Okay, Red Wings defenseman Jeff Petry introduced himself to the media today…
And the media did come to Little Caesars Arena in abundance today, with various scribes and TV folks weighing in. Here is a summary thereof, in no particular order:
A. DetroitRedWings.com: Here’s Jonathan Mills’ take on Petry’s “homecoming“:
“To get the call yesterday, hear that news that you’re coming home to play for the team that you watched growing up and be able to put on that jersey means a lot,” Petry said in his introductory press conference on Wednesday afternoon at Little Caesars Arena. “It’s a very special moment.”
Born in Ann Arbor, Mich., Petry is the son of 13-year MLB veteran and current Bally Sports Detroit analyst Dan Petry, who helped the Detroit Tigers win the 1984 World Series and pitched for the franchise from 1979-87 and 1990-91.
“You never think it’s ever going to happen and now you get a chance to watch your son play for the team he grew up idolizing,” Dan Petry said during Tuesday’s pregame edition of Tigers Live on Bally Sports Detroit. “With, of course, that iconic jersey. It’s going to be very special.”
Jeff Petry was a two-sport athlete at St. Mary’s Preparatory in Orchard Lake, Mich., before committing to play college hockey at Michigan State for three seasons (2007-10).
“Hockey was always something I enjoyed more than baseball,” said Petry, who also played for Little Caesars AAA Hockey. “It took me a while to finally tell my dad and get away from that. He was very supportive of both sports growing up but when I ultimately made the decision to stop playing baseball, he was thrilled that I picked hockey. I continued down that road.”
B. MLive: Ansar Khan discussed how Petry will fit into the revamped Red Wings’ roster:
“I think you see some of the younger players over the last couple of years getting that experience, starting to figure out what their roles are in the league,” Petry said. “And then adding players like DeBrincat, Compher, you can see the roster starting to round out. I’m excited to get started and do what I can to help that team continue to take those steps forward.”
Petry knows at least two of his fellow defensive teammates. He was paired with Ben Chiarot for a while in Montreal, and he skated with Moritz Seider, among others, at LCA prior to training camp in 2019.
“(Seider) was 18 at the time and just seeing the body he had, his frame and what he already had at that age, and to see him step in and play as well as he did and continue to grow, I think he’s a very good player now and he’s only going to continue to get better,” Petry said. “I’m excited to play with a guy like that. There’s a good balance on that back end; everyone has different skill-sets that come into play.”
Petry appreciates that Canadiens GM Kent Hughes essentially granted his wish to come to Detroit.
“There was never going to be a guarantee, but (Hughes) asked what are some places you want me to look into?” Petry said. “For him to do that for me was great. Detroit was the No. 1 spot on my list. I like what I see when I look at that roster and the steps this team has made over the last couple of years.”
C. Detroit Free Press: Helene St. James’ articles are usually posted around 6 AM the next day, so HSJ posted an 8:31 clip to tide us over:
D. Detroit News: Ted Kulfan discussed Petry’s family connection to his father Dan, a former Tigers player and current Bally Sports Detroit Tigers analyst, as well as Jeff’s outlook regarding his new surroundings:
Petry checked in with his father, Dan, briefly on Monday before the Tigers’ broadcast. Petry will wear number 46 with the Wings, just as Dan did with the Tigers.
“I didn’t tell him; I wanted to leave that part a surprise,” Jeff said. “I did tell my mom. I actually showed her the post they (the Wings) put out and she just kind of shook her head and smiled. She didn’t see it (the numbers being identical) until I pointed it out. She was shocked, and then my dad was on (the television) set and he sent me a nice note, said he was very honored and never saw that coming.”
Petry spoke with Yzerman, coach Derek Lalonde and Wings players after the trade was announced.
“It was a great conversation. He (Yzerman) welcomed me to the Red Wings and was asking about family and things like that,” Petry said. “He’s a guy who cares more about things than just on the ice. I had a call with (Lalonde) and spoke to other coaches, as well as some of the players who live in our area, and it was nice to hear the messages. I’m looking forward to getting everything started.”
Petry is excited about the potential this revamped Wings roster has. This offseason, Yzerman has added forwards Alex DeBrincat, J.T. Compher, Klim Kostin, Daniel Sprong and Christian Fischer, defensemen Petry, Shayne Gostisbehere and Justin Holl, and goaltenders James Reimer and Alex Lyon.
