Dallas Stars Alexander Petrovic Relishing Late Career Return To NHL
guys like Miro and and NS who are playing 2530 minutes a night. Um I I don’t know how they do it, tell you the truth. I think uh those guys are specimens. >> They go to they go to Whole Foods to eat. They don’t go to bars to eat like us. No. >> And I’m going to let LS get started because we all are fans of your game. But this guy over here has been pounding the table for pro for pretty much the entire time you’ve been part of the Dallas Stars, including when you were basically an AHL player and then a hired gun for the playoffs. So Luds. >> Yeah, I wasn’t happy with that situation. Pro you should have been here. Anyway, I’m not Owen generally is the guy that blows smoke around here, so I’m not I want to ask you I I could leave these guys out and take up your whole time. Do it. No, I I just wanted to know, you know, they always talk about defenseman in their younger years. I want to go back to your younger years a little bit, right? So, you you played a couple hundred games, 250 some games with Florida. You had uh you had Kevin Denine, you had Galant, and you had the boogeyman. And I’m just curious in those developments for you, that’s Bob Bner, by the way, for the people that don’t know. Was there one of those three coaches and I know you had you had Galant a little bit longer than the other two, but was there one of them that that you look back and they had something, you know, that sticks out for you in your development? >> Um, definitely. I think uh I mean I remember Glan just you know I think he was uh he was a lot different. Honestly, for me, it was more Tom Row, which uh you know, might be might uh not be the happiest name around Florida, but um I think uh you know, he kind of ruffled some feathers, but I think, you know, he kind of uh down in the minors, he definitely pushed me, you know, to my limits. Uh it was a guy that I needed. I was, I don’t know, you could say I was just lazy. Not lazy, but just I don’t know, not healthy. not, you know, not working the hardest that I could work. And I think that he was a huge part of uh just me kind of just getting to my to to that next level. And then um when I played for Galant, it was, you know, it was nice. He hated doing video and he just wanted us to go out and play and just use our instincts and and play kind of like how uh you know, Gully is doing it doing it here in Dallas and telling us how to play. But um just letting us go play and um you know that was huge for me I think just having that freedom a little bit and just using your instincts and and letting it go. So that was that was huge. But um Kevin Denine I I only had for probably like you know nine or 10 games. And then uh Bob Buggner he was he was um I mean I I didn’t have the greatest start to to the his first year. um we didn’t have the best relationship, but when I look back, I uh I don’t blame him for doing what he did. You know, I kind of deserved kind of everything I I got and um you know, just kind of to look in the mirror and um again had to find that next level again. So, um you know, they all kind of helped me in my journey to get get to where I am today. >> It’s it’s paid off for you as well. As Les was saying, we were we’re a big believer of yours and loved the way you were just able to come up in the last two playoffs and be the type of player you were and we all wondered all summer talking about whether you’d be a full-time player here. So, uh, for anyone of those who didn’t haven’t heard you talk about it, can you take us back to when when did you first learn that you were staying up here in Dallas? Uh, what were those conversations like? And then what was that like for you and your family to know that? >> Uh, you know, I was hearing rumblings just throughout the summer. Um, you know, there’s just like little things talking to people. Um, I didn’t hear much from management, which usually you don’t on any team. It’s just how it is. And, um, you know, just little things like on Twitter, they were showing different guys each day, you know, on uh different player profiles and my name popped up. That was the first time it had popped up ever. So, that was kind of a a little bit of a clue, but um you know, but it’s still I still had to to push all summer, train hard, and come in and you know, definitely play well in camp. It wasn’t just going to be given. So, um, but yeah, once once camp went through and then I just remember sitting on the bike. I was next to Oscar Beck and, uh, Jim just walked by, came out of the coach’s office and then, you know, he turned around and came back and, uh, just said, you know, hey, Pro, congrats. Uh, you know, go go find a house and, uh, yeah, you uh, you earned every bit of it. So, uh, you know, I was just kind of like it it didn’t really set in until I don’t know after I got off the bike, honestly. But then I, you know, I gave back a nudge, told him what Jimmy said, and, you know, we high-fived. It was, uh, it was a pretty, uh, you know, it was, it was crazy. It’s just dream come true again. You know, it’s almost uh, like I was never in the NHL before. Now, it kind of it’s kind of just that same feeling. So, it was it was pretty exciting. it it that what you just said and the smile on your face, it just tells you how important it is to hear those words even when you’re in your 30s. You know what I mean? That the dream never dies and that’s the reason that you’re at where you’re at is because you you knew you had had it in you and you just needed someone to tell you that and give you that chance and you’re taking advantage of it. I I want to follow up. You mentioned minors and the first thing comes to mind for me is that you know when you were down in Texas and going back and forth and things like that and it’s just my understanding I’m not 100% sure but you guys were playing maybe a different system in down down there than than it was here and I I want you to talk a little bit about how the difference is it’s a bit of a change