Montreal Canadiens defenseman Jeff Petry met with members of the media via Zoom shortly after the announcement of his four-year contract extension.
The Montreal Canadiens defenseman fielded questions from the media, covering a wide array of topics including his time spent in Montreal, the factors that played into coming to an agreement with General Manager Marc Bergevin as well as the direction the organization is heading towards.
On His Time With the Montreal Canadiens
Acquired in 2015 from the Edmonton Oilers in return for a second round pick, Jeff Petry now has six seasons with the Montreal Canadiens under his belt. So far, he still would not have it any other way.
"Montreal’s been a special place, and it’s a privilege to put on that uniform with so much history. I’ve learned over my four-and-a-half years here, how much pride I take from putting on that uniform every day.When I was with Edmonton, Montreal was always my favorite building to come play in. Even when you do it 41 times a year, it doesn’t wear off. The atmosphere is still second to none."
If words do not cover it, Jeff Petry’s appreciation of Montreal can be seen in his actions earlier this spring. Along with wife Julie, the two opened $2,500 tabs at Mandy’s Gourmet Salads in Westmount and Notre-Boeuf-de-Grâce in Notre-Dame-de-Grâce as a means to give back to front line workers, Montreal hospital employees, during the COVID-19 pandemic when the city was dealing with an overwhelming amount of cases.
On Marc Bergevin’s Offseason Activity so Far
Jeff Petry also commented on General Manager Marc Bergevin’s recent acquisitions in goaltender Jake Allen (via the St. Louis Blues) and potential defensive partner, Joel Edmundson (via the Carolina Hurricanes).
"Adding Allen to be with back there, I think that’s a great addition, especially with the potential of playing a condensed schedule next year. And then strengthening our defense and getting a little bit bigger on the back end is also a positive by adding Edmundson as well. I know there are still improvements that can be made but it’s definitely a step forward."
The acquisition of Joel Edmundson could lead to several benefits, as mentioned by Petry himself. By playing a more defensive game (Joel Edmundson ), Petry may be able to jump into the play more and as the best puck-moving defenseman on the team, this is certainly something that can benefit them on a nightly basis.
Rounding out the team by finally acquiring a goaltender to play behind goaltender Carey Price and further defensive depth may lead to lead a more defensively consistent Montreal Canadiens. An issue the team deal with for the bulk of the regular season.
Regarding Montreal Canadiens vets, Jeff Petry also went on to mention Brendan Gallagher and Philip Danault, two players due for new contracts in 2021, as players he hopes to see return with the team. Whether any further news materializes on these matters remains to be seen.
Youth Movement in Montreal and an Uncertain Cap Era
As uncertainty surrounds how many NHL teams will handle the flat salary cap, Jeff Petry mentioned that Jeff Petry said that this uncertainty did factor in his decision to sign his extension. This is an issue that may be in the back of many players minds as they consider new deals around the NHL.
Regarding the young players who stepped up in big ways during the Montreal Canadiens time in the Toronto bubble, Jeff Petry had this to say.
"We have a lot of good young players, and you know, guys like KK and Suzuki showed that during the playoffs — which is huge to have success as a team. With those guys coming up, it shows that the future is bright here, and that was one of the deciding factors in ultimately signing this extension."
It appears the Montreal Canadiens youth are paying dividends in more ways than we initially thought. Seeing as how Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Nick Suzuki factored in to Jeff Petry’s decision sign an extension, it is clear Montreal is steering in the right direction. So long as they continue steering on that path, could there be a chance bigger names decide that Montreal is possible destination for them?
The Montreal Canadiens have always had a difficult time attracting big-name free agents and while likely to continue, if the team opts to draft and develop well, those players may be enticed to support young, talented players on the roster.