Jeff Petry signed with the Florida Panthers hoping to become the latest player to sign a one-year deal with Florida and leave with a Stanley Cup ring.
Well, maybe that’ll happen in Minnesota now that the two-time Stanley Cup-winning Panthers’ playoff chances are in peril.
The respected veteran defenseman was traded to the Wild on Thursday for a conditional seventh-round draft pick in June. The pick becomes a 2026 fifth-round pick if the Wild win two playoff rounds and Petry plays in 50 percent or more of the Wild’s playoff games during those first two rounds.
Petry, 38, gives the Wild right-shot depth and is said to understand he’s coming to Minnesota to be an extra behind Brock Faber, Jared Spurgeon and Zach Bogosian. Petry, who has a big shot, is more of a defensive puck mover at this stage in his career, but the Wild like his experience and the fact he shoots right.
He will be in Vegas in time for the Wild’s game against the Golden Knights on Friday night.
Petry has eight assists in 58 games for Florida this season. The Ann Arbor native has scored 96 goals and 393 points in 1,039 games over 16 seasons with Edmonton, Montreal, Pittsburgh, Detroit and Florida and has blocked 1,616 shots. He has played in 48 playoff games.
One does wonder if this means right shot David Jiricek and David Spacek are in play.