Hartford Wolf Pack sign defenseman Travis Dermott to PTO

Travis Dermott has joined the Hartford Wolf Pack on a professional tryout agreement, a move announced by New York Rangers Associate General Manager and Hartford general manager Ryan Martin. The 29-year-old left-shot defenseman arrives in Hartford looking to prove his health and push for another pro contract after an injury-interrupted stretch and a busy 2024-25 season.

“New York Rangers Associate General Manager and Hartford Wolf Pack General Manager Ryan Martin announced today that the club has signed defenseman Travis Dermott to a professional tryout agreement (PTO),” the club said in its Feb. 7 release. Dermott brings considerable NHL mileage to the AHL camp: 348 career NHL games, 16 goals and 46 assists for 62 points, along with AHL credentials that include a 2018 AHL All-Star Classic nod and a Calder Cup championship with the Toronto Marlies.

Last season Dermott split time between the Edmonton Oilers and Minnesota Wild organizations, dressing in 10 games with the Oilers and nine with the Wild, while also appearing in three AHL games with the Bakersfield Condors and scoring one goal there. He went scoreless in his 19 NHL appearances in 2024-25; The Hockey News noted, “Dermott played in 10 games this past season with the Oilers, where he recorded zero points, six hits, 10 blocks, and a minus-3 rating.” The Hockey News also traced his roster movement, reporting he was claimed off waivers by Minnesota in December before Edmonton reclaimed him after the Wild placed him on waivers in February 2025.

Health has been central to Dermott’s recent arc. Yahoo reported that “He had shoulder surgery in July” and that signing a PTO “allows Dermott to get in game shape, prove that he’s healthy, and audition for an AHL or NHL contract.” Bluelinestation added that Dermott “underwent shoulder surgery in the offseason to correct chronic issues,” and listed him as a 6-foot, 200-pound blueliner who shoots left.

The PTO is a practical, short-term mechanism - as Yahoo explained, “PTOs are for 25 games, though the player and/or team can terminate the deal at any point. These professional tryout agreements can be extended in similar fashion.” For Hartford and the Rangers organization, Dermott represents a veteran evaluation option; analysts have framed the move as a potential solution to defensive depth questions ahead of the trade-deadline window. Yahoo wrote that the best outcome is the Rangers “find a serviceable defenseman, who’s again healthy and ready for a regular NHL role,” while the worst outcome is merely a short-term stabilizer for Hartford in front of prospects like goalie Dylan Garand.

Dermott did not play the day the signing was announced - Yahoo noted, “He didn’t play Saturday, when Hartford lost 2-1 in a shootout to the Providence Bruins.” The earliest public window for a debut could come the following weekend when Hartford visits the Charlotte Checkers. For fans tracking roster moves and the Rangers’ depth chart, Dermott’s PTO is an audition with clear stakes: re-establish health, show on-ice value, and force a decision on a short-term AHL deal or a path back to the NHL.