The Florida Panthers, current Stanley Cup champions, have secured the addition of experienced defenseman Jeff Petry with a one-year contract, according to a source from Alofoke Deportes.
The agreement, which includes performance bonuses, is worth $775,000.
Petry, 37, played in 44 games with the Detroit Red Wings last season, scoring one goal and providing 7 assists. He averaged 18:54 minutes of ice time per game.
This season will mark Petry’s 16th in the NHL, having previously played with Edmonton, Montreal, and Pittsburgh before joining Detroit in 2023.
In his career, Petry has accumulated 96 goals and 289 assists in 981 games. He has participated in 48 playoff games, all with the Canadiens. He has yet to win the Stanley Cup.
This hiring reflects the strategy of general manager Bill Zito, who previously signed Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Nate Schmidt. Schmidt played an important role in the Panthers’ championship and recently signed a 3-year contract with the Utah Mammoth.
Now, Petry will take Schmidt’s place on the team’s third defensive line, alongside veteran Dmitry Kulikov.
