Two more former Detroit Red Wings players signed professional tryout (PTO) contracts on Wednesday afternoon. First, as reported by The Hockey News’ David Dwork, forward Matt Luff signed a PTO with the Florida Panthers. Second, defenseman Madison Bowey, a 2019–2020 Red Wing who spent the previous season in the KHL, signed a PTO with the New York Rangers. Insider Rick Dhaliwal first broke the news of Bowey’s signing.
Luff, a 27-year-old forward in the Detroit organisation, was prolific in the AHL. In 54 games with the Grand Rapids Griffins, he scored forty-three points. Luff worked for Los Angeles for four years and Nashville for one before coming to Detroit. The Predators declined to extend a qualifying offer to him, therefore in 2022, he signed a one-year contract with the Red Wings. In 2022–2023 he played in 19 NHL games and recorded four points. Due to an upper-body injury that kept him out of action for most of the season, Luff only received a one-year contract extension for his outstanding play in the previous campaign. With Florida, he has a PTO to demonstrate that he can be a valuable depth player for an NHL club.
Before being acquired by Detroit along with a second round pick in a transaction that sent blueliner Nick Jensen and a fifth round pick to Washington, Bowey was considered a respectable defensive prospect. After spending time with the AHL affiliates of Chicago, Vancouver, and Montreal, he played for three KHL teams in the previous season before returning to the Red Wings for the first time in four years. Like Luff, Bowey has this tryout to show an NHL club how valuable he is.
This season, seven former Red Wings, including Luff and Bowey, have signed PTO contracts. Goalie Michael Hutchinson and forwards Jakub Vrana, Sam Gagner, Adam Erne, and Kailer Yamamoto round out the list.
Starting next week, all seven will have the opportunity to demonstrate their effect during training camps.
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