Michael Peca

Michael Anthony "Mike" Peca (born March 26, 1974) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey forward in the National Hockey League (NHL). He most recently played for the Columbus Blue Jackets of the NHL. He has also played for the Vancouver Canucks, Buffalo Sabres, New York Islanders, Edmonton Oilers and Toronto Maple Leafs. He retired on January 19, 2010 after 13 seasons in the NHL. On August 4, 2011 he was named general manager of the Buffalo Jr. Sabres.
==Personal life==
Peca and wife Kristin live in Getzville, NY with their two children, son Trevorhttp://www.mississauga.com/sports/article/935039--peca-goes-behind-the-bench and daughter Emily.http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/25673-Columbus-Blue-Jackets-hope-youngsters-learned-from-playoff-run.htmlhttp://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=514192&cmpid=rss-News%20in%20English
==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. He captained the Canadian team at the 2001 World Championships in Germany. His nickname was "Captain Crunch" because of his penchant for delivering bone-crushing open ice hits.
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. 
Peca was hip-checked by Toronto Maple Leafs' Darcy Tucker during the 2002 Stanley Cup playoffs in game five of the first round.Split reference:
* "Game five" reference: 
* "Notorious hit" reference: The check blew out Peca's MCL and ACL on his left knee, ending his season and delaying his entry into the 2002–03 campaign. No penalty was assessed. 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 contract for the 2006–07 NHL season, making Tucker and Peca teammates.
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. On October 11, 2008, Peca 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 season.
On January 19, 2010, Peca announced his retirement from professional hockey through NHLPA.
==Contract dispute==
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 for Tim Connolly and Taylor Pyatt, where he led the Islanders to their first playoff berth in seven years. 
Despite the apparent bad blood, in the summer of 2007, then unrestricted free agent (UFA) Peca told the Buffalo News that he'd be willing to come back to the Sabres. However, the Sabres' front office did not sign him despite the loss of veteran co-captain centers Daniel Brière and Chris Drury.
==Awards and achievements==
*Frank J. Selke Trophy winner in 1997, 2002.
== Career statistics ==
 	 	 		Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season		Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	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 	OHL 		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 	2 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1994–95 	Vancouver Canucks 	NHL 		33 	6 	6 	12 	30 		5 	0 	1 	1 	8
1994–95 	Syracuse Crunch 	AHL 		35 	10 	24 	34 	75 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1995–96 	Buffalo Sabres 	NHL 		68 	11 	20 	31 	67 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1996–97 	Buffalo Sabres 	NHL 		79 	20 	29 	49 	80 		10 	0 	2 	2 	8
1997–98 	Buffalo Sabres 	NHL 		61 	18 	22 	40 	57 		13 	3 	2 	5 	8
1998–99 	Buffalo Sabres 	NHL 		82 	27 	29 	56 	81 		21 	5 	8 	13 	18
1999–00 	Buffalo Sabres 	NHL 		73 	20 	21 	41 	67 		5 	0 	1 	1 	4
2000–01 	Did not play (contract dispute)	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
2001–02 	New York Islanders 	NHL 		80 	25 	35 	60 	62 		5 	1 	0 	1 	2
2002–03 	New York Islanders 	NHL 		66 	13 	29 	42 	43 		5 	0 	0 	0 	4
2003–04 	New York Islanders 	NHL 		76 	11 	29 	40 	71 		5 	0 	0 	0 	6
2005–06 	Edmonton Oilers 	NHL 		71 	9 	14 	23 	56 		24 	6 	5 	11 	20
2006–07 	Toronto Maple Leafs 	NHL 		35 	4 	11 	15 	60 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2007–08 	Columbus Blue Jackets 	NHL 		65 	8 	26 	34 	64 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2008–09 	Columbus Blue Jackets 	NHL 		71 	4 	18 	22 	58 		4 	0 	0 	0 	2
NHL totals	NHL totals 	NHL totals		864 	176 	289 	465 	798 		97 	15 	19 	34 	80
OHL totals	OHL totals 	OHL totals		238 	126 	205 	331 	298 		33 	14 	32 	46 	43
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
===International===
Year 	Team 	Event 	 	GP	G	A	P	PIM
1994 	Canada 	WJC 	 	7 	2	2	4	8
2001 	Canada 	WC 	 	3 	1	3	4	0
2002 	Canada 	Oly 	 	6 	0	2	2	2
Junior int'l totals	Junior int'l totals	Junior int'l totals	 	7 	2	2	4	6
Senior int'l totals	Senior int'l totals	Senior int'l totals	 	9 	1	5	6	2
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
==International play==
* 1994 World Jr. Championship, Team Canada, gold medal
* 2001 World Championship, Team Canada, captain
* 2002 Winter Olympics, Team Canada, alternate captain, gold medal
==References and footnotes==
==See also==
*List of Buffalo Sabres players
*Captain (hockey)
==External links==
*
*
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 asking for a trade). The Sabres captaincy remained vacant, until after Peca was traded.
Category:2002 Olympian
Category:Born in 1974
Category:Buffalo Sabres players
Category:Canadian ice hockey players
Category:Columbus Blue Jackets players
Category:Edmonton Oilers players
Category:Frank Selke Trophy winners
Category:New York Islanders players
Category:Olympic ice hockey players of Canada
Category:Ottawa 67's alumni
Category:Sudbury Wolves alumni
Category:Toronto Maple Leafs players
Category:Vancouver Canucks draft picks
Category:Vancouver Canucks players
Category:Retired in 2010