The Avalanche signed veteran center Peter Holland to a professional tryout on Tuesday, giving the 32-year-old an opportunity to resurrect his hockey career. Once a highly touted prospect drafted in the first round, Holland has not played in the NHL since 2017-18, where he had just one goal and four points in 28 games with the New York Rangers. His best season was two years prior with Toronto — accumulating nine goals and 27 points in 65 games.
Holland announced his retirement from hockey in May of 2022 and did not play anywhere during the 2022-23 season. It’ll take a lot for him to crack this Avs roster given his hockey hiatus. But Colorado’s front office sees something they like. The team also potentially has a depth roster spot or two up for grabs at camp.
PRESS RELEASE!
I have decided to step away from the game of hockey. It feels weird to say retire, but I guess that’s what it is.
I’m not sure if a Twitter thread is an appropriate forum to announce this but when you were a bubble guy, there’s no press conference, banner
1/18
— Peter Holland (@PeterHolland13) March 16, 2022
Handing out PTOs isn’t a new concept for the Avalanche. In the previous eight years, Colorado has invited 14 players to training camp, of which five ended up signing deals and playing NHL games. They’ve given out at least one PTO each year except for the 2020 training camp heading into a shortened 2021 COVID season.
Colorado Avalanche PTO’s 2015-22:
2022
- Alex Galchenyuk was released on Sep. 28 because of an injury suffered in training camp. He signed a deal two months later after recovering and played 11 regular-season games, recording zero points.
2021
- Jack Johnson signed a one-year, $750,000 deal following a successful PTO on Oct. 10. He went on to play 74 regular-season games, scoring the season-opening goal and recording nine points. Johnson also entered the playoff lineup in the second round and was a staple of the Avs’ blueline the rest of the way en route to a Stanley Cup championship. Johnson was reacquired before the 2023 NHL trade deadline after departing for Chicago. He also signed a one-year, $775K deal with the Avalanche for the upcoming 2023-24 season earlier this offseason.
- Gabriel Fontaine was released from his PTO on Sep. 25
- Artem Anisimov was released from his PTO on Oct. 8
2019
- Colin Campbell was released from his PTO on Sep. 22
2018
- Cody Bass was released from his PTO on Sep. 27
2017
- Ben Storm was released from his PTO on Sep. 18
- Jared Cowen was released from his PTO on Sep. 27
2016
- Rene Bourque signed a one-year, $650,000 contract on Oct. 10. He appeared in 65 regular-season games, scoring 12 goals and adding six assists in his only season in Colorado.
- Gabriel Bourque signed a one-year, $800,000 contract on Oct. 10. He played just six games that season but spent two more years in Colorado, playing both regular-season and postseason games in both years.
- Jiri Tlusty was released from his PTO on Sep. 27 after failing his physical.
2015
- Jack Skille signed a one-year, $675,000 contract on Oct. 6 following a successful training camp. He recorded a career-high eight goals and added six assists in 74 regular-season games.
- Andrej Meszaros was released from his PTO on Oct. 1
- Curtis Glencross was released from his PTO on Oct. 5 after previously being released from a PTO in Toronto.