Forward Michael Peca Announces Retirement

After 13 NHL seasons, veteran center Michael Peca officially announced his retirement on Tuesday. He last played in the NHL during the 2008-09 season with the Columbus Blue Jackets, playing in 71 games and scoring four goals and 18 assists for 22 points. In 864 career games with the Vancouver Canucks, Buffalo Sabres, New York Islanders, Edmonton Oilers, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Columbus Blue Jackets, Peca scored 176 goals and 289 assists for 465 points and 798 penalty minutes. He won the Selke Trophy twice as the league's top defensive forward, in 1997 with the Sabres and 2002 with the Islanders. He also helped Canada win the gold medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. He never won a Stanley Cup, but did appear in the Finals twice, in 1999 with the Sabres and 2006 with the Oilers. It's a shame that no teams signed Peca during this past off-season, as he still had the skills to help make a team more competitive. He was one of the premier defensive forwards for the past two decades, was great on the faceoff, and played with plenty of toughness. He had decent offensive skills early in his career, and when his offense began to decline, he could still play some great two-way hockey. Peca should be proud of everything he accomplished throughout his career and he will be missed on the ice.

Peca Suspended Indefinitely After Making Contact with Ref

Columbus Blue Jackets' forward Michael Peca has been suspended indefinitely by the league after he made intentional, physical contact with an official on October 10. Peca had been knocked down by Dallas Stars' forward Brendan Morrow who then went on to score a goal. Peca complained to referee Greg Kimmerly about the lack of a penalty call on the play. In frustration, Peca swung his stick at the glass and allegedly hit a linesman when doing so. Peca is facing a multi-game suspension as a result of the contact. A lengthy suspension is the last thing the Blue Jackets need, as they're currently a bit depleted on their offense with injuries, especially at center. Jiri Novotny, Manny Malhotra, and Raffi Torres are all out with injuries, leaving the Blue Jackets without a lot of scoring and veteran depth. The absence of Peca just makes it worse, as he brings plenty of two-way play and veteran experience to the team.