Michael Anthony Peca (born March 26, 1974) is a
Canadian former professional
ice hockey forward who played in the
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
(NHL) for the
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division of the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference, and ...
,
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. The Sabres compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team was established in 1970, along w ...
,
New York Islanders,
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. They play their home games at Rogers Place, which ...
,
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Div ...
, and the
Columbus Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets (often simply referred to as the Jackets) are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference ...
. Peca served as the Washington Capitals player development coach and is an assistant coach for the
Rochester Americans
The Rochester Americans (colloquially known as the Amerks) are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League; the team is an owned and operated affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres. The team plays its home games in Rochester, New York, ...
as of 2021.
Playing career
Peca began his junior career with the
Sudbury Wolves of the
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League (OHL; french: Ligue de hockey de l'Ontario (LHO)) is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 16–19. There are exceptions for overa ...
(OHL) after they selected him in the first round of the 1990
player draft. He was traded to the
Ottawa 67's
The Ottawa 67's are a major junior ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, that plays in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). Established during Canada's centennial year of 1967 and named in honour of this, the 67's currently play their h ...
where he blossomed into one of the league's top offensive players. He was drafted in the second round, 40th overall, by the
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division of the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference, and ...
in the
1992 NHL Entry Draft
The 1992 NHL Entry Draft was the 30th NHL Entry Draft. It was held on June 20 at the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec. A total of 264 players were drafted.
The last active player in the NHL from this draft class was Sergei Gonchar, who ret ...
. He made his NHL debut with the Canucks in the
1993–94 season, playing four games before cracking the lineup as a regular in the
lockout-shortened 1994–95 season. He was then traded to the
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. The Sabres compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team was established in 1970, along w ...
during the
1995 NHL Entry Draft
The 1995 NHL Entry Draft was the 33rd NHL Entry Draft. It was held at Northlands Coliseum in Edmonton, Alberta. The drafting order was now set partially by a lottery system whereby teams would not be guaranteed first pick if they finished last. ...
as part of a package that sent
Alexander Mogilny
Alexander Gennadevich Mogilny (russian: Александр Геннадиевич Могильный; born February 18, 1969) is a Russian former professional ice hockey player and the current president of Amur Khabarovsk of the Kontinental Hoc ...
from Buffalo to Vancouver.
Peca twice won the
Frank J. Selke Trophy
The Frank J. Selke Trophy, or simply the Selke Trophy, is awarded annually to the National Hockey League forward who demonstrates the most skill in the defensive component of the game. The winner is selected by a poll of the Professional Hockey W ...
for being the best defensive forward, in
1996–97 and
2001–02. He
captained the Buffalo Sabres to the
Stanley Cup Finals in 1999. His nickname was "Captain Crunch" because of his penchant for delivering bone-crushing open ice hits. During the
1997–98 season Peca was suspended three games by the NHL for an illegal hit on Vancouver Canucks defenseman
Mattias Öhlund on March 26, 1998.
For the
2000–01 season, Peca and the Buffalo Sabres could not agree on a contract. Peca went without a contract the entire season. Peca was later traded to the
New York Islanders in exchange for
Tim Connolly and
Taylor Pyatt
Taylor William Pyatt (born August 19, 1981) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New York Islanders, Buffalo Sabres, Vancouver Canucks, Phoenix Coyotes, New York Rangers and P ...
, where he led the Islanders to their first playoff berth in seven years. Peca was hip-checked by
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Div ...
'
Darcy Tucker
Darcy Tucker (born March 15, 1975) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played most of his National Hockey League (NHL) career with the Toronto Maple Leafs. A sixth round draft choice, Tucker began his NHL career with the Mon ...
during the
2002 Stanley Cup playoffs
The 2002 Stanley Cup playoffs, the playoff tournament of the National Hockey League began on April 17, 2002.
The Detroit Red Wings defeated the Carolina Hurricanes on June 13, 2002, four games to one, to win their tenth championship in their h ...
in game five of the first round. The check blew out Peca's
MCL
The litre (international spelling) or liter (American English spelling) (SI symbols L and l, other symbol used: ℓ) is a metric unit of volume. It is equal to 1 cubic decimetre (dm3), 1000 cubic centimetres (cm3) or 0.001 cubic metre (m3) ...
and
ACL on his left knee, ending his season and delaying his entry into the
2002–03 season. No penalty was assessed, but the NHL made
clipping
Clipping may refer to:
Words
* Clipping (morphology), the formation of a new word by shortening it, e.g. "ad" from "advertisement"
* Clipping (phonetics), shortening the articulation of a speech sound, usually a vowel
* Clipping (publications) ...
illegal as a result of the incident.
Peca was acquired by the
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. They play their home games at Rogers Place, which ...
in a trade with the Islanders in exchange for
Mike York
Michael Allan York (born January 3, 1978) is an American former professional ice hockey left winger. He last played and captained the Iserlohn Roosters of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL).
Playing career
York was born in Waterford, Michigan. ...
. He was part of the
Cinderella
"Cinderella",; french: link=no, Cendrillon; german: link=no, Aschenputtel) or "The Little Glass Slipper", is a folk tale with thousands of variants throughout the world.Dundes, Alan. Cinderella, a Casebook. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsi ...
Edmonton Oiler team that made a run to the
Stanley Cup Finals. Peca had six goals and five assists in the
2006 playoffs.
