Scottie Upshall, 33, is still unsigned with just weeks left before training camp, but he isn’t giving up on the prospect of playing in the NHL next season.
“There’s a hunger with staying in the NHL and winning a Stanley Cup, helping a team get to the next level. I’ve done that my whole career,” Upshall said, per the Toronto Sun.
He didn’t sign in 2015 until after joining St. Louis for training camp on a tryout basis, so it wouldn’t be surprising to find that he’s unfazed by the fact that he still hasn’t landed a contract for 2017-18. He added that there’s been some talks lately with NHL clubs, so perhaps an agreement will soon follow.
There’s also the possibility of playing in Europe as he’s gotten some “pretty good offers” on that front. That’s always been the alternative, but because of the NHL’s decision not to participate in the Olympics, this season signing with a European club would come with the added bonus of potentially representing Team Canada.
Assuming that he does stay in the NHL anyways, the team that inks him will be getting a defensive forward with 696 games worth of experience under his belt. He had 10 goals and 18 points in 73 games while averaging 10:59 minutes with St. Louis last season.