Jeff Petry returned to action on Saturday February 16.

Jeff Petry worked out during the summer so he would have an easier time winning one-on-one battles as a defenseman.

It worked as Petry definitely got bigger. "Jeff was our No. 1 ice-time defenseman last year and like many other of our young players, used the time off to strengthen himself," coach Ralph Krueger said. "He's added some pounds and you could see the benefits of that (Sunday) night. After a few adjustments, you could see that there were some situations where we would have liked him to be a little more aggressive and he picked up on that really quick and finished very strong. He knew he needed to add some poundage to have a stronger push back, to be more uncomfortable to play against and we're pleased where he is right now." Petry once again led the Oilers in ice time on Sunday. He is worth selecting, especially in pools that use hits and blocks.

Jeff Petry is expected to be back in Edmonton's lineup Thursday after he was hit in the face by a clearing attempt on Mar. 20.

"The puck came off the glass and I couldn't get my hand up quickly enough," he said. "That play (keeping the puck in at the point) happens a thousand times and nothing happens. The puck clipped my visor, right below the eye. I wasn't sure if there were any fractures at the time. I'm fine now. I've still got all my teeth." Petry missed two games because his face was badly swollen.