Utica Comets Bring Defenceman Cliff Watson Back On PTO

The Utica Comets are bringing back a familiar-ish face with defenceman Cliff Watson joining the fold. The club announced today that they were bringing Watson back on a PTO, (professional tryout offer) with the club set to face the Toronto Marlies tomorrow.

Watson joined the Comets early last December on a PTO and played in six games for the club, picking up one assist along the way. The 25-year-old native of Sheboygan Wisconsin stands six-foot-two and tips the scales at 190lbs according to Elite Prospects. 

After being drafted in the sixth round of the 2012 NHL entry draft by the San Jose Sharks, Watson has appeared in 17 AHL games, split between the Comets, San Jose Barracuda, Stockton Heat, and Hershey Bears, picking up four assists along the way. He has also played 63 games in the ECHL, split between the Utah Grizzlies, Colorado Eagles, and Kansas City Mavericks, picking up 17 goals and 23 helpers for his efforts.

The addition of Watson gives the Comets eight healthy defencemen to work with as Olli Juolevi is done for the regular season with a knee injury, Jalen Chatfield is out month-to-month with a lower-body injury and Ashton Sautner is out indefinitely after sustaining facial fractures. Dylan Blujus is also banged up right now.

The Comets currently have lefties, Guillaume Brisebois, Evan McEneny, Jagger Dirk, Craig Wyszomirski, and Watson available to them, along with righties Jaime Sifers, Jesse Graham and Colton Saucerman.

The Comets are back in action against the Toronto Marlies on Wednesday at 4:00 pm Pacific. As always, stay tuned for the CanucksArmy post-game report following the game.