The veteran blueliner heads home to Sunrise, seeking a fresh start and consistent minutes after a crowded Dallas depth chart pushed him to the postseason sidelines.
On Wednesday, the Dallas Stars lost depth defenceman Alexander Petrovic, as the veteran is heading home to Sunrise.
The 34-year-old has signed a two-year contract with the Florida Panthers, returning to the organization that originally drafted him in the second round, 36th overall, back in the 2010 NHL Draft, where he spent the first seven seasons of his NHL career.
Petrovic wrapped up his time in Dallas with a solid final season, appearing in 54 games and posting two goals and eight assists for ten points and a plus-two rating.
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His year was not without its frustrations, however, as the Stars' acquisition of Tyler Myers at the trade deadline effectively pushed Petrovic to the margins of the lineup, limiting him to just one game over the final five weeks of the regular season. A fresh start elsewhere made sense for a player who had proven he could still contribute at the NHL level when given consistent opportunity.
The Panthers have built one of the league's premier winning cultures on the back of depth, structure and veteran character, and Petrovic checks every one of those boxes.
He brings a physical, right-shot presence capable of anchoring a third pairing, a penalty killing track record and the kind of quiet, low-maintenance professionalism that head coach Paul Maurice has consistently built his teams around.
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