According to TSN’s Darren Dreger, veteran defenseman Jeff Schultz will try to break back into the NHL with the Anaheim Ducks in 2016-17. The free agent has signed a one-year, two-way deal with the club.
From 2007-2012, Schultz was a mainstay on the Washington Capitals’ back-end, suiting up in 335 contests over the five seasons. In 2009-10 he even garnered some Norris votes as one of the leagues’ best defensemen after putting up a +50 rating and tallying what would be a career high 23 points.
His career has taken a sharp downturn in recent years however, as the former first round pick has only played in 36 NHL games over the past four seasons due to a combination of injury and ineffectiveness. The last year of his contract was bought out by Washington in 2013.
Once a solid contributor at both ends of the rink,Schultz has played well the last two seasons in the American Hockey League, but has only gotten a handful of opportunities in the NHL. This will be one of the 30-year old’s last chances, and he’ll have to fight through a deep, young defense corps to do it.