Sportsnet: Pat Steinberg and Calgary Flames GM Craig Conroy on Sportsnet 960 radio on PTOs and their players with a year left on their contracts.
** NHLRumors.com transcription
Steinberg: “Interesting, and I know you’ve talked a lot about, not leaving spots open for young players by default, but having that opportunity so maybe is a spot that they could win in training camp.
We’ve seen lots of PTOs announced around the league. Are we expecting any of those for your group between now and camp?
Conroy: “You know I mean, I think for us we said we want these guys to play. Our mandate to pro scouts will be, watch the PTOs on other teams. Watch guys that might go on waivers. Watch players that might be available. And there are still players that are unsigned. You know, so, as much as we say we want to give these guys an opportunity, it’s not we’re going to give them.”
Steinberg: “You’re not gifting it to them.”
Conroy: “No. No. And so you know the mandate, like I said, all the scouts. We’re really, when you go to these exhibition games, you track these guys who are on PTOs, that might be on waivers, that might be free, and we’ll be looking for guys that haven’t signed yet.
So, those are the areas we will be but we’ll also be able to see our guys actual play games with NHL players.
Steinberg: “Is your training camp roster set? Is it good to go or are there a couple things you’re looking at?”
Conroy: “You know there’s always, you’re talking to agents. You’re talking to players. But it is really about we kind of said we’re going to do something and as much as it would be easy to add a couple PTOs right now, you know, I think we want to see these guys. We’re gonna give them a chance. The easy thing would be to added PTOs. But again, is that the model in my mind? Probably not. No.”