Austin Watson, a forward, has signed a professional tryout (PTO) contract with the Detroit Red Wings for the 2024–25 season.
The native of Ann Arbor, Michigan, played for the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2023–24, amassing two goals, two assists, and 93 penalty minutes in 33 games to total four points.
After his three-year, $4.5 million contract with the Ottawa Senators expired at the end of the 2022–2023 season, Watson took a few PTOs. An anchor on the Senators’ bottom six was Watson. In 75 games in 2022–23, he recorded nine goals and eleven points—the highest in a single season since 2017–18.
Watson, who is 32 years old, has some remaining stamina and has the potential to make the Red Wings a more formidable squad. Because of his ongoing public fight with drinking and mental health, he’s also a fantastic guy in the locker room and an inspiration everywhere he goes. The Red Wings are aware of what to expect from Watson—he is a fierce rival.
The Nashville Predators originally selected Watson with the 18th overall choice in the 2010 NHL Draft. In the OHL, he played for the Windsor Spitfires, Peterborough Petes, and London Knights, scoring one point per game while displaying strength and perseverance in his play. Even though he was never a top-six player, he was able to establish himself as a reliable penalty taker and tough man in general.
With the Nashville Predators, Ottawa Senators, and Tampa Bay Lightning, Watson has participated in 515 NHL games. He has accrued 705 penalty minutes, 60 goals, and 118 points.
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