"At the beginning of the season, it was a little shaky for me," Petrovic said after cleaning out his locker at BB&T Center in April. "But that happens in guys' careers. You've just got to look yourself in the mirror sometimes and learn from it. I think about a month and a half into the season I figured everything out - the on-ice stuff, the systems, everything."
When looking for areas in which Petrovic improved the most this season, one of the most eye-popping discoveries was the affect he had on Florida's possession numbers. When he was on the ice at 5-on-5, the Panthers controlled 51.53 percent of shot attempts - the fifth-best mark on the team and second to only his defensive partner, MacKenzie Weegar, among defensemen.
Still, Petrovic's greatest contribution remains his toughness.
At 6-foot-4 and 206 pounds, Petrovic is often tasked with providing a spark for his teammates through big checks and momentum-altering plays. He ranked second on the Panthers in both hits (142) and fights (6), while also racking up 74 blocked and a career-high 17 takeaways.
"When teams came into Florida, into Sunrise, they knew they were in for a hard, tough game," Petrovic said. "I think that by building that identity moving forward teams aren't going to take us lightly anymore. It's a good thing. It pushes us to become better."
For Petrovic, the biggest step towards improving his all-around game will likely come down to consistency - a trait he struggled with early in the season but seemed to have no trouble with later on. If he can bottle the steady play he showed off during the second half of the season, he can certainly carve out a long-term spot as a key piece on the Panthers blue line.
"I have to have a good offseason here," Petrovic said. "I've got to train hard. [Panthers coach Bob Boughner] wants me to come in and be one of the top defensemen next year. I've just got to prove that to them and make them be able to trust me. I'm just going to go into this offseason and hit the ground running."
