The Florida Panthers may have some more goaltending competition in training camp (whenever that is), as David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reports that Scott Darling has agreed to a professional tryout with the team. Darling, 31, last played in the NHL during the 2018-19 season and spent last year in Austria playing for Innsbruck HC. Once one of the most reliable backups in the league, his play fell off a cliff after signing a multi-year deal with the Carolina Hurricanes.
If Darling has signed a PTO, he would be the first player to do so for the upcoming season, but certainly not the last. The free agent market has come to a screeching halt with teams barely able to afford their own young RFAs, let alone add any money from the open market. That may leave some fringe NHL options without a deal, leaving tryouts their only real option in North America.
- Hockey Canada has announced that Owen Power will not be released from the University of Michigan hockey program to attend its month-long development camp that starts next week, though this is certainly not a straightforward situation. Just yesterday, as Brad Elliott Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald points out, Michigan agreed to release Power for the tournament, just not in mid-November as their season is about to start. The Wolverines are set to start their schedule on the same day, November 14, as the camp opens. Power, a 17-year-old defenseman that already stands 6’5″ 214-lbs is one of the top prospects eligible for the 2021 draft, but his actual chances of making the Canadian roster already seemed limited given the older, more experienced talent that will be attending the camp.
- While jersey news certainly isn’t what hockey fans are dying for right now, it doesn’t mean they weren’t excited when they saw Adidas “Reverse Retro” teaser today. Each team in the league will be introducing a jersey from their past, with modern additions for the upcoming season. SportsLogos.net has put together a video breaking down their expectations for each jersey after the teaser came out.
The Panthers definitely need an upgrade for the backup goalie. Chris Dridger will not cut it plus Quenneville obviously knows Darling very well.
This is what aggravates me about the CBA and the so-called rules about buying a guy out, only to turn around and re-sign him, which was supposed to be a no-no. Or, only in certain cases. Scotty Darling, The Big Red Black Bear, gets bought out by the Swamp Kitties, but comes back on a PTO. Not exactly like the Michael Stone situation in Calgary, but slightly similar in appearance. Darling’s time away from FLA was a bit longer, of course. Stone’s reminded me of one of my former co-workers who was taking early retirement, only to come back within a week as a contractor for more $$$. Darling still has to make the team to get paid, though. Surely he isn’t being brought in to be the protected netminder for the expansion draft (?).