The Detroit Red Wings have signed veteran forward Austin Watson to a professional tryout contract (PTO) for the 2024–25 NHL season, as announced by WD Sports & Entertainment agency on August 28. The 32-year-old Michigan native aims to secure a spot on his hometown team after playing last season with the Tampa Bay Lightning. However, his place on the NHL roster is not guaranteed, and he will need to prove himself during the preseason. Watson, originally the 18th overall pick by the Nashville Predators in the 2010 NHL Draft, has played 515 games for the Predators, Ottawa Senators, and Lightning by the end of the 2023-24 season. Over his career, he has accumulated 60 goals, 118 points, and 705 penalty minutes. Last season, Watson played 33 games for the Lightning, recording 4 points and 93 penalty minutes.
Before that, he spent three seasons with the Ottawa Senators, primarily in a bottom-six role. In the 2022–23 season, he played 75 games, scoring nine goals and adding 11 points, the most games he had played in a single season since 2017–18. Following Watson’s signing, the Red Wings have 20 of 23 players under contract on their active roster for the 2024-25 regular season, according to PuckPedia. The team still has $17.6 million in cap space, more than enough to sign Watson and fill the remaining three roster spots.
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