The first wave of professional tryout signings for the 2026-27 training-camp cycle is already taking shape, and three names are on the board so far.
According to PuckPedia’s PTO tracker, goaltender Cal Petersen has signed a tryout with the Washington Capitals, forward Alex Nylander has done the same with the Calgary Flames, and goaltender Chris Driedger is headed to camp with the Vancouver Canucks.
Petersen, 31, arrives in Washington after spending last season with the Minnesota Wild’s AHL affiliate in Iowa. He went 13-16-2 with an .896 save percentage and a 2.73 goals-against average.
The Capitals have Logan Thompson and Charlie Lindgren in the NHL, and Petersen could give them another option in camp. A strong showing might also land him a minor-league deal, especially with Clay Stevenson and Mitchell Gibson, both 27, the only other signed goaltenders in the organization.
Nylander’s path has taken him back into the tryout market after two productive AHL seasons with the Toronto Marlies. Over 129 games, he put up 47 goals and 97 points, easily two of the strongest years of his AHL career.
He also had a sharp 23-game run with the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2023-24, scoring 11 goals and 15 points, though his NHL chances in recent seasons have otherwise been limited. Calgary is sitting at 40 contracts, so a solid camp could turn this PTO into something more permanent.
Driedger gives Vancouver another experienced name in goal. CHEK News’ Rick Dhaliwal reported Thursday that Thatcher Demko had surgery on both hips last January and that the club does not plan to hurry him back.
That leaves Kevin Lankinen in position for another heavy workload, while 18-year-old Aleksei Medvedev remains a prospect for the future. The Canucks also have Ty Young, Aku Koskenvuo and Nikita Tolopilo under contract, with Tolopilo having an unsuccessful NHL stint last season.
Driedger spent last season in the KHL with Traktor Chelyabinsk, where he finished 8-9-2 with a .872 save percentage and a 3.05 goals-against average.
The Edmonton Oilers could also be in the market for a PTO addition, especially after injuries to Matt Savoie and Frederik Andersen that are reportedly expected to keep them out until late October. Earlier this month, Tyler Yaremchuk examined several possible camp options for Edmonton.
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