The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed center Liam Hawel to a professional tryout contract, per CapFriendly.
23 years old now, Hawel was originally a fourth-round pick of the Dallas Stars in 2017. After not receiving an entry-level deal from Dallas, Hawel signed an AHL contract with the Montreal Canadiens for 2020-21 after wrapping up his junior career with the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers.
The COVID-related chaos of the 2020-21 campaign limited Hawel to just seven games in AHL Laval, though, where he tallied just two assists in seven games. Hawel then took the extremely rare step of going to university after starting his professional career, tallying 37 points in 24 games last season for St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia.
Not signed to any sort of contract for 2022-23, Hawel needs a strong training camp performance just to earn an AHL contract in Cleveland. He could earn an NHL contract too if he really impresses, especially given the organization’s weak minor-league depth at forward, at least in terms of those signed to NHL deals.
Who are all these nobodies that CBJ is signing to PTOs?
I heard the front office is goin around askin folk “yo bro, think you can flow with Gaudreau? Want a PTO? Dope!” Just a rumor though.
They literally have ONE guy on a PTO right now: Liam Hawel.
Who else are you thinking of?
No they invited Owen Sillinger (Cole’s brother) and Olivier Leblanc as well.
They’re invited to camp but they aren’t listed on CapFriendly as PTOs. I guess I don’t know the difference between them and Hawel.
To be honest, I’m not sure either. Both Sillinger and Leblanc were listed on CBJ’s CapFriendly depth chart up until Hawel signed. Might just be an oversight.
I’m not certain either. I don’t know the difference between being invited to camp and signing a PTO. I would imagine they’re basically the same thing. I could definitely be wrong though.