After plenty of speculation, the Edmonton Oilers announced on Monday that they have signed forward Jake Virtanen to a professional tryout offer (PTO).
This move was met with plenty of scrutiny, as Virtanen was accused of an alleged sexual assault during the 2019-20 season, one that resulted in the Vancouver Canucks placing him on leave. This summer, he was found not guilty in court, and as a result had received interest from a number of NHL teams in recent weeks. Despite the not guilty verdict, however, many still believe he shouldn't be given this opportunity, and were quick to chastise Ken Holland for the transaction. The Oilers general manager attempted to explain his thought process on the move when speaking with media Monday afternoon.
"You've gotta believe in the legal system, we'll see where he's at, and like you said, you give someone a second opportunity," Holland said. "He's trying to get his life back together."
Whether fair or not, the Oilers have gained themselves a negative reputation in some individuals minds, as they also brought in
Evander Kane last season who had several ongoing issues at the time. As Holland said, however, Virtanen was found not guilty, so perhaps this opportunity is justified. Whether or not he is able to capitalize on it and earn himself a contract remains to be seen.
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