Petry Will Find it Hard to Get Back Into Red Wings Lineup

The latest update on the walking wounded of the Detroit Red Wings is not immediately encouraging.

Forwards Patrick Kane and Tyler Motte both remain out with upper-body injuries and won’t play Saturday against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Kane (day-to-day) is the closest to returning to action.

Meanwhile, defenseman Jeff Petry (undisclosed injury) didn’t even skate on Friday.

“He’s on a schedule,” Detroit coach Todd McLellan said. “He had a good skate yesterday, treatment today.

“I’m not sure what’s on the program for him (Saturday), but all part of the schedule.”

ALBERT JOHANSSON FIRST NHL GOAL! #LGRW pic.twitter.com/D3xGhWflBD

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) January 11, 2025

What might not be on the schedule for Petry once he’s healthy is a lot of ice time on the Detroit defense.

In the 10 games that Petry has missed, his replacement, rookie Albert Johansson, hasn’t missed a beat. Since sliding in alongside Simon Edvinsson in Detroit’s second defense pairing, Johansson’s combination of hockey sense, competitiveness and steadiness has been turning heads among the Red Wings coaching staff.

“Probably the biggest surprise for me to date is Albert,” McLellan admitted. “I knew nothing about Albert. We get here and he’s kind of parked on the shelf and everybody’s playing and we’re trying to figure players out.

“I think his rise has been remarkable. He’s played steady in all three zones. There’s some fierceness in his game. When he gets engaged with bodies and battles, he wins a lot of them. He’s not the biggest guy.

“So we talk about him in the locker room all the time. We’re so happy we have him.”

Where Does Petry Fit In With Red Wings?

Of course, that leads to another pertinent question. When he regains his health, where does Petry fit into the picture?

Historically, hockey tradition states that a player can’t lose his job due to injury. It’s supposed to be waiting for him once he’s healthy.

#RedWings skate before facing Canadiens tonight (7, ⁦@FanDuelSN_DET⁩). Petry, out since Jan. 2, and Motte, who missed the trip, are skating. pic.twitter.com/q0EiKmkUK6

— Ansar Khan (@AnsarKhanMLive) January 23, 2025

Realistically, unless Johansson’s form suddenly goes south, there’s no way Petry is getting back into the Detroit top four rearguards.

“From my perspective, I don’t see it as being a problem,” McLellan said regarding what happens to Johansson when Petry is back. “I think (Johansson) keeps on playing, in my opinion. But it can change. He can’t give any of his game back because he’s raised the bar so high.

“Our expectations are going up for him. I don’t think it’s a problem. I think it’s a luxury more than a problem.”

More than likely, when he’s back in the picture, Petry is going to find himself battling with Justin Holl and Erik Gustafsson for ice time in the Red Wings’ third pairing.