learned that wingers Mattias Janmark and Matthew Savoie will miss the start of training camp due to injuries sustained during the offseason. There’s been speculation that Edmonton will look to add another forward.

So with the pre-season now just around the corner, and Lazar still available, should Edmonton consider signing the 31-year-old to a professional tryout contract (PTO)?

What is a Professional Tryout?

Professional tryout contracts in the NHL are short-term deals that allow veterans to attend training camp and play in the preseason.

For players that remain unsigned as the season approaches, PTOs provide opportunity to make an impression that leads to a standard NHL contract. For teams that may still have some holes on their roster, PTOs are a risk-free way to audition players that could address said needs.

On an average year, the Oilers will bring a couple players to training camp on PTOs, although past offseasons have seen Edmonton sign as few as zero and as many as seven players to a professional tryout.

Lazar is Well Suited for PTO

If the alternative is having the security of a standard contract, then no player wants to end up on a PTO. But if there’s anyone that has the right attitude for a professional tryout, it would be Lazar.

Going back to his junior career with the Edmonton Oil Kings, Lazar has shown himself to be a hard worker that’s void of ego. If he attended training camp on a tryout, Lazar would treat every moment as though nothing is given, not with a sense of entitlement. That’s how players in his situation convert their PTO into a year-long deal.

Lazar Brings Many Positive Elements

Lazar’s positive traits are no secret to Oilers management and many players who were his teammate in Edmonton last season.

Appearing in 45 games, Lazar led the Oilers in faceoff percentage (61.2%), was one of Edmonton’s top hitters (14.20 per 60 minutes), and had the lowest rate of giveaways (1.30 per 60 minutes) on the team.

While he recorded just six points, from four goals and two assists, Lazar impact the game in a number of facets. The six-foot, 203-pound forward checked effectively, played with physicality, and rarely made a costly mistake.

Lazar functioned about as well as any player could in the role of 13^th forward. If he didn’t dress for any given game, Lazar simply rolled with it. He had an ability to sit in the press box for a week, then return to the lineup without missing a beat.

Lazar Could Be a Fit for Babcock

Edmonton, however, has a new bench boss since Lazar last wore the team’s jersey. In June, the Oilers hired Mike Babcock as head coach, replacing Kris Knoblauch. Is there a place for Lazar on Babcock’s Oilers? The fact that Edmonton didn’t attempt to re-sign Lazar suggests not.

On the other hand, it’s hard to imagine any coach not having time for Lazar. And the forward’s team-first, workmanlike approach should resonate with an old school type that Babcock.

Considering he’s got a dozen seasons of NHL experience, and is only just into his early 30s, someone is going to take a chance on Lazar. Maybe it should be the Oilers.