Paul Bissonnette has signed a professional tryout offer (PTO) with the Los Angeles Kings. Over the last two seasons, Bissonnette has played under one-year contracts within the Kings organization as a member of the Manchester Monarchs in 2014-15, and the Ontario Reign in 2015-16.
Other PTO signings today: @BizNasty2point0 to Kings
Raman Hrabarenka to Leafs— James Mirtle (@mirtle) August 22, 2016
Bissonnette was originally a 4th round draft pick of the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2003. During his four years with the Penguins, he found himself bouncing between the NHL and AHL and ECHL. After his time in Pittsburgh was finished, the Welland, Ontario native found himself signing a contract with the then-Phoenix Coyotes prior to the 2009-10 season. Bissonnette was able to play for five seasons with Arizona before finding himself out of work following the 2013-14 season.
While Bissonnette won’t ever light up the scoreboard, he’s a veteran forward with years of experience. At 6 foot 4 and 220 pounds, Bissonnette also has the size to play in the grueling Western Conference. Most teams have made their big splashes this summer, and the last few weeks of the offseason typically entail low-risk moves such as this one.
The Kings likely know what they have in Bissonnette, given his playing time in the system over the last two seasons, but this is more of a “prove it” type deal that could spark Bissonnette to either make the roster or push somebody else to compete that much harder for a spot of their own.