Wayne Simmonds may have a PTO offer on the table with one of his former teams
The focus in Toronto this summer was largely on what the roster might look like following free agency. On July 1st, we saw Ryan O'Reilly, Luke Schenn, Michael Bunting, Justin Holl and Alexander Kerfoot all walk away and sign elsewhere, while the Leafs replaced them with the likes of Tyler Bertuzzi, Max Domi, Ryan Reaves, John Klingberg and Simon Benoit.
With the Leafs' roster beginning to take shape, it's become clear to all that there may no longer be a spot available on the team for Wayne Simmonds, what with Reaves playing a very similar role to the one Simmonds had played in years past. According to Jamey Baskow from a credentialed Flyers blog, however, Simmonds may be open to returning to his former team, the Philadelphia Flyers, on a professional tryout (PTO) contract.
Simmonds, 35, is no longer the premier power forward that he once was. He didn't play much for the Leafs last season, dressing for just 18 games, most often as a 4th liner and playing only limited minutes. However, on a rebuilding team like the Flyers, Simmonds' veteran savvy might be a desired asset to the team.
Simmonds played for the Flyers during his prime years from 2011 to 2018. He was not only a feared combatant, he was also an extremely effective power forward for the Flyers, peaking with a 32-goal, 60-point season in 2015-16.
Obviously, it goes without saying that until a PTO is signed, we should take these rumours with a grain of salt. However, it wouldn't be all that shocking to see Simmonds return to the place where he became a star.
| POLL | ||
5 SEPTEMBRE | 103 ANSWERS Wayne Simmonds may have a PTO offer on the table with one of his former teams Will Wayne Simmonds sign a PTO in Philly over the next week or two? | ||
| Yes | 45 | 43.7 % |
| No | 22 | 21.4 % |
| He'll probably just retire | 36 | 35 % |
| List of polls | ||
