Red Wings' RFA Simon Edvinsson in camp ... on a PTO

Detroit Red Wings' top pairing defenseman Simon Edvinsson doesn't have the new big-money contract he's been waiting all summer on. But there he is, at training camp with his teammates anyway... on a PTO (Professional Tryout) (h/t Detroit Hockey Now).

Yes, it sounds crazy for a guy who's probably going to start earning somewhere in the neighborhood of about $10 million a year within the next few days. But for now, to cover everyone's behinds, Edvinsson is skating on a PTO. 

Why is he in camp without a real new deal in place? He explained:

“I don’t see the reason for me to sit at home, to be honest,” Edvinsson said. “We are going into a new season where it’s important that everybody is linked together.

“I don’t know the expression, but, everybody needs to be on the same page. That was my reasoning to come over here.”

Edvinsson at Red Wings camp... on a PTO

His head coach, Todd McLellan, is impressed with Edvinsson's initiative to be there. 

“I give that young man a lot of credit. He could be at home in Sweden, waiting and biding his time. But he came over, and he wanted to be with his teammates, and here he is. He’s involved.”

The delay in getting the 4th-year D-man signed, of course, was due to the fact that the team did not have a general manager in place all summer, after Steve Yzerman was removed from the job in early July. 

Shawn Horcoff was named interim GM last week, and the two sides have already started talking, working towards getting something done. 

Edvinsson had 25 points in 72 games last season, with 148 blocked shots and a +12 rating. He logged a career-best 22:21 average ice time a night. 

Safe to say that of all the PTOs around NHL camps this month, this is one that we're pretty certain will be converted to a standard contract for the season... or the next four, five, six or seven seasons.