“The younger players the last couple of years, they’re getting that experience and figuring out what their roles are in the league,” Petry said. “Adding players like DeBrincat and Compher, those kind of guys, you can see the roster starting to round out and I’m excited to get started and do what I can to help the team take those steps forward.”
The Detroit News posted a short video as well:
E. Detroit Hockey Now: Bob Duff discussed Petry’s decision to wear #46, and he compared the decision to Mark Howe’s decision to not pull #9 down from the rosters in 1992, when Mark signed with the Red Wings as a free agent:
Jeff opted for the news to come as a complete surprise to his dad. He’s worn No. 26 for the majority of his NHL career.
“I did not tell him,” Jeff explained. “I kind of wanted to leave that part as a surprise. But I did tell my mom. I actually showed her the post that the team put out. She just kind of shook her head and smiled. Okay, she’s not seeing it. I had to really point it out. She was shocked.”
When Dan, who was broadcasting a Tigers came, heard about his son’s tribute to his father’s days as a Detroit star athlete, he was touched with emotion.
“My dad was on set,” Jeff said. “He sent me a nice note and said he was very honored and never saw that coming.”
And Kevin Allen bluntly discussed the fact that Petry’s addition gives the Red Wings seven healthy defensemen:
The Red Wings now have seven veteran defensemen, including three right-shot defenseman. Coach Derek Lalonde has said in an ideal world a coach would prefer to have three left-shot and three right-shot defenseman on the blue line.
Unless someone gets hurt, or Lalonde plays seven defensemen, someone is going to sit. Olli Maatta looks like a candidate, but it could change from game-to-game.
Moritz Seider, Petry and Justin Holl are the right-shot defensemen. Jake Walman, Ben Chiarot, Shayne Gostisbehere and Olli Maatta are left shot defenders.
Seider and Walman played well together last season. It doesn’t seem like that Lalonde will want to break them up. Gostisbehere is needed for the power play. Chiarot and Petry did play together for a while in Montreal. Petry said he and Chiarot had a long talk Tuesday night.
Petry clearly likes his new defensive group. “There’s a good balance on that back end,” Petry said. “Everyone has different skill-sets that come into play. That balance is exciting to see.”
Injuries will happen, and the pairings will sort themselves out with time. I’ve generally found that a team needs a good 10 defensemen to get through a season, so I’m not worried about the overload.
F. NHL.com: NHL.com’s Nicholas J. Cotsonika discussed Petry’s maturation into a hockey player in a baseball family:
It was in high school at St. Mary’s Prep in Orchard Lake, Michigan — where the baseball field is now named for Dan, and where Matt is now the director of admissions and varsity baseball coach — when baseball and hockey became too much of a conflict for Jeff.
“I actually went to my high school coach at the time, and I said, ‘It’s come to a point where I have to make a decision, and how do I do this?'” Jeff said. “And he’s like, ‘Just go home and be honest with [your dad]. He’s going to support you with whatever decision you make.’
“And [the coach] was right. I went home. He did give him a call and warn him that something was coming, but he was thrilled that I had chosen what I wanted to do and wanted to make my own path. He was supportive along the way and supportive in that decision.”
After three seasons at St. Mary’s, Jeff played for Des Moines of the United States Hockey League and was selected by the Edmonton Oilers in the second round (No. 45) of the 2006 NHL Draft. After another season with Des Moines and three at Michigan State, he turned pro.
The 35-year-old has played 13 seasons in the NHL, producing 353 points (92 goals, 261 assists) in 864 games for the Oilers, Canadiens and Pittsburgh Penguins. He had 31 points (five goals, 26 points) in 61 games for Pittsburgh last season.
In baseball, Dan could pick apart Jeff’s performance. In hockey, he couldn’t, but he could help him in other ways as a former professional athlete. For Jeff, it was the best of both worlds.
“I remember walking out of hockey games,” Jeff said. “He goes, ‘How’d you play?’ I’m like, ‘Good.’ He’s like, ‘All right.’ He just didn’t know anything. I liked that he could help with the mental side of things, the what-it-takes, but allow me to just kind of go out in the hockey world and do my own thing.”
G. WXYZ’s Brad Galli and Fox 2’s Woody Woodriffe: Finally, both WXYZ’s Brad Galli and Fox 2’s Woody Woodriffe came down to LCA to file short video reports:
Jeff Petry said joining Red Wings is a “very special moment.”
— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) August 17, 2023
“I watched a lot of games here. To be able to put on this jersey, it means a lot,” he said. pic.twitter.com/HoxZzEVu4V