On July 18, 2006, the Toronto Maple Leafs announced that they had signed Peca as a
free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...
to a one-year, $2.5 million contract for the
2006–07 season, making Tucker and Peca teammates. During a game against the
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks (spelled Black Hawks until 1986, and known colloquially as the Hawks) are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago. The Blackhawks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division i ...
on December 22, 2006, Peca collided with Chicago defenceman
Jim Vandermeer
James Patrick Vandermeer (born February 21, 1980) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who last played for the Belfast Giants of the Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL). Vandermeer previously played for the Philadelphia Flyers, Chi ...
with 5:17 left in the first period. Vandermeer was assessed a minor penalty and a game misconduct for the hit. Peca sustained a fractured tibia at the base of his right knee and suffered significant ligament damage, and missed the remainder of the
2006–07 season.
On August 21, 2007, Peca signed a one-year contract with the
Columbus Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets (often simply referred to as the Jackets) are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference ...
. On October 11, 2008, he received an indefinite suspension (later reduced to a five-game suspension) after grabbing referee
Greg Kimmerly's arm in Columbus' first game of the
2008–09 season.
On January 19, 2010, through the
National Hockey League Players' Association
NHLPA (french: AJLNH) is the labour union for the group of professional hockey players who are under Standard Player Contracts to the 32 member clubs in the National Hockey League (NHL) located in the United States and Canada. The association re ...
(NHLPA), Peca announced his retirement from professional hockey.
International play
Peca was first selected to represent
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
at the
1994 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
The 1994 Ice Hockey World Junior Championship (''1994 WJC'') was the 18th edition of the Ice Hockey World Junior Championship and was held in Ostrava and Frydek-Mistek, Czech Republic. Canada won the gold medal for the second consecutive year, an ...
, capturing the gold medal. He captained the
senior Canadian team at the
2001 World Championships in Germany before he was selected as a member of the gold medal-winning Canadian ice hockey team at the
2002 Winter Olympics
The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games and commonly known as Salt Lake 2002 ( arp, Niico'ooowu' 2002; Gosiute Shoshoni: ''Tit'-so-pi 2002''; nv, Sooléí 2002; Shoshoni: ''Soónkahni 2002''), was an internation ...
in
Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City (often shortened to Salt Lake and abbreviated as SLC) is the capital and most populous city of Utah, United States. It is the seat of Salt Lake County, the most populous county in Utah. With a population of 200,133 in 2020, th ...
.
Coaching career
Beginning in the 2012–13 season, Peca was named head coach of the
Buffalo Jr. Sabres of the
Ontario Junior Hockey League
The Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL) is a Junior A ice hockey league in Ontario, Canada. It is under the supervision of the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) and the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL). The league was listed as the 7th best d ...
(OJHL), where he coached through the 2013–14 season. After the 2012–13 season, he was named OJHL Coach of the Year. In his two years coaching, he had 66 wins in 108 regular season games. Michael Peca served as head coach of the Bantam Major Jr. Sabres in addition to his duties as general manager and director of hockey operations for the Buffalo Jr. Sabres.
On February 10, 2021, Peca was hired by the
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference, a ...
to be a player development coach working with the "taxi squad" players for the 2020–21 season. In 2021, he was hired by the Buffalo Sabres as an assistant coach with their
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 season, every team in the le ...
affiliate, the
Rochester Americans
The Rochester Americans (colloquially known as the Amerks) are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League; the team is an owned and operated affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres. The team plays its home games in Rochester, New York, ...
.
Personal life
Michael Peca's hometown is
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...
, Ontario, but he moved to
Ottawa to attend
Canterbury High School. Peca and his wife, Kristin Herzog, now live in
Getzville, New York
Getzville is a hamlet in the town of Amherst in Erie County, New York, United States. Getzville's ZIP code is 14068, and its post office is located on Millersport Highway ( NY 263).
Geography
Getzville is located in western New York and is nor ...
, with their two children.
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
International
Awards and honours
References
External links
*
''Note: While Peca was injured during (part of) the 1997–98 season, Donald Audette
Donald Daniel Audette (born September 23, 1969) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward who played fourteen seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Buffalo Sabres, Los Angeles Kings, Atlanta Thrashers, Dallas Stars, Mont ...
served as captain.
Additionally, Peca sat out the 2000–01 NHL season
The 2000–01 NHL season was the 84th regular season of the National Hockey League. With the addition of the expansion Columbus Blue Jackets and the Minnesota Wild, 30 teams each played 82 games. The Stanley Cup winners were the Colorado Aval ...
, in a contract dispute (later asking for a trade). The Sabres captaincy remained vacant, until after Peca was traded.''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Peca, Michael
1974 births
Living people
Canadian people of Italian descent
Buffalo Sabres captains
Buffalo Sabres players
Canadian ice hockey centres
Columbus Blue Jackets players
Edmonton Oilers players
Frank Selke Trophy winners
Hamilton Canucks players
Sportspeople from Toronto
Ice hockey players at the 2002 Winter Olympics
Medalists at the 2002 Winter Olympics
New York Islanders players
Olympic gold medalists for Canada
Olympic ice hockey players of Canada
Olympic medalists in ice hockey
Ottawa 67's players
Sudbury Wolves players
Syracuse Crunch players
Toronto Maple Leafs players
Vancouver Canucks draft picks
Vancouver Canucks players
Ice hockey people from Ontario