Petry signs six-year, $33M deal with Canadiens

Since last summer, Jeff Petry figured he’d be testing the free-agent market. Getting traded to the Montreal Canadiens changed all that.

Petry enjoyed playing at Bell Centre, the Canadiens’ playoff run and his role on the team so much he wanted to return. On Tuesday the defenceman agreed to terms on a US $33million, six-year contract to stick around for a long time.

General manager Marc Bergevin said Petry “showed a tremendous will to commit to the Canadiens and stay in Montreal.” The 27-year-old undoubtedly took less money than he could have gotten in free agency.

“Once I started negotiating with the Canadiens, my wife and I made a decision we really strongly wanted to come back,” Petry said on a conference call from West Bloomfield, Mich. “Everything from the day I got there to the playoff run, the environment at the Bell Centre, the players in the locker-room, the organization just being first-class — that all played into it and played a big part in ultimately signing the deal.”

Petry will count $5.5 million against the salary cap through 2020-21. It’s the same annual value as the Winnipeg Jets’ Tyler Myers, Tampa Bay Lightning’s Matt Carle, Arizona Coyotes’ Oliver EkmanLarsson and New York Rangers’ Dan Girardi.

Petry said he fit in so well in Montreal because of the style of play and what the organization and coaching staff expects from players.

“It’s a quick puck-moving team with a quick transition,” Petry said. “That’s something I pride my game on is being a good first passer.”