Trevor Lewis Signs PTO With Winnipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets have released their training camp roster and among the players are a trio of professional tryouts. The most notable of these is veteran forward Trevor Lewis, who has to this point played his entire 674-game career with the Los Angeles Kings. Cole Kehler and Jimmy Oligny will also attend camp on PTOs.
The 33-year-old Lewis has always been an interesting player for the Kings. Though his best offensive season was still limited to 14 goals and 26 points, he has been an integral part of two Stanley Cup-winning teams with his versatility and defensive ability. Even with those paltry scoring totals, this isn’t a player who was limited to the fourth line or given only a handful of minutes each night. On the contrary, Lewis lined up beside all kinds of different teammates over the years, moving up and down the roster doing whatever was asked.
That is of course until last season when his playing time was drastically cut, even losing his leading role on the penalty kill for much of the year. Now in Winnipeg, he’ll have to try and show why the Kings coaching staff felt so comfortable throwing him over the boards for the last decade. Where he would fit in the Jets lineup certainly isn’t clear, but if there’s anything left to give, you know the savvy veteran will bring his best.
Kehler, 23, played most of last season with the Fort Wayne Komets but actually did spend eight minutes in the Ontario Reign net. The former WHL goaltender was an undrafted free agent signing when he inked an entry-level deal in 2017, but was not issued a qualifying offer from the Kings at the end of last season. He’ll try his luck with the Jets organization this time, trying to catch a new contract and keep his professional career moving forward.
Oligny, 27, has been playing with the Manitoba Moose for the last two seasons and is likely headed back there this year when things open up in the AHL. His presence at Jets camp is likely just to fill out the defensive ranks, though perhaps if he performs well enough he could land an NHL two-way deal.
Nashville Predators Recall Three From European Loans
The Nashville Predators have recalled Eeli Tolvanen, Yakov Trenin, and Connor Ingram from their overseas loans, with training camp set to start in a few days.
Tolvanen, 21, had been playing with Jokerit in the KHL once again, this time scoring 13 points in 25 games. That’s a much slower pace than he set in 2017-18 when he was the talk of the hockey world, tallying 25 goals and 43 points in 60 total games with the Finnish club. Given how, for lack of a better term, average his two seasons in North America have gone since, the depressed offensive totals this year are a little bit concerning. Still, the Predators have a lot of faith in the 2017 first-round pick and he should receive another shot at making the NHL squad.
Trenin, 23, is one of the players he might have to beat out, though he doesn’t play the same type of game. The 2015 second-round pick worked his way through several years in the minor leagues with the Milwaukee Admirals before making his NHL debut in 2019-20, suiting up 21 times for Nashville. He’s been playing with SKA St. Petersburg this season, where he has seven points in 21 games. Unlike Tolvanen however, Trenin is not waiver-exempt any longer and would need to clear to even head to the taxi squad, perhaps giving him a leg up for the roster competition.
Ingram, 23, is one of the league’s more intriguing goaltending prospects. Despite dominating at almost every level so far, he mysteriously flamed out of the Tampa Bay Lightning organization and was sent to the Predators for a 2021 seventh-round pick (in 2019 mind you). He was one of the best goaltenders in the AHL once again last season, posting a 21-5-5 record and a .933 save percentage, leading to a three-year contract extension in March. Ingram has been playing in the Swedish second tier, but will likely be the starter for Milwaukee again as he is still waiver-exempt.