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FHN+: Petrovic Had Long Road Back to the NHL – And the Florida Panthers
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- FHN+: Petrovic Had Long Road Back to the NHL – And the Florida Panthers
IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
FORT LAUDERDALE— Not long after being traded from the Florida Panthers to the Edmonton Oilers in 2018, Alexander Petrovic saw his career take a sudden turn.
And now, after growing up in the Panthers system, Petrovic is back in South Florida.
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"It has honestly been very cool," said Petrovic, who signed a two-year deal in his return to the Panthers in July. "Just driving around Fort Lauderdale again brings back a lot of memories. Almost feels like home, like I grew up here."
A second-round pick in Dale Tallon'sfirst draft in 2010, Petrovic spent two seasons in the AHL before starting to make his way to Florida — and become a full-time NHL defenseman by 2015.
By 2017, the Panthers thought so highly of Petrovic, he was one of the players the team protected before the Vegas expansion draft — the one in which Florida lost Jonathan Marchessault and traded Reilly Smith to the Golden Knights .
But by the start of the 2018-19 season, Petrovic was being used less and less by the Panthers.
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Florida ended up trading him to his hometown of Edmonton — but Petrovic only played nine games with the Oilers.
A free agent in 2019, Petrovic signed with the Bruins — and ended up spending the entirety of that season in the AHL.
It would not be his last.
Petrovic spent four seasons in the minor leagues, many writing him off as a potential NHL player anymore.
But he kept plugging away.
"It can be tough at times," said Petrovic, now 34. "When you're young and in the AHL, you're working your tail off and are at a different spot in your career. You are young, perhaps ignorant to a lot of things. But when you have been in the NHL and are sent down, it is a huge hit to the ego. The AHL is a great league, but the NHL is the best league. You grow up dreaming about playing in the NHL.''
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In 2021, Petrovic signed a two-way deal with the Dallas Stars and spent the next two seasons playing in the AHL.
He started his fifth straight season in the minor leagues in 2023 — but by the end of the season, he finally got called up to Dallas where he played in his first NHL game since 2019.
Petrovic ended up playing in a playoff game for Pete DeBoer'sStars as well.
Although Petrovic split time between Dallas and the AHL Texas Stars during the 2024-25 season, he got more NHL time and played in 17 games as Dallas went to the Western Conference final.
Last year was Petrovic's first full-time season in the NHL since that Florida/Edmonton split in 2018-19. He played in 54 games with two goals and 10 points.
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"In the end, it was good for me," Petrovic said. "It not only set me up foundationally, but I do not take things for granted anymore. I think that changed me into a better person. Having a family, a great wife, helped me through it."
Although back with the Panthers, it is a very real possibility Petrovic will see time playing in AHL Charlotte this season.
Florida added Petrovic and Radko Gudas as free agents this summer, with Uvis Balinskis , Donovan Sebrango , Marek Alscher, and Toby Bjornfotamong others returning.
With a two-year contract, Petrovic would likely slide through waivers if he was sent to Charlotte.
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Right now, Petrovic is not thinking about what will happen when the Panthers cut their roster after next weekend's preseason finale against the Lightning .
He is just happy to be back in the NHL — and back with the Panthers.
"Every year, every situation is a fight. It doesn't matter where you go, you are always battling for a spot" Petrovic said. "But I have learned to help push my teammates. I'm not here playing against another guy, I am trying to help them.
"At the end of the day, we are all trying to win the Stanley Cup here.''
FLORIDA PANTHERS ON DECK
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Preseason (All Games on Scripps/Panthers+) — Game 1: Today vs. Carolina Hurricanes , 7 p.m.; Game 2: Tuesday at Carolina Hurricanes, 7 p.m; Game 3: Thursday at Tampa Bay Lightning , 7 p.m.; Game 4:Saturday Sept. 26 vs. Tampa Bay Lightning, 6 p.m.
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Panthers Training Camp: Practice Continues Through Sept. 27; Fort Lauderdale
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2026-27 NHL Season Opener: Florida at Carolina Hurricanes; Sept. 29, 5 p.m. (ESPN)
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2026-27 NHL Home Opener: Minnesota Wild at Florida; Oct. 10, 6 p.m. (Scripps)
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