Nic Petan

July 2021 – Petan was not extended a qualifying offer by the Maple Leafs, making him an unrestricted free agent. Nick Richard

May 2021 – And just like that, Petan allowed himself to be passed on the depth chart again. His outstanding debut performance was the peak of his season – he did not score another point through his 7 games with the Maples Leafs and his ice time slowly decreased until his spot was handed off to another prospect. His playmaking skills are always visible and he is always one of the best AHL players on the Marlies during his stints in the minors, but his pas-first skillset and mall frame that can struggle along the boards is simply less fit for a traditional 4th-line role than others. He has also entered an awkward age range where at 25-years-old there will always be more veteran options and more promising young options.  Barring an unexpected appearance in the Leafs’ post-season, expect Petan to find a new home this off-season if he wants another crack at the NHL with less competition in front of him. Gamble on holding onto him based on where he ends up. Hayden Soboleski

February 2021 – Just like that, Petan has played his way back into relevance. Despite needing to wait his turn behind Barabanov, Boyd, Brooks, Anderson, and Engvall for his opportunity, he didn’t miss a beat when it appeared. In his debut he played 11 minutes on the 4th line, put up 3 SOG and hit the highlight reel with a perfect saucer pass assist. Still, he was taken out of the lineup afterwards and had to wait a game before slotting back in. He looks like a good fit on the 4th line, matching the pace of the game very well to always find opportunities and create chances, but the fact that a near-perfect debut wasn’t enough to earn a spot in the following game tells us how much the Leafs plan on rotating these depth spots. Petan, as he always has been, remains an above-average fantasy own for a 4th-liner in points pools but hasn’t locked in a permanent spot which is likely required before you go investing in a roster spot. Hayden Soboleski

January 2021 – Petan has cleared waivers and is not projected to be a member of the Maple Leafs’ ‘taxi squad’ to begin the 2020-21 campaign. There is still a good chance he is needed at some point over the course of an unpredictable season, but his long-term outlook is on a decline. The upside still exists but its hard to imagine an opportunity appearing for the nearly-26-year-old in the NHL when veteran players are now available on equally inexpensive contracts. Hayden Soboleski

January 2021 – Petan’s chances of landing an NHL job in Toronto took a big hit this offseason thank to the wealth of bottom-six options brought in via free agency. Still, he has been invited to Maple Leafs training camp and has one year left on his cheap 775k deal. A strong showing in camp would make him a possible taxi squad candidate for Toronto or for another team looking for inexpensive depth. Hayden Soboleski

March 2020 – There were no takers on Petan after his trade request, so he remains a Marlie for the time being. His 30 points in 22 games played (on a struggling team) continue to indicate that he is in the dreaded zone of too good for the AHL, but hasn’t yet clicked in the NHL. He missed a month with a shoulder injury but has returned to play. Patience may be wearing thin for fantasy owners, but if he lands a 4th-line role in the fall (on the Leafs or more likely elsewhere), he brings more upside and potential to move up the lineup than 90% of 4th-liners out there. Hayden Soboleski

November 2019 – Petan has slipped out of the 4th-line rotation more than his press box counterparts and has been loaned to the Marlies. Management is reportedly searching for a new home for him to give him more NHL time. Hayden Soboleski

October 2019 – After clearing waivers, Petan was recalled to the Leafs and has been rotating in and out of a fourth-line role. He hasn’t looked out of place in his appearances, but neither have his peers. Still, occasional NHL usage is more fantasy-relevant than AHL usage, so this is a vital sign at least for owners. If he can keep himself in the Leafs’ rotation, he will have proved himself a legit NHL option, which should lead to either further use on the Leafs, or a trade to somewhere willing to use him full-time. Hayden Soboleski

