Rangers sign Adam Erne to PTO ahead of training camp: report
Looking to add some veteran competition at the forward position in training camp, the New York Rangers reportedly signed Adam Erne to a PTO. NHL Insider Darren Dreger and Arthur Staple of The Athletic were first to report the signing.
The 29-year-old is a Connecticut native, who has 379 games of NHL experience. He split last season with the Edmonton Oilers and their American Hockey League affiliate in Bakersfield. Erne had two points (one goal, one assist) and averaged 7:49 in ice time in 24 games with the Oilers, and 12 points (six goals, six assists) and 22 penalty minutes in 36 games in Bakersfield.
Interestingly, Erne landed a contract last season after attending Edmonton’s training camp on a PTO. So, this isn’t new territory for him.
Erne was a second-round pick (No. 33 overall) by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2013 NHL Draft. He played three seasons with the Lightning, including 2018-19, when he recorded 20 points (seven goals, 13 assists) in 66 games to establish an NHL career high.
He equaled that 20-point total in 2021-21 with the Detroit Red Wings, when he also scored an NHL career-best 11 goals in 45 games.
In all, Erne has 91 points (41 goals, 50 assists) and 180 penalty minutes in the NHL with the Lightning, Red Wings and Oilers. He’s also scoreless in three Stanley Cup Playoff games with the Lightning.
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Where does Adam Erne fit with Rangers?
Erne is a rugged forward, who stands 6-foot-1 and weighs 215 pounds. He’s best suited in a bottom-six role and could battle for a spot on the fourth line with the Rangers this Fall. However, the Rangers have a lot of depth on the wing in the bottom six, including Jimmy Vesey, Will Cuylle, Matt Rempe and Adam Edstrom. Then there’s prospects like Brett Berard and Adam Sykora who’ll get a look in training camp.
Barring injury(ies), Erne could land a job in the Rangers organization with Hartford in the American Hockey League. Hartford already has Riley Nash, Alex Belzile and Anton Blidh on its roster, forwards with NHL experience, like Erne.
Last season was the most Erne played in the AHL since 2018-19, when he scored 12 goals in 41 games for Syracuse in the Lightning organization.
Should Erne be on the Rangers roster at some point this season, he could cross paths within the division with his former coach in junior. Erne played two seasons under Patrick Roy, who’s now the Islanders coach, with Quebec in the QMJHL from 2011-13. He scored 56 goals in 132 games over those two seasons with Roy as his coach.
Other notable players with NHL experience who’ve signed PTOs recently are defenseman Tyson Barrie with the Calgary Flames, forward Steven Lorentz with the Toronto Maple Leafs and goalie Michael Hutchinson with the New Jersey Devils.
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