Michael Peca
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Position | Centre |
| Shoots | Right |
| Nickname(s) | Captain Crunch |
| Height Weight |
5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) 190 lb (86 kg/13 st 8 lb) |
| NHL Team F. teams |
Columbus Blue Jackets Vancouver Canucks Buffalo Sabres New York Islanders Edmonton Oilers Toronto Maple Leafs |
| Nationality |  Canada |
| Born | March 26, 1974 , Toronto, ON, CAN |
| NHL Draft | 40th overall, 1992 Vancouver Canucks |
| Pro career | 1993 – present |
Michael Anthony Peca (born March 26, 1974) is a Canadian professional ice hockey forward currently playing for the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League. He has previously played for the Vancouver Canucks, Buffalo Sabres, New York Islanders, Edmonton Oilers, and Toronto Maple Leafs.
Contents |
[edit] Playing career
Peca began his junior career with the Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) after they selected him in the first round of the 1990 player draft. He was traded to the Ottawa 67's where he blossomed into one of the leagues top offensive players. He was selected to represent Canada at the 1994 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.
Peca was drafted in the second round, 40th overall by the Vancouver Canucks in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft. Peca has twice won the Frank J. Selke Trophy for being the best defensive forward, in 1996–97 and 2001–02. Peca captained the Buffalo Sabres to the Stanley Cup finals in 1999. He was a member of the gold medal-winning Canadian ice hockey team at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. He was acquired by the Edmonton Oilers in a trade with the New York Islanders in exchange for Mike York.
Peca was part of the cinderella Edmonton Oiler team that made a run to the Stanley Cup Finals. Peca had 6 goals and 5 assists in the 2006 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
On July 18, 2006, the Toronto Maple Leafs announced that they had signed Peca as a free agent to a one-year $2.5 Million dollar contract for the 2006–07 NHL season.
During a game against the Blackhawks on December 22, 2006, Peca collided with Chicago defenceman Jim Vandermeer in the Toronto zone 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. He missed the remainder of the 2006–07 season.
On August 21, 2007, Peca signed a one-year deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
[edit] Contract dispute
For the 2000–01 season, Peca refused to report to the Buffalo Sabres over a contract dispute. Peca held out the entire season. Despite his absence, the Sabres qualified for the playoffs and made it to the Eastern Conference semi-finals before losing to the Penguins in seven games. Peca was later traded to the New York Islanders for Tim Connolly and Taylor Pyatt.
According to a Buffalo News article written by Jerry Sullivan, Peca had a strong influence in Adrian Aucoin's decision in free agency.[1] When Aucoin was going to sign with the Sabres, Peca bad-mouthed the organization, which led Aucoin to sign with the Chicago Blackhawks instead.
Despite the apparent bad blood, in the summer of 2007, then unrestricted free agent (UFA) Peca told the Buffalo News that the Sabres were his first choice. However, the Sabres' front office showed little interest in his return despite the loss of veteran co-captain centers, Daniel Briere and Chris Drury. [2].
[edit] Career statistics
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | +/- | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | +/- | PIM | ||
| 1990–91 | Sudbury Wolves | OHL | 62 | 14 | 27 | 41 | -- | 24 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -- | 7 | ||
| 1991–92 | Sudbury Wolves | OHL | 39 | 16 | 34 | 50 | -- | 61 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1991–92 | Ottawa 67's | OHL | 27 | 8 | 17 | 25 | -- | 32 | 11 | 6 | 10 | 16 | 6 | -- | ||
| 1992–93 | Hamilton Canucks | AHL | 9 | 6 | 3 | 9 | -- | 11 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1992–93 | Ottawa 67's | AHL | 55 | 38 | 64 | 102 | -- | 80 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1993–94 | Ottawa 67's | OHL | 55 | 50 | 63 | 113 | -- | 101 | 17 | 7 | 22 | 29 | -- | 30 | ||
| 1993–94 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | 2 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1994–95 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 33 | 6 | 6 | 12 | -6 | 30 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8 | ||
| 1994–95 | Syracuse Crunch | AHL | 35 | 10 | 24 | 34 | -- | 75 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1995–96 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 68 | 11 | 20 | 31 | -1 | 67 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 1996–97 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 79 | 20 | 29 | 49 | 26 | 80 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 2 | -3 | 8 | ||
| 1997–98 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 61 | 18 | 22 | 40 | 12 | 57 | 13 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 8 | ||
| 1998–99 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 82 | 27 | 29 | 56 | 7 | 81 | 21 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 1 | 18 | ||
| 1999–00 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 73 | 20 | 21 | 41 | 6 | 67 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -1 | 4 | ||
| 2001–02 | New York Islanders | NHL | 80 | 25 | 35 | 60 | 19 | 62 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -5 | 2 | ||
| 2002–03 | New York Islanders | NHL | 66 | 13 | 29 | 42 | -4 | 43 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | 4 | ||
| 2003–04 | New York Islanders | NHL | 76 | 11 | 29 | 40 | 17 | 71 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | 6 | ||
| 2004–05 | DNP — Lockout | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 2005–06 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 71 | 9 | 14 | 23 | -4 | 56 | 24 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 5 | 20 | ||
| 2006–07 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 35 | 4 | 11 | 15 | 2 | 60 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 2007–08 | Columbus Blue Jackets | NHL | 65 | 8 | 26 | 34 | -1 | 64 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| NHL Totals | 793 | 172 | 271 | 443 | 72 | 740 | 93 | 15 | 19 | 34 | -1 | 78 | ||||
| OHL Totals | 238 | 126 | 205 | 331 | -- | 298 | 33 | 14 | 32 | 46 | -- | 43 | ||||
[edit] International play
| Olympic medal record | |||
| Men's Ice Hockey | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | 2002 Salt Lake City | Ice Hockey | |
- 1994 World Jr. Championship, Team Canada, gold medal
- 2001 World Championship, Team Canada, captain
- 2002 Winter Olympics, Team Canada, alternate captain, gold medal
[edit] References and footnotes
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
| Preceded by Kenny Jonsson |
New York Islanders captains 2001-04 |
Succeeded by Alexei Yashin |
| Preceded by Pat LaFontaine |
Buffalo Sabres captains 1997-2000 Donald Audette, 1997–98 |
Succeeded by Stu Barnes |
| Preceded by Sergei Fedorov |
Winner of the Frank J. Selke Trophy 1997 |
Succeeded by Jere Lehtinen |
| Preceded by John Madden |
Winner of the Frank J. Selke Trophy 2002 |
Succeeded by Jere Lehtinen |
Note: While Peca was injured during (part of) the 1997–98 season, Donald Audette served as captain.
Additionally, Peca sat out the 2000–01 NHL season, in a contract dispute (later demanding a trade). The Sabres captaincy remained vacant, until after Peca was traded.
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| NAME | Peca, Michael |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Peca, Mike |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | Canadian ice hockey centre |
| DATE OF BIRTH | March 26, 1974 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| DATE OF DEATH | |
| PLACE OF DEATH | |
