Veteran Tuomo Ruutu one of three players to sign PTO with Canucks

VANCOUVER — The Vancouver Canucks announced on Tuesday that the club has signed three players to professional try-out contracts, including veteran right winger Tuomo Ruutu.

Vancouver also signed centre James Sheppard and goaltender Kevin Carr.

The 33-year-old Ruutu played 33 games with the Devils last season and has 148 goals, 346 points and 596 penalty minutes in 735 NHL games with Chicago, Carolina and New Jersey.

The Vantaa, Finland native was originally selected ninth overall in the 2001 NHL draft by the Blackhawks.

Sheppard, 28, played 37 games in the Swiss League in 2015-16 scoring, recording 11 goals and 25 points with 67 penalty minutes. In 394 career NHL games with the Rangers, San Jose and Minnesota, he has produced 23 goals, 91 points and 192 penalty minutes.

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The Halifax native was originally selected ninth overall by the Wild in the 2006 NHL draft.

Carr, 26, appeared in 45 games with the Tulsa Oilers of the ECHL last season, posting a 2.39 goals-against average and .911 save percentage. The Unionville, Ont. native signed his first professional contract in the 2013-14 season with the Peoria Rivermen after going undrafted.

The Canadian Press