Is Marc Andre-Fleury returning? What’s professional tryout contract? All you need to know about Penguin’s goaltender

In a touching gesture, the Pittsburgh Penguins have signed legendary goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury with a professional tryout contract (PTO) on Friday. Fleury will play in Pittsburgh Penguins’ pre-season game on September 27 in the National Hockey League (NHL). Having made his NHL debut in 2003, Fleury spent 13 of his 22 NHL seasons at Pittsburgh Penguins. He ended his career at Minnesota Wild.

From 2003 to 2016-17, Fleury played a huge role in Pittsburgh Penguins’ achievements throughout his time with the team. With a return via PTO, life comes a full circle for Fleury, who will have the chance of wearing the iconic black and gold once again in front of their home crowd.

The return of Fleury was Pittsburgh Penguins’ aim to pay a tribute to his legacy and his close relationship with the team and the fans. The 40-year-old will join the Penguins for practice at 12:00 PM on September 26 before suiting up to play in parts of Pittsburgh’s exhibition game against Columbus on September 27 at 7:00 PM at PPG Paints Arena.

What is a professional tryout contract in NHL?

A professional tryout contract in the NHL is a short-term agreement which allows a player, mostly a free agent or a veteran, to compete in pre-season games and in the training camp. With a PTO, a team can evaluate a player’s fitness and performance before committing a long-term NHL contract. Having said that, a PTO doesn’t guarantee a player a spot in a team’s season-long roster.

After the PTO period, both the team and the player have the option to move either way or sign a season-long contract. It must also be noted that, a player will not receive any salary on a PTO and it doesn’t count any official caps. This helps the teams to test a player without any financial risk involved.