The Toronto Marlies announced today that the club has signed unrestricted free agent forward Bates Battaglia to a professional tryout (PTO) contract. As per team policy, terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
Battaglia, 29, has registered 167 points (68 goals, 99 assists) while collecting 408 penalty minutes in 485 career NHL games with Carolina, Colorado and Washington.
Skating for current Marlies head coach Paul Maurice in Carolina, the 6-foot-2, 205-pound left wing enjoyed his best season in 2001-02, playing in all 82 games for the Hurricanes and finishing fourth in team scoring with 46 points (21g, 25a). Battaglia helped his team to the Eastern Conference championship title by recording 14 points (5g, 9a) while appearing in all 23 of the club’s postseason games.
Battaglia has appeared in 48 career AHL games, all with New Haven in 1997-98. The Chicago native registered 36 points (15g, 21a) with the Beast that season, his first as a professional.