you know the system that they’re playing and then follow that up with the change in systems this year from from Pete to Gully for a defenseman I I’ve listen you probably haven’t heard But it’s a pet peeve of mine and I’m I hate the other way and I just I despise it and and I’m just going to my my reasons why is that there’s too many times for me is you play a certain way and where you’re supposed to be playing as a defenseman, you’re playing where the forwards are and unfortunately the bigger problem is when the forwards are playing where defenseman are and they’re they don’t play that position from three years on up. So anyway, I just wanted to know the difference for you when you did go back and forth and and am I right that there was a different system in down there than there was here? >> Uh when Pete first came in his first year, um he kind of laid out the system that we were doing up in Dallas, like in training camp. And then when we were down in Texas in in Austin, um trying to remember or it was more just the breakouts. Um, so like team dumps it in and we have to break out a certain way. Um, our rules were a little bit different. We had a little more freedom down in in Cedar Park. Um, versus Pete where it was just, you know, one way that’s it. Like there was just set rules, you know, and which honestly the next year, you know, I I played that playoffs. Um, it’s not hard to like change either. It’s pretty simple to pick up. Um the Dzone everything, Dzone coverage was the same. It was kind of like a semi like man-on-man versus swarm. >> We can fast forward now. Now what you’re doing now, how do you find the the change for you guys as defenseman yourself personally under what Gully’s got the team doing versus what would have gone on last year and the year that before that? >> Um I think it’s it’s great. I think it’s kind of kind of what we needed. It was more of like before if we get locked onto a guy it was like okay now we’re locked onto him for the rest of the shift in the Dzone you know and as a DMAT it can kind of it can feel a little chaotic you know and then when you get the puck you’re kind of like all right where do I what do I do with it where is everyone right I think this year it’s it it’s helped um we’re we’re just at the net like we stay near the net and then if the puck comes in our area you know we got to try and close quickly. Um our if it’s in our quadrant, but if the puck if the guy carries it up high, then we just retreat back to our net and um our centerman takes over. So um I I love it. We used to play it in Providence when I was there. That’s what Boston used to play. Um, and I don’t know, it just seems like it’s a little less less chaotic when you’re in the D zone, especially when teams start um, you know, running around with the puck and and moving it much. But a lot of the times you’ll see the other team, they’re kind of they have four guys high. They may have one guy at the net and another guy in the corner. It’s like, all right, perfect. That’s kind of what, you know, >> it’s kind of what we want, you know, cuz then the goalie can see the puck. There’s not as much chaos in front of the net. And um and then if a lot of if they do send two guys at the net and kind of have that then there’s less net to shoot at too. So it’s uh you know I I like it. I think it’s a great system and um you know it’s kind of one that we had to deal with last year against the Oilers the last two years >> and you know we couldn’t score. So it’s uh I think I think it’s it’s been good so far. When you look at your season so far, obviously you snapped a pretty long NHL gold drought. That was fun. Uh you’ve had some great A looks that just haven’t gone in. And then you watch your D partner do uh you know kind of I think Liam Bishell struggled to start the year compared to last year. Maybe a little bit of that sophomore slump, whatever, but then he gets hurt. And you’ve been there, you’ve gone through this. I I I still think it’s so incredibly cool to see you sort of have this revival of your NHL career in your 30s with your kids now being able to see it a little bit, which is probably even more special. But, uh, how empathetic are you to watching Bishell go through the injury and and his early stages of his career? >> Um, yeah, I mean, he’s got a bright future ahead of him. Um, you know, and I think, you know, we both didn’t really have the best start to this year. You know, the first five, six games, whatever it was, but, um, we were in the D felt like we’re in the Dzone a lot. So, we got a lot of Dzone practice, that’s for sure. Um, but I think, you know, that Yeah, that injury sucks. It’s, you know, just a freak accident. You know, you see him twist his leg there. It’s it’s unfortunate, but um you know I think we got some of the best training staff in the league. I I use you know Mike Donny who is he’s I use his summer programs now last three years and I’ve never felt better. So, I think you can use this time as uh, you know, as a way to, you know, evolve, get better, get stronger, not just bigger and stronger, but, you know, more more uh more powerful, more mobile, more a little bit more pop. And that’s all stuff that, you know, Donnie tries to work on us for. So, I think uh I tell him every day, I’m like, once you get back, you know, it’s it’s going to be huge. Like, you know, like this is your time. like let’s get ready, you know, like let’s work. >> Um, I I do want to ask you, Petro, though, can you talk a little bit about schedule and and this season schedule and stuff like that? We bring it up a lot and I know all teams are going through it, but just being able to to play through all this. >> Yeah, I think uh I don’t know. I mean, when I when I was in Cedar Park the last four years, we’d play two games, you know, four days off, five days off, play on the weekends, do that for a while. Then if we go on the road, we play some weekday games and whatnot. So, honestly, I kind of love it cuz, you know, we’re playing every other day, but that’s