MSU's Petry Coming Back to Michigan

Jeff Petry (Michigan State) is coming home.

The Ann Arbor native, who spent last season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, will join his home state Detroit Red Wings on the blueline for the 2023-24 NHL campaign, after being traded to them earlier this month for defenseman Gustav Lindstrom and a conditional 2025 fourth-round draft choice. Petry will wear No. 46 with the Red Wings, the same number his father wore as a major league pitcher with the Detroit Tigers.

Petry, 35, tallied five goals and 26 assists for 31 points in 61 games last year with Pittsburgh, which did not qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2006. Prior to the 2022-23 season, he had skated the previous eight years with the Montreal Canadiens, helping the Habs to the 2021 Stanley Cup Final. He began his NHL career with four-plus seasons with the Edmonton Oilers, who drafted him 45th overall in 2006 after his first season of juniors with Des Moines (USHL). In 864 NHL regular-season outings to date, he has collected 92-261—353 points and 349 penalty minutes, while adding 5-8—13 points and 18 PIM in 61 career Stanley Cup Playoff appearances.

The 6-foot-3, 209-pound Petry played three years on defense at MSU, from 2007 to 2010. He totaled 9-58—67 points and 86 PIM in 118 contests overall with the Spartans, while helping them to the 2008 NCAA tournament.