If GM Peter Chiarelli wants to immediately get a statue built of himself by the blogging community following the Oilers, then he should fix Craig MacTavish’s greatest mistake as GM. Last summer, MacTavish signed D Nikita Nikitin to a two-year contract that paid the Russian $4.5 million a year.
To put it politely, Nikitin was a disaster in year one. At the same time, MacT challenged D Jeff Petry with a one-year contract, which he out-performed in a big way. Petry was dealt for picks at the deadline, and instantly became Montreal’s second best defender behind only PK Subban.
For those of us who fought for Petry over the years, this was no surprise. Edmonton screwed up, and we saw it coming almost a year ago. Sad, really.
Why Is He Out There:
Petry, at just 27 years old, is slated to become a free agent on July 1st. He’ll be looking for a long-term deal, and will likely be looking for a fair raise on his one year salary which was just over $3 million. Montreal might not be able to afford that.
All signs from Montreal point to the Habs wanting to keep Petry, while his performance suggests an effective top-four player. This will all come down to money, and I’d imagine Petry will want to test the market.
What Does He Do Well:
Jeff Petry is smooth, not many other ways to put it. He’s a clam defender who excels at moving the puck. Petry has a great first pass that allows him to move the puck out of the defensive zone with ease, and he is more than capable of getting the puck up to the skilled forwards. When he’s allowed to wheel, he exhibits solid puck carrying and distributing skills.
Petry is a smart player who is sound with his defensive positioning, and who can read the play quite well. He’s not a stellar shut-down option, but he’s good enough in his own zone to the point where he isn’t a liability and can be trusted. At least the Canadiens thought so.
Petry has solid speed and can join the rush, making him a threat at all times. He possesses a good shot, and is a solid power-play weapon. I watched a lot of Habs’ games after he was traded, and I can tell you first hand that he excelled here. Edmonton mismanaged him as a power-play option, no doubt in my mind.
This is a player who can handle solid competition as well. He kept his head over water in Edmonton facing the toughest opponents on a nightly basis, and he excelled in facing the second tier opponents in Montreal this spring. He’s a proven top-four defender, averaging 21:15 per game in terms of ice time, which fits in.
He’s not the sexy name, and he’s not a top-pairing defender, but boy, this is an effective hockey player.
Where Would He Play / Where Should He Play:
As it currently stands, Petry would once again be Edmonton’s best defender. He’d immediately slide back into the top-pairing, and would probably look like he was in over his head. However, if Edmonton could add another defender of note, everything might finally fall into place.
After seeing him in both Edmonton and Montreal last season, I’m convinced Petry is a second-pairing defender in the NHL. That’s where he should play.
What Will He Cost:
I think Petry asks for, and gets, a four year deal at around $4.5 million per season. Edmonton probably could have got him for less last summer, but dropped the ball. Still, I’d rather be paying Petry, a proven top-four guy, $4.5 million a year than Nikitin.
Closing Arguments:
No matter what side you are on, I think we can all agree that Craig MacTavish struggled to identify useful NHL defenders. Peter Chiarelli on the other hand, well he’s made a living out of identifying solid NHL defenders. In fact, Chiarelli was interested in acquiring Petry at the deadline for the Boston Bruins.
Petry is a solid top-four defender at the NHL level who excels at moving the puck and who can hold his own in his defensive zone. He’s a perfect secondary defender, and would be a good add for anyone this summer. Edmonton needs two defenders, the need is there.
Instead of searching for his replacement, why not go out and get the actual guy back? With Chiarelli running the show, Eakins long gone and McDavid in the picture, maybe Petry’s outlook has changed.
Edmonton has other options for both the top-pairing and the top-four, but bringing back Jeff Petry would certainly be a good start for Peter Chiarelli on the blue-line.
[wpauction /]
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