After getting Jeff Petry back in a three-team trade that saw Erik Karlsson go to the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Montreal Canadiens are already looking at moving Petry, flipping the defenseman in a cost-cutting deal that will bring them another asset and make Petry an affordable option for a contender.
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According to Eric Engels, the Canadiens got involved in the trade between the Penguins and the San Jose Sharks because it allowed them to grab players and assets without retaining any salary on Rem Pitlick or Mike Hoffman. Moving those players out was a motivating factor. So too, after initially trading Petry in July of 2022, the Habs get him back at 25% less than they were paying him. Not to mention, Petry’s $3 million bonus for the upcoming season has already been paid. Finally, GM Kent Hughes landed a second-round pick in 2025, Casey DeSmith, and prospect Nathan Lagare.
For the Canadiens, if they can move Petry, and acquire more assets in the deal, they would like to. If they happen to keep Petry, they are OK with that too. He is a serviceable defenseman as the Canadiens transition into becoming a contender. He is a veteran top-four who likes to shoot from the point and has a solid finishing touch for a blueliner. His production dipped a bit last season but there’s still some room in his game to be productive.
If the Habs are successful in moving Petry, it will be because they make his contract attractive to other teams. Because the Canadiens didn’t retain salary on the other players going out, they can afford to retain on Petry and make him a $2.3 million defenseman for another club this season and next.
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