that’s me personally. Honestly, that I love it. Uh guys like Miro and and S 25 30 minutes a night. Um I I don’t know how they do it, tell you the truth. I think uh those guys are specimens. >> They go to They go to Whole Foods to eat. They don’t go to bars to eat like us. >> No, exactly. Um yeah, they’re animals. It’s it’s crazy. I don’t know what they’re putting in their systems, but must be a premium fuel. Uh but yeah, it’s uh >> it’s it is a grind though. Like I I definitely am noticing like I am napping a lot more during the day. you know, before I would nap as much, you know, just feeling I used to never sleep on the plane, like I couldn’t. And I feel like every time I’m on the plane I’m, you know, passed out or napping. So, that’s uh, you know, a little uncharacteristic. I think that just, yeah, just tells you. Um, there is definitely a lot of volume, a lot of games every other day. But, um, yeah, I don’t know. I don’t know. I think I, like I said, I don’t mind it. I love playing the games. There’s nothing better. Um but uh yeah, I think it’s uh it’s definitely taken a toll maybe on on a lot of guys. It’s I’m sure it’s taken a toll on uh the game as a whole. Like just seeing both teams, you’re probably like some games the fans probably oh like these guys like some of the games look slow, you know, like everyone’s just just tired. >> All right, last one for you, Alex. Thanks for staying and thanks for staying a little longer. We appreciate it. Uh >> especially on your day. >> Yes, you had you already had, as I mentioned, you had a lot of fans from what you did in the playoffs here. Uh but then last year you guys losing game five, you have the opportunity to go sit on a beach somewhere, go recover, do whatever you want to do and you go down to Cedar Park to to play with the Texas Stars in this in the Calder Cup playoffs. >> Earned a lot more fans on top of that. So can you take us through that decision and why that was important for you to do that? >> Um yeah, I mean I was trying to drag Bish down with me, but no, he had to he had to take care of his body. He had to get, you know, things sorted out there. So, I don’t I don’t blame them, but um yeah, I mean, after the season, you know, they asked me. They didn’t really expect me to want to go down, but um I wanted to. We had I was down there, you know, the whole year basically. And just love that group of guys. They were they were grinding against Abbottzford and um who had a very, you know, a skilled vet veteran team, experienced team. So, I thought, you know, I hope I could go down there and help them pull off that win. Um, and, you know, we didn’t at the end of the day, but, um, you know, I’m happy that that it did go down and, uh, you know, tried to tried to win bring home a caller cup down there for for us, for them and the and the fans, but, uh, yeah, it’s it was unfortunate, but, uh, try not to dwell on it. And, yeah, it was a a special team. It was one of the best teams I’ve I’ve played for. So, it was it was, you know, I felt I had to go down and help them out. >> But now you’re back here after a big AHL time frame and you’re a dad. You’ve got a family. Do they know what dad does? Are they appreciative of it yet? Like, and what does that mean to you that they’re starting to experience not just, you know, hear stories of you in your 20s, but to see you playing in the NHL right now? Uh, I mean they’re young. Um, my oldest is five, almost six. My second oldest, he’s four, almost five. And then our little is only two. So, um, you know, I don’t know if they appreciate it or anything, but uh it’s it’s kind of crazy. I the other night um I woke up at like 6:00 a.m. My little our oldest, Luca, he was out on the couch. I open the door and he’s out on the couch watching the Florida highlights. First thing I see is me getting towragged in the spot there and I I’m like, “Oh god.” I closed the door. I went back to bed. But uh you know, it’s just funny that he was at he he got up and that’s what all he wants to do is just watch the highlights. He’s always on Victory Plus watching, you know, like a first period, second period, whatever. Um and then that’s all they do is play mini sticks all day. like this year especially like the last couple years it was like you know we just let them do what they want whatever they’re doing. Um but they you know that’s all they want to do is just play hockey and you know I think they’re starting to to get it a little more. They’re they’re playing hockey here in Dallas as well. They’re on a team. Um so they’re they’re loving it. They’re I’m not trying to push them or anything to to be anything crazy. If he wants to they want to go that route they can we’ll give them all the tools. But, um, yeah, it’s it’s pretty special. Um, it’s definitely a reason that, uh, you know, I want to see see us win a Stanley Cup and have them, you know, see it and enjoy it and, you know, that’s all that’s all they talk about is, “Oh, did you win? Did you like they always ask if we won that game or, you know, they’re right into it.” So, it’s it’s uh it’s cool. It’s it’s amazing. And you know, I definitely uh definitely grateful every day for for
33-year-old Dallas Stars defenseman Alexander Petrovic joined the DLLS Stars Podcast on Tuesday, December 16th and discussed his return to being an NHL regular in his thirties. Petrovic spent the previous six seasons in the American Hockey League with the Providence Bruins, Stockton Heat and Texas Stars, but played his way into the Dallas Stars lineup each of the last two years during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. A 2nd round draft pick by the Florida Panthers in 2010, Petrovic talked about his early years in the Panthers system with the San Antonio Rampage, some hard lessons learned that forced him to mature and become a better pro. He also talked about what it is like to get back to playing in the NHL as a father of three young children and his relationship, both on and off the ice, with emerging Stars defenseman Lian Bichsel.
