The Vancouver Canucks had multiple players at their training camp on professional tryout (PTO) contracts. It's just that only one had a realistic possibility of making the team.
Technically speaking, every player who was at camp with an AHL contract with the Abbotsford Canucks was on a PTO, including Abbotsford captain Chase Wouters. One of those players, however, came with 257 games of NHL experience: Sammy Blais.
On Monday morning, the Canucks announced that Blais had been released from his PTO. He didn't make the team.
As always, Pass it to Bulis is here to break down every roster cut.
Blais didn't set himself apart
The Canucks simultaneously signed Sammy Blais to an AHL contract and a PTO, sending a clear signal that this wasn't like the team's other AHL signings. Blais was clearly going to be given the chance to make the Canucks out of camp.
While the timing is uncertain, it's likely that Blais's signing coincided with the Canucks receiving word that Dakota Joshua had been diagnosed with testicular cancer and that the surgery to remove the tumour would leave him out of the lineup while recovering.
While Blais was never going to be able to replace Joshua, in theory, he would bring some similar elements to the table. Much like Joshua led the Canucks in hits last season despite playing in just 63 games, Blais led the St. Louis Blues in hits last season in just 53 games.
Unfortunately, Blais didn't do much with his opportunity to make the team in preseason. He played in all four preseason games to this point but his presence on the ice went largely unnoticed apart from a few brief flashes where he would throw a hit or the one time he hit the outside of the post on a rare shot. At other times, he was noticeable for the wrong reasons, as he seemed to struggle to keep up with the pace of play and got lost in the defensive zone.
It just wasn't enough for the 28-year-old winger to earn a spot ahead of one of the young Canucks battling for a spot on the roster. Aatu Räty, in particular, has made a strong case to make the Canucks' opening-night roster, but Arshdeep Bains, Max Sasson, and Linus Karlsson have also been more noticeable than Blais. If Blais couldn't outperform those younger forwards, there was no room for him on the Canucks' roster.
That said, his time with the Canucks might not be done. After all, he has an AHL contract with the Abbotsford Canucks and has an opportunity to take a leadership role on the farm team. Assuming he doesn't sign with another NHL team, there's a chance that Blais could still earn a contract in Vancouver during the season if the Canucks face injury troubles.
It should be noted, however, that when the other Abbotsford-signed players were released from their PTOs, the Canucks announced that they would "report to Abbotsford." When the Canucks announced Blais being released, they did not include that line.
Does this mean Blais is moving on to another team? That remains to be seen.
