Alex Galchenyuk signs a professional tryout (PTO) contract

This just in from TSN NHL insider Pierre LeBrun, the Arizona Coyotes have signed former 3rd overall pick Alex Galchenyuk to a professional tryout (PTO) contract.

Check it out:

If you're keeping score at home this is the 8th team for Galchenyuk in just the last four seasons. 

The 27 year old suited up for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto Marlies and Ottawa Senators last season, putting up a combined five goals and 13 points in the NHL. He's also played for the Minnesota Wild, Pittsburgh Penguins the Coyotes once before and then of course with the Montreal Canadiens. There was some belief that Leafs GM Kyle Dubas would bring Galchenyuk back to Toronto this season, but evidently the two sides either didn't have the appetite for that or there were some discrepancies in contract negotiations.

Whatever the case in Toronto, Galchenyuk will now re-join the team that acquired him back in 2018 in a trade that saw the Coyotes and the Canadiens swap Galchenyuk and Max Domi. It's worth noting that Galchenyuk put up an impressive 19 goals and 41 points in 72 games with the Coyotes that season. He seemed to be back on the right track after some up and down seasons in Montreal, but the Coyotes quickly shipped him to the Penguins in a blockbuster deal that involved Phil Kessel. Galchenyuk then struggled in Pittsburgh, but who can blame him when he had the pressure of replacing a fan favorite like Kessel?

The fact of the matter is that Galchenyuk is a smart and talented player, but he's rarely been given the opportunity to show his skill at the NHL level. He absolutely tore up the OHL with the Sarnia Sting during his draft year and there's a reason why he was seen as one of the top prospects heading into the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. Unfortunately, it's probably safe to say that the Habs stunted his development early on in his career... stop me if you've heard this story before... (paging Jesperi Kotkaniemi). 

In any case, Galchenyuk should be given plenty of opportunity with an undermanned and outgunned Coyotes team this season.