Former Colorado Avalanche forward Jack Skille has accepted a professional tryout (PTO) with the Vancouver Canucks, the team announced this week.
Skille will hit Canucks training camp with plenty of competition for open forward spots. Between tryouts for James Sheppard and Tuomo Ruutu, and prospects vying for a roster spot, competition will be fierce.
“I’m willing to chew through rope to be here,” Skille told The Province’s Ben Kuzma. “If I prove I’m on a mission and ready to go, I think I should turn some heads. When you look back as a young guy, you always have time and if you don’t make the playoffs, there’s always next year. That’s not the case. I’ve seen how hard it is.”
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The 29-year-old right wing spent last season with the Avalanche. He played 74 games, scoring eight goals and 14 points. The Madison, Wisconsin-native was the seventh overall pick in the 2005 NHL draft.