‘Crazy, eh?’ Edmontonians perfect fit in South Florida

SUNRISE, FLA. What are the odds that two Edmonton-area kids who played summer hockey together in atom and peewee would be defence partners with the Florida Panthers over a decade later?

“Crazy, eh? Couple of hometown boys,” said Alex Petrovic, the former WHL defenceman of the year with the Red Deer Rebels and now defensive partner of former Edmonton Oil Kings captain Mark Pysyk.

The two played against each other — Pysyk with Strathcona, Petrovic with Maple Leaf Athletic Club — when they weren’t skating in July and August as teammates.

They both live in Sherwood Park.

Both kids went early in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, within 13 picks of one another. Pysyk was the 23rd player to go with Buffalo Sabres calling his name. Petrovic went 36th to the Panthers. Both are right-shot defencemen.

Pysyk was traded to the Panthers at the draft last June for Dmitry Kulikov because Florida thought his puck-possession skills were superior to the current UFA Russian Kulikov. The Panthers also wanted to dump Kulikov’s $4.333-million cap hit and Pysyk is way cheaper at $1.25 million. So far, he’s been a bargain and they’ve been dead right on his skill with the puck as he’s played all 58 games and arguably been their steadiest defender

Petrovic, who makes $1.05 million, started the season alongside Pysyk, but suffered an ankle injury blocking a shot against Montreal Nov. 15 and didn’t return until just before the all-star break.

They started the season together with the puck-mover Pysyk on the left side and tougher Petrovic on the right, before Petrovic got his foot in the way of that shot 17 games into the season.

Their careers are almost mirror images on one another. Pysyk, 25, played four full years with the Oil Kings and 148 American Hockey League games. Petrovic, who turns 25 in two weeks, played the same with the Rebels and 144 minorleague games. Pysyk has a Memorial Cup title, but Petrovic doesn’t.

“We had a couple of scrums in junior,” said Petrovic.

“Red Deer against Edmonton, played them a lot obviously,” said Pysyk. “He’s big and strong and plays hard.” There were no fights though. “He’d beat the wheels right off me. He’s pretty tough. I’m a little smarter than that,” said Pysyk.

“He’s strong, but yeah, I could take him,” Petrovic said with a laugh.

Petrovic and Pysyk know each other’s games very well because they were junior rivals.

“We’re both pretty easygoing guys. If there’s a mistake out there, it’s never dwelled on. If I turn it over and come to the bench, he’ll chirp me for it instead of yelling at me or getting mad,” said Pysyk.