Multiple prominent NHL defenceman still absent from training camps
Training camps across the NHL are beginning today, and multiple quality NHL defenceman are still on the outside looking in, including former Oiler Justin Schultz.
Many of these defenceman aren't at training camps, but have received offers and are in talks with other teams. Frank Seravalli reports that Justin Schultz is the top free agent left with several contract offers, and Mark Giordano has received interest from several teams. On the other hand, it seems Tony DeAngelo and Kevin Shattenkirk aren't receiving many offers.
Justin Schultz, Kevin Shattenkirk, and Mark Giordano were connected to the Edmonton Oilers for a tryout contract, but the offer was instead given to Travis Dermott. It seems the Oilers wanted to give the depth opportunity to a younger player, and that may be a trend across the league that's keeping these veteran defenceman out of jobs.
Schultz began his NHL career with the Edmonton Oilers in the 2012-13 season. He showed promise as a puck-moving defenceman with Edmonton, but in fairness, played on a brutal Oilers team at the time. Edmonton traded him to the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016, where he went on to win two Stanley Cups. Last season he played with the Seattle Kraken was pretty disastrous - with him sporting a brutal minus 23 rating.
It's not officially the end of their careers yet, but it's looking bleak for Tony DeAngelo and Kevin Shattenkirk. Now that training camps have begun, it'll be significantly harder to get a deal for this season. A team could still look to make a late addition if there are injuries in preseason, but otherwise, it looks like these tenured NHL defenceman are on the way out.
| POLL | ||
Do you think any of these NHL defenceman will not play this season? | ||
| Mark Giordano won't play | 13 | 44.8 % |
| Tony DeAngelo won't play | 6 | 20.7 % |
| Kevin Shattenkirk won't play | 3 | 10.3 % |
| See Results | 7 | 24.1 % |
| List of polls | ||
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