The Hartford Wolf Pack have signed Travis Dermott to a professional tryout offer, and the this is a move that could have major implications for the Rangers roster. The NHL is currently on a break due to the Winter Olympics in Milan, but the AHL remains in action. Dermott underwent shoulder surgery in the offseason to correct chronic issues, and this amateur tryout offer gives him a chance to show the Rangers' brain trust what he can do.
Who is Travis Dermott?
Dermott is a 6'0" and 200 pound defenseman who was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs 34th overall during the second round of the 2015 NHL Draft. He made his debut during the 2017-18 season, and spent 251 games with the Leafs before joining the Vancouver Canucks. He spent 28 games across two seasons there, spent 50 games in Arizona, 10 with Edmonton, and just nine with the Minnesota Wild. In total, Dermott has logged 348 games across eight seasons, during which he's scored 16 goals and added 46 assists for 62 points while averaging 15:50 per night.
From an underlying numbers perspective, Dermott had logged 5,016 minutes at 5v5, and in that span he's posted a 50.51 GF%, a 51.48 CF%, and a 52.27 xGF%. His strongest individual season numbers came during the first five seasons of his career, and the last three saw a sharp decline, potentially due to nagging injuries.
Dermott has only appeared in 91 AHL games across six seasons, and in that span he's posted a line of 8-35-43. He also spent three seasons and 179 games in the OHL, and he scored 17 goals while adding 99 assists for 116 points (0.65 per game).
Where could Dermott fit in?
Dermott is a left-handed defenseman, and right now the Rangers are lacking some organizational depth in the system. It is possible that the Rangers' brain trust has seen enough of Urho Vaakanainen, and Dermott is just the first of a few defenders they may want to bring into the system for evaluating. This is all speculative, as right now he remains on an ATO, and he would need to be signed to a contract.
It might be a loose connection, but the Rangers' current director of player personnel and amateur scouting, John Lilley, was part of the Leafs scouting team when Dermott was drafted. It is possible that he vouched for Dermott as a player, and in a lost season it made sense for the Rangers to try and take a chance on a defender who is 29 and trying to make a comeback.
In any case, hopefully Dermott is able to have a successful few weeks with the Wolf Pack, and then be in line to earn a contract for the rest of the season. Things can't get much worse for the Rangers, and it makes a lot of sense to try some different players now that the team's fate has been determined.