Detroit Red Wings and Steve Yzerman sign former first round pick to a PTO

With the NHL season on the horizon, teams are finalizing their rosters. Today the Detroit Red Wings began sending out player tryout contracts for training camp. Their first player tryout contract has gone to former first-round pick from the 2010 NHL Draft Austin Watson.

Austin Watson has had a turbulent NHL career despite being highly drafted 18th overall in the 2010 NHL Draft. He spent the first 8 years of his NHL career with the Nashville Predators. With the Predators, he was a consistent bottom-six presence who provided physicality to the lineup.

Then during the 2018 offseason, Austin Watson was arrested on domestic allegations. He would eventually plead no contest to the charges and was given one-year probation. He was then promptly suspended from the NHL for 27 games which was eventually reduced to 18 games.

After serving his suspension Austin Watson would spend 2 more seasons in Nashville before signing with the Ottawa Senators. In his 3 seasons with the Senators, Austin Watson would continue to hover around the 10-15 point mark. Then in 2023-24, he would head to the Tampa Bay Lightning where he would play 33 games and tally 4 points.

Now at the age of 32 Austin Watson is continuing to try and hang on in the NHL. Steve Yzerman will be taking on the risk of signing Austin Watson in hopes that he can help bring the city of Detroit a championship. Austin Watson will look to make the Detroit Red Wings roster who are looking to add players and get over the hump to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs.