Tim Gleason has spent the last week with the Carolina Hurricanes on a professional tryout. It’s a familiar space for him. He spent nine seasons there all told, including four seasons where he was an alternate captain.
That bid for a new deal came to an end this week when Gleason decided to walk away from his tryout, the team announced.
Last season, for the second year in a row, he was traded away from Carolina midseason. In the 2013-14 season he was moved to the Toronto Maple Leafs, then re-signed with the ‘Canes in the summer. Last season he was traded to the Washington Capitals for a 4th round draft pick (became Callum Booth) and Jack Hillen, earning 14 playoff games with the Caps.
It looked like Groundhog Day when Gleason took a PTO with the ‘Canes after not getting a contract over the summer. Traded away twice and close to coming back for a third go round.
That bid for a return to the NHL has ended, but in an atypical fashion. Gleason has decided to walk away from the tryout He told the team on Thursday that he’s ending his tryout.
“Tim informed us today he wasn’t going to continue to pursue his tryout. He looked and felt good physically,” said GM Ron Francis, “but didn’t feel up the grind of the NHL mentally.”
Gleason isn’t old, at 32, but getting moved two seasons in a row and not being in a place where he could ensure that wouldn’t happen again, is taxing on a family and the individual, if that is part of what Francis is alluding to when he talks about the mental grind of the NHL.