Brett Murray isn’t unfamiliar with the free agency process in the off-season, having signed five contracts in his six years of professional hockey to date – including a one-year AHL contract and, following a two-year entry-level contract at the end of the 2021-22 season, three consecutive one-year NHL contracts entering this summer.

But after six years with the Buffalo Sabres organization, Murray became a free agent a few weeks before his 27^thbirthday – coming off a career year with the Rochester Americans in which he tallied 27 goals. 

While those 27 goals had Murray finish tied for 13^th in the AHL in scoring in 2025-26, he also eclipsed 320 pro games played in his career – making him become a ‘veteran’ per the AHL’s development rule.

“It’s kind of what happens. I think in the AHL, especially, when you hit a certain amount of games, you become a veteran and teams kind of have to juggle only a handful of [veteran players] per team,” Murray explained. “So, it’s just another added thing that you kind of have to deal with.”

Despite being one of the league’s top scorers last season, Murray went through the summer without a contract – signing a tryout contract (PTO) with the Pittsburgh Penguins earlier this month to attend their main training camp, which began with the first on-ice practice on September 18^th.

“It made the summer a little longer for myself and the family, but it’s nothing I haven’t seen before. I mean, I’ve seen plenty of players come in on a PTO is stick around and then even make it to the next level,” Murray said, adding, “I was trying not to let it affect me and just put my head down and work  harder, you know, during the summer, to wait for that opportunity. And when I did get it, I was going to take advantage of it.”

Entering training camp on a tryout without the guarantee of an NHL contract or even an AHL deal with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins could be perceived as an unnerving situation, but that’s the reality for several players across NHL training camp rosters every fall.

For Murray, a big, 6-foot-5 player in the power forward mold, it’s about making the most of every opportunity and showcasing his abilities whether it’s in a training camp drill, intrasquad scrimmage or an upcoming NHL preseason game.

“I’ve got nothing to lose, and everything to prove,” Murray stated confidently. “So I’m going to come in here, work my hardest and show this organization – and if I could get into, you know, a preseason game – I’ll show teams around the league what I can do.”

Murray Thankful For PHPA Assistance

As a 21-year-old rookie on an AHL contract with the Rochester Americans, Murray wasn’t fully aware of the resources available through the PHPA – admittedly due to his own ignorance. 

“The younger players kind of come in and you don’t really… you may not understand it quite as much,” Murray said of the mindset of most incoming pro hockey players. “Looking [back] at it now, I have a young family – a wife and a young baby. I don’t know if I could have done the whole thing without [their] help,” he added.

The PHPA’s aid at the hospital with insurance is just one of the many things Murray was quick to point out when talking about the benefits available to him as a member of the union.

“That’s just one resource too. That’s not even anything that they have with partnerships or anything like that,” Murray said, explaining, “[I’ve been] using them in the summer for BioSteel deals, rental cars, hotels. They got it all. They treat their players really well.”

It wasn’t until he established himself at the professional level that Murray began to raise self-awareness and get more involved, even sitting in on PHPA meetings as an alternate with the Americans last season – Murray’s sixth year at the pro level – with team representative Mason Jobst.