The Pittsburgh Penguins should be open to the possibility of inviting a player to their training camp on a professional tryout (PTO) agreement.
One specific area where the Penguins could look to add more competition for is the left side of their blueline.
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When looking at the free agents left, defenseman Mike Reilly could be worth bringing in on a PTO.
Reilly is not the flashiest of defensemen, but he has shown that he can still be an effective depth defenseman in the NHL. During this past season with the Carolina Hurricanes, he posted one goal, nine points, and a plus-11 rating in 42 games. He also played in two playoff games for Carolina during their Stanley Cup championship run, where he posted two assists and a plus-2 rating.
With the Penguins needing more depth on the left side of their defense and Reilly being one of the top left-shot defensemen remaining in free agency, there would be no risk in them taking a chance on him with a PTO. He would create more competition at Pittsburgh’s training camp and could be a good veteran to have around if he earned a contract for the season.
Reilly has also shown in the past that he is capable of providing a little bit of offense from the point, too. Just back in 2023-24, he scored a career-high six goals and recorded 24 points in 61 games split between the Florida Panthers and New York Islanders.
