The Calgary Flames are bringing in veteran Tyson Barrie on a professional tryout (PTO) for training camp.
The veteran defenceman has a PTO with the Flames per Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli.
Barrie spent last season with the Nashville Predators, where he scored one goal and 14 assists for 15 points in 41 games. The blueliner’s offensive talents are well-regarded, as he’s consistently put up points on a variety of teams.
Hearing #Flames are bringing veteran defenseman Tyson Barrie to training camp on a PTO.
One season removed from a 13-goal, 55-point campaign, he isn’t the only surprising name to linger this long.
Needs to earn a deal, but could be a great leadership addition for Calgary.
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) September 3, 2024
If Barrie and the Flames do agree on a contract, the new team will mark the defenceman’s fifth NHL stop after the Predators, Toronto Maple Leafs, Edmonton Oilers, and Colorado Avalanche.
With 505 career points, Barrie has the 11th-highest total of any active defenceman. He has broken the 40-point mark on seven different occasions and finished in the high 30s multiple other times.
The concern with Barrie rests in his defensive play, which has been less than stellar over the past few years.
The Flames finished last season with a 38-39-5 record, finishing 17 points outside of a playoff spot. They’re gearing up for the future, but Barrie would offer a cheap, veteran stopover while they wait for some of the younger players to develop.
There are few strong right-handed defencemen on the Flames current roster, and the best of them, Rasmus Andersson, has found his name in trade rumours recently. If he were to be moved, the team would have a big hole on the right side of their blueline, one that Barrie could help fill.
Strong right-handed defence prospects like Hunter Brzustewicz and Zayne Parekh are in the organization but are likely still a few years away from making a serious impact at the NHL level.