Petry Long-Term Absence Won’t Necessitate a Red Wings Move

Spring flowers could be blooming and the Detroit Tigers may be in season by the time we see defenseman Jeff Petry playing an NHL game for the Detroit Red Wings again.

The Red Wings announced Tuesday that Petry — who hadn’t played since Jan. 2 — would be out six to eight weeks because of surgery to repair an upper body injury. The timeline of 42 to 56 days would have Petry sometime between mid-March to the end of that month.

What that means for the Red Wings depends on a few factors, including where the team is in the standings. But here are possibilities:

Might Not Mean Much

With Albert Johansson claiming a top four defensive spot, Petry is likely coming back to a third pairing role. Petry, Justin Holl and Erik Gustafssson will be vying for playing time.  The Red Wings have been winning without Petry, a veteran defender who isn’t as consistent as he was in his younger days.

Red Wings Depth is a Worry

Should the Red Wings lose another defenseman to injury over the next several weeks, William Lagesson would be the next man up. He has NHL experience (102 NHL games) and played impressively well for the Grand Rapids Griffins earlier in the season.

If the Red Wings have to dip into their prospect pool, the most experienced of the top prospects are William Wallinder and Antti Tuormisto, both of whom have made considerable progress since starting their AHL careers.

Double Whammy

If the Red Wings should lose Erik Gustafsson to injury while Petry was injured, they might consider acquiring someone to replace Gustafsson as the No. 2 power play point man.

When healthy, Petry has been a power play point man.

Simon Edvinsson may be a point man at some point, but it doesn’t feel like coaches believe he’s ready yet for that job. The Wings like prospect Shai Buium on the Griffins power play, but he doesn’t even have enough AHL experience yet.

One intriguing young offensive defenseman who might be available in the trade market is Buffalo Sabres’ Bowen Byram (4th overall, 2019). The Wings should be willing to part with a 2025 first-rounder as part of a package to land him.