NHL Trade Chatter Picking Up Again On Canadiens’ Jeff Petry

NHL trade chatter is picking up on Montreal Canadiens defenceman Jeff Petry, with multiple teams reportedly interested in acquiring the veteran this summer.

According to a well-placed NHL source, the plan is still to move Jeff Petry this summer if the Montreal Canadiens are able to find the right deal for both parties. However, with teams like the Dallas Stars, the Detroit Red Wings and the Pittsburgh Penguins all having recently shown interest in the veteran defenceman, it appears that the Canadiens could get a deal done sooner, rather than later.

Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes recently addressed the status of Petry, and when he expects serious talks to pick up in the future.

“I don’t think there’s an imminent trade for Jeff. But I won’t rule out that there could be a trade. Teams are evaluating their needs right now. We’ll see. I can tell you my phone is ringing more this week than last week.”

Dealing with Petry’s situation appears to be the next priority leading into the summer, as sources indicate the Canadiens will look to move him to gain more flexibility to maneuver this off-season. With interest in Petry now picking up again now that teams have the luxury of more financial flexibility, Petry’s end-of-season performance could likely give Hughes the necessary leverage he needs to complete an advantageous trade.

NHL Trade Talks Picking Up Where They Left Off

Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes confirmed on April 24 that he had a potential deal in place for Jeff Petry before the NHL Trade Deadline, which fell through.

Hughes took to the airwaves of TSN during the 1st intermission of the Canadiens-Panthers game last night to talk about his activity during the NHL Trade Deadline period. He answered many questions about what did and did not happen before 3 pm on Monday, but the topic that grabbed everyone’s attention was Jeff Petry.

“We had conversations with a group of teams. As you know, when you’re working on a Trade Deadline, most of the teams looking to acquire that kind of player are close to the Cap,” said Hughes in regards to the difficult task of moving Petry’s contract mid-season. “Acquiring a contract for multiple years at that number becomes a challenge; it’s probably more likely an offseason move. We did have conversations, and there was one team in particular that we thought might materialize and make sense for both clubs, but in the end, Jeff’s here.”

It seems like teams are now circling back after the NHL Playoffs to see what the price is on Jeff Petry, who still has three years at $6.25M left on his deal. The expectation is that a Petry trade should be completed prior to July 13 when free agency opens up, as the Canadiens want to clarify their salary cap situation to prepare their player acquisition strategy.