Former NHL forward Nic Petan abruptly leaves HC Ambrì-Piotta of Switzerland's National League mid-season. Unspecified personal reasons prompt contract termination, ending his brief tenure.
Canadian forward Nic Petan is leaving HC Ambrì-Piotta less than two months into the season. According to the National League club’s website, Petan “expressed a wish to terminate his contract for personal reasons, and the club has granted this request.”
A former member of five NHL organizations, Petan was in his second season overseas and first in Switzerland. He had a goal, three assists, four penalty minutes and was a minus-13 while playin in 15 of the first 20 regular-season games for Ambrì-Piotta, which currently sits 13th place in the 14-team league.
Born in Delta, BC, Petan played minor hockey for the North Shore Winter Club in North Vancouver and junior hockey for the Portland Winterhawks. In 2012-13, Petan led the WHL in assists, won the CHL top scorer award, helping Portland to a league title and a berth in the Memorial Cup.
In 2013, Petan was chosen in the second round, 43rd overall, by the Winnipeg Jets in the NHL Entry Draft. Between 2015 and 2024, he played 170 NHL games for the Jets, Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks and Minnesota Wild, recording 35 points and 46 penalty minutes. He was also briefly in the New York Rangers system.
At 5’9” and 174 lbs, Petan was undersized by NHL standards and spent most of his time in the AHL.
Petan spent the 2024-25 season in the KHL with Ak Bars Kazan, where he recorded 50 points and 30 penalty minutes in 60 regular-season and playoff games. He then signed with Ambrì-Piotta in the off-season.
Internationally, Petan played for Canada at the 2014 and 2015 IIHF World Junior Championships, winning a gold in the latter.
