He played in the National Hockey League with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Vancouver Canucks and the Washington Capitals.

[citation needed] On February 26, 2008, at the trade deadline, Pettinger was dealt from the Washington Capitals to the Vancouver Canucks for forward Matt Cooke.

[3] Beginning the 2008–09 season back in the AHL with the Canucks' minor league affiliate, the Manitoba Moose, Pettinger was claimed on re-entry waivers by the Tampa Bay Lightning on October 21, 2008.

[6] Seven games later, he was sent back to the Moose in expectation of forward Daniel Sedin's return from injury after clearing waivers on November 21.

[9] On August 6, 2010, Pettinger left North America and signed a one-year contract with German team Kölner Haie of the DEL.