Prospect Pulse: Jeff Petry

Oilers draft pick and son of former Tigers pitcher Dan Petry gets a lot of ink because he has a famous dad and people are curious about why he didn’t choose baseball. While this is an interesting angle for reporters to use, it ignores the fact that Petry the Younger is a very good hockey player.

Petry, though still growing into his 6’2 frame, is a tough competitor and a solid 2-way player. Very calm on the ice, he can appear disinterested and lost. This belies the fact that he is extremely efficient in his movements and always seems to make the smart, safe play.

He came up through the Michigan high-school/club hockey system and found his way to the USHL, where he was the top defenseman last season. He also won the hardest shot competition at the Prospects/All-Star game held in Waterloo, IA. Petry plays a physical game and has a mean streak. This, along with his skating, make him ideally suited to life in the NW Division.

The Oilers see Petry as having top pairing potential. In the one game I have seen Petry play, I would have a hard time disagreeing. He easily handled the best competition and although his team lost, he was not a contributor to the defeat. Don’t be surprised if you see Petry plying his trade in the NHL before his NCAA eligibility is up.