The defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers have added a veteran presence to their defensive corps, signing Jeff Petry to a one-year contract worth $775,000 with performance bonuses, a league source confirmed to ESPN.
Petry, 37, brings 15 seasons of NHL experience and nearly 1,000 games of regular-season action to a Florida blue line that has seen offseason turnover after back-to-back Cup titles. The right-shot defenseman spent last season with the Detroit Red Wings, where he logged one goal and seven assists over 44 games while averaging 18:54 of ice time per night.
Petry, originally drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in 2006, has also had stints with the Montreal Canadiens and Pittsburgh Penguins. He has amassed 96 goals and 289 assists in 981 career regular-season games. While he has played 48 postseason games—entirely with Montreal—he has yet to hoist the Stanley Cup. That may now change, as he joins a Florida team aiming for a third straight title.
The move continues a familiar pattern for Panthers general manager Bill Zito, who has repeatedly turned to experienced defensemen on short-term deals to fill key depth roles. Last summer, Zito brought in Nate Schmidt to replace Oliver Ekman-Larsson. Schmidt played a steady role in Florida’s championship run this past season before signing a three-year deal with the Utah Mammoth earlier this week.
Petry is expected to slot into the third defensive pairing alongside Dmitry Kulikov, another seasoned veteran, offering Zito and head coach Paul Maurice a trusted, defensively-responsible option for key minutes—particularly during the grind of the postseason.
For Petry, this opportunity represents a chance to chase the elusive Stanley Cup with a battle-tested group. For the Panthers, it’s a savvy, low-risk signing that adds reliability and leadership to an already potent lineup.
With training camp just weeks away, the Panthers’ blue line now appears solidified as they prepare to defend their title once more—this time with another experienced weapon on the back end.
