While the Detroit Red Wings managed to once again storm back against the New York Islanders, one member of the defensive corps was going viral on social media for all the wrong reasons.
Defenseman Jeff Petry, in his second season with the Red Wings, was the target of scorn and anger by fans, particularly after a blown defensive assignment in the second period that allowed New York's Kyle Palmieri to have an easy tap-in goal.
Palmieri's goal gave the Islanders a 2-1 lead at the midway point of the second period, which they would maintain until late in the third period.
Fans expressed their exacerbation and confusion over why Petry is still getting minutes for the Red Wings, especially after another blunder:
The Petry name is already well-known to Detroit sports fans; Dan Petry, Jeff's father, helped the Detroit Tigers win the World Series in 1984 as a pitcher.
He was born in the Detroit suburb of Ann Arbor but played college hockey at Michigan State University, the sworn rivals of the University of Michigan Wolverines (located in Ann Arbor).
He's played for the Edmonton Oilers, Montreal Canadiens, and Red Wings, and is five goals away from 100 in his career.
Petry was acquired by Detroit Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman in August of 2023; he chose jersey #46, the same number his father wore for the Tigers.
POLL | ||
Did the Detroit Red Wings make a mistake by retaining Jeff Petry for this season? | ||
Yes, he should have been released/traded | 95 | 88 % |
No, he's still a valuable member of the defense | 13 | 12 % |
List of polls |