Since leaving the Habs, Jeff Petry hasn’t been the good defenseman he was in Montreal.
He’s slowing down considerably, and it’s showing in his stats.
This season, in a Red Wings uniform, Petry collected three goals and 24 points in 73 games… A performance that leaves something to be desired when you consider that he has a predominantly offensive style.
He’s nearing the end of his career, with one year remaining on his current contract.
That said, at 36, Petry still has plenty left in the tank… Because today we learn that he’ll be joining the American squad for the World Championship, to be held May 10-26 in Ostrava, Czech Republic:
Petry adds to a defensive brigade that’s pretty well stocked.
In fact, on paper… the U.S. lineup is already very dangerous.
Up front, you’ll find the likes of Cole Caufield, Matt Boldy, Johnny Gaudreau, Dylan Larkin, Brady Tkachuk and Trevor Zegras…
As for the blue line, we know that Seth Jones, Zach Werenski, Alex Vlasic, Jake Sanderson and Luke Hughes will be taking part in the event.
Petry will be bringing his defensive experience to the table, which is always a good thing for a team competing in an international tournament:
I’m really looking forward to seeing what Canada’s roster looks like for the tournament.
That said, if it clicks, the Americans will be hard to beat because they have players who can really make the difference in a game.
Let’s not forget that other players will be added to the line-up in the next few days, when the first teams are eliminated from the NHL playoffs…
In brief
– A good A, in my eyes.
– Ayoye.
– Is Steven Stamkos preparing to leave Tampa?
– He’s too good for the league.
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