Ottawa Senators Sign Chris VandeVelde To Professional Tryout Contract

As the season draws closer so does training camp. With training camp comes the signing of of professional tryout contracts. The Ottawa Senators began today by signing center Chris VandeVelde to a professional tryout contract.

VandeVelde will be looked at by the coaching staff during training camp and evaluated to see if he is worth signing for the season. He has played 278 career games in the NHL while putting up just 48 points. Last season he spent with the Philadelphia Flyers where he put up 15 points in 81 games. This may seem like a questionable signing for the Ottawa Senators as there doesn’t appear to be any room for him in the lineup. However, the purpose of bringing him in might not even be to sign him

It’s a strange concept bringing a player to training camp with no intention of signing him. However, it’s actually a fairly thing throughout the league. Players are brought in on professional tryout contracts in order to give competition to the players competing for spots. It makes it so that players at the bottom of the lineup don’t ever feel complacent in their position on the team. Players such as Colin White and Ryan Dzingel will not be handed their spot in the lineup and if they come to camp unprepared the Sens have another option.

There is a possibility that this will not be the last professional tryout contract the Sens handout. The more bodies at camp and the more competition the better.

Next: Ottawa Senators Rookies Defeat Toronto Maple Leafs 4-3

As the Ottawa Senators begin training camp on Thursday they begin the process of assembling their roster. Much of it will involve obvious choices. However, there are always multiple players competing for the final spots at the bottom of the lineup. VandeVelde is likely nothing more than competition for the young Sens players.