After attending the Seattle Kraken training camp on a professional tryout, Scott Wilson has settled for an AHL deal with the Charlotte Checkers for the upcoming season. The Checkers of course will be affiliated with the Kraken this season, along with the Florida Panthers, their primary NHL partner.
Wilson, 29, was an NHL regular as recently as 2017-18, but spent nearly the entire 2020-21 season on the Panthers taxi squad. He did get into eight games with the Syracuse Crunch, but was forced into a practice role for most of the year. That obviously left him scrambling for work this offseason after his one-year deal expired with Florida, and he’ll have to settle for an AHL contract for the first time in his career.
A veteran of 193 NHL games, Wilson was actually a regular in the Pittsburgh Penguins lineup during their 2017 Stanley Cup run, scoring six points in 20 games. Though not a dominant player in the minor leagues, he should give the Checkers a strong option up front this season and could even be in line for an NHL deal down the road should the Kraken or Panthers face injury issues. Remember, without a full minor league affiliate, the expansion team will have to delicately navigate the season with just a handful of call-up options.
Geno’s LW when we beat Nashville for the 2017 Cup.