James Neal signs a PTO (tryout) contract

According to online resource CapFriendly, the Columbus Blue Jackets have signed veteran forward James Neal to a professional tryout (PTO) contract.

Check it out:

The 34 year old Neal split last season between the St. Louis Blues and their AHL affiliate Springfield Thunderbirds. He put up just two goals and four points in 19 games with the Blues, but tore it up with the Thunderbirds potting 14 goals and 26 points in 28 games. He's a former 40 goal scorer at the NHL level though and has surpassed the 20+ goal total in 10 seasons. It's fair to say though that his career has gone steadily downhill the past few seasons though, mostly during his brief time in Alberta with the Calgary Flames and then the Edmonton Oilers. He was a force in the Vegas Golden Knights' inaugural season and, of course, was a point per game player when he was with the Pittsburgh Penguins in the early 2010s.

Here's hoping that this opportunity with the Blue Jackets nets him at least one last shot at the NHL and a chance at the Stanley Cup championship that he has missed out on on two trips to the Cup Final.