Now that we are in the middle of September, most players who became free agents this summer have found their new homes. In addition, with training camps just about here, several players have signed professional tryout (PTO) agreements.
However, even with all of this being the case, some notable names still have not landed a contract for the 2024-25 season or a PTO just yet. This includes former Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk.
Shattenkirk, 35, undoubtedly has the potential to earn a PTO soon. While he is no longer the top-four defenseman he was during his prime, he showed this past season with the Boston Bruins that he can still produce pretty solid offense from the blueline. In 61 games with Boston in 2023-24, the New Rochelle, New York native had six goals and 24 points.
Shattenkirk is one of the best defenders available, so teams needing some help on the point could consider taking a flier on him. In addition to his solid offense, he also comes with a plethora of experience, having played 14 NHL seasons and 952 career games. He also notably has a Stanley Cup on his resume, as he won with the Lightning in 2020.
It is going to be very fascinating to see what happens with Shattenkirk from here. A PTO could be very well on the way for the right-shot defenseman.
