Bruins reportedly signing two former 1st rounders to PTO (tryout) contracts

According to a report from Boston Bruins insider Shawn Hutcheon, the team is set to sign UFA forwards Kailer Yamamoto and Blake Wheeler to professional tryout (PTO) contracts.

From Hutcheon:

Again, both players are unrestricted free agents and still free to sign with any team they choose. 

For Wheeler, it's a bit of a homecoming for the veteran forward. He began his professional career with the Bruins back in 2008 after he failed to come to terms with the then-named Phoenix Coyotes on an entry-level contract. The Coyotes drafted the talented Wheeler 5th overall in 2004 but ultimately he would sign with the Bruins four years later. He played three seasons with the Bruins before he and Mark Stuart were traded to the Atlanta Thrashers in the Rich Peverley deal. Since then, Wheeler has gone on to establish himself as one of the game's top power forwards. It's only in recent seasons that his game has started to fall off. Last season he had nine goals and 12 points in 54 games with the New York Rangers.

As for Yamamoto, he's another former 1st round pick (22nd overall, 2017) who has bounced around a bit in his career. He was drafted by the Edmonton Oilers and had some flashes of strong play with the team, but failed to lock down a permanent spot in the team's top-six forward grouping. He played last season with the Seattle Kraken, putting up eight goals and 16 points in 58 games.