Florida Panthers Sign 900-Game NHL Veteran Defenseman to Bonus-Filled Deal

It seems everyone wants to play for the Florida Panthers right now. After winning back-to-back Stanley Cups, general manager Bill Zito signed all his core players to long-term contracts in the past days.

Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad, Brad Marchand, Tomas Nosek, and Daniil Tarasov all agreed to cap-friendly deals to play in Florida.

In a new development, another name was added to that list.

Indeed, Jeff Petry will join the Florida Panthers for next season.

The 37-year-old defenseman signed a one-year deal at the NHL's minimum wage plus bonuses:

Last season, with the Detroit Red Wings, Petry struggled to have a positive impact on his team, scoring only eight points, including one goal, in 44 games.

He had the best seasons of his career with the Montreal Canadiens between 2017 and 2021, when he reached the 40-point mark in four consecutive seasons.

Although he has drastically slowed down in recent years, Petry could bring a lot of depth to the Panthers' blue line.

He also provides valuable experience and leadership for a team looking to build a dynasty. With over 900 NHL games under his belt, Petry understands how to handle the grind of a long season and the pressures of deep playoff runs.

In those conditions, he could have a great chance of helping the Panthers try to go for a three-peat.

Petry could be looking at his last shot at winning the Stanley Cup. If he ends up deciding to keep playing, a year in Florida can only help him get a higher salary next season, as Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Nate Schmidt did.

Stay tuned for further updates about NHL free agency and the Florida Panthers.