Canadiens Trade Jeff Petry to Red Wings

Defenseman Jeff Petry is on the move again, as the Montreal Canadiens traded him to the Detroit Red Wings for Gustav Lindstrom and a fourth-round pick.

THN.com/podcast. From THN American Pipeline: NCAA Players Sign Pro Contracts and Red Wings Prospects

The Montreal Canadiens traded defenseman Jeff Petry away for the second time in two years, this time to the Detroit Red Wings.

In return, Montreal acquired defender Gustav Lindstrom and a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2025 NHL draft. The pick will be the latter of Detroit's or the Boston Bruins' selection.

The Canadiens will also retain 37.5 percent of Petry's salary. The Pittsburgh Penguins are already retaining a quarter of Petry's $6.25-million cap hit after they involved him in the three-team Erik Karlsson trade between them, Montreal and the San Jose Sharks on Aug. 6. Petry has two years remaining on his contract, and the Red Wings are on the hook for about $2.3 million annually.

Petry, 35, recorded 26 assists and 31 points in 61 games for the Penguins last season while averaging 22:21 in ice time per game. The 6-foot-3 right-handed defenseman also had the third-most hits on the Penguins, with 190, and the third-most blocks, with 111, despite missing 21 games due to injury.

The Ann Arbor, Mich., native heads to his home state to join a defense corps that carries Calder Trophy winner Moritz Seider, Ben Chiarot and recently added Shayne Gostisbehere and Justin Holl. The Wings still have just under $5.9 million in cap space, even after acquiring first-line winger Alex DeBrincat from the Ottawa Senators on July 10.

Lindstrom, meanwhile, heads to the Canadiens with 128 career NHL games under his belt, including 36 in 2022-23. The 24-year-old had just one goal and seven assists during last season, spending most of the year as a healthy scratch. The 6-foot-2 blueliner from Ostervala, Sweden, signed a one-year contract worth $950,000 with Detroit on July 1.

It's likely the right-handed skater slots in more games for the Canadiens this upcoming season as they continue a rebuild. There was no longer room for him on the Red Wings as they begin to push for an Eastern Conference playoff spot. Detroit finished 11 points out of the post-season in 2022-23, finishing under two division rivals who also badly want a playoff spot, the Buffalo Sabres and Ottawa Senators.

If Petry holds his ground and stays healthy, the battle is truly on in the Atlantic Division.