September 2019 – Despite all contractual signs pointing to him being in the Maple Leafs’ plans for 2019-20, Petan has failed to crack the lineup out of pre-season and has been placed on waivers. He demonstrated his strong abilities with the puck in his exhibition appearances, but he also was the subject of a couple big hits, and had a number of players out-battling him for a 4th-line role. His odds improve if he gets claimed, but even if he clears waivers we are likely to see him in an NHL uniform at some point this season. His window hasn’t closed on being a full-time NHLer, so keep an eye on his performance when he does get a call. Hayden Soboleski

March 2019 – Petan has signed a two-year extension with the Maple Leafs. His AAV is extremely low at only $775,000, which will help his chances of sticking on a roster that is going to be very tight to the cap for the foreseeable future. Hayden Soboleski

March 2019 – He did not enter the lineup immediately post-trade, but in his first game as a Maple Leaf Petan notched a goal. We know better than to rely on a 100% shooting percentage to predict the future, but GM Dubas was visibly pumped to see his new acquisition score, and if his next deal comes cheap he will have an inside edge on a spot in 2019-20. Hayden Soboleski

February 2019 – Petan has been traded from Winnipeg to Toronto.  Jokke Nevalainen

May 2018 – Petan was a prolific junior player that lit up the scoresheet during his time with the Portland Winterhawks in the WHL, but has found it increasingly difficult to stick with the Jets organization full-time. At 23, the window is slightly closing on his NHL career as he finds himself buried deep on the Jets depth chart behind several forward prospects. Petan showed flashes of his scoring ability, finishing fourth on the Moose with 52 points in as many games. At this point, it’s hard to envision the 23-year-old as being anything more than a high-end scorer in the minors. However, it’s important to note that he is an RFA this summer and in all likelihood the Jets will keep him up with the big club (after all, they drafted him in the second round in 2013).

April 2018 – Petan was rendered expendable once the Jets acquired Paul Stastny from the St. Louis Blues during the trade deadline. Since his return to the Moose, Petan blazed a red-hot trail in March with 11 points in 12 games and now sits tied for second on the team in scoring. At this point, it’s hard to envision Petan ever being fantasy relevant on a Jets squad with plenty of depth up front. For now, he remains a prolific AHL scorer and nothing more. Jamie Zadow

 September 2017 – Petan has been battling throughout the preseason for a bottom six role on the Jets. The former second round pick in 2013 has struggled to find an offensive presence at the NHL level and has been relegated to more of a checking role in the Jets system. Petan has just 19 points in 80 career games in the NHL. Jamie Zadow

 May 2017 – Petan has the tools to be a key offensive contributor in the league despite his below-average size (5-9) for the NHL. The biggest problem is with a plethora of young talent like Winnipeg has with it’s club and sitting in the minors, where and when will he be able to get those top two line minutes? Petan played 54 games in the NHL this past season for 13 points, but seemed to be lost in the mix until getting in nine games in the AHL where he notched four goals and an assist for five points, looking like the Petan of old. If Winnipeg can find the minutes and a spot on one of the team’s scoring lines, Petan could be poised for a big bump in points, but if not, he could end up getting a little lost in the shuffle and forced to change his game to fit more of a checking line role. David Dickenson

October 2016 – The Jets sent Petan to the Manitoba Moose of the AHL to start the season. David Dickenson

September 2016 – The diminuative 5-9 scoring machine, who used to light up the WHL with the Portland Winterhawks looks almost ready to break into the NHL on a regular basis. After notching 32 points in 47 games with their AHL affiliate, Petan managed to get into the Jets lineup to score six points in 26 game. While short in size, there’s no discounting his speed and nose for the net, and could end up on a top-six line if anyone falters in training camp. He may take another season to find his legs, but there’s little doubt he’ll be a solid NHL point producer. David Dickenson

 November 2015 – Petan had a strong training camp and made the NHL club. The problem is, the Jets are very deep with young talent and much of that talent has very high upside. Especially in terms of offense. On many teams, Petan would be a cut above. On this team, he’s second fiddle to the likes of Mark Scheifele, Nik Ehlers, and a slew of veterans in their prime. Don’t be discouraged by the lack of production. Petan will get there, it will just take a couple of years. Dobber