Michael Peca Retires

[Ch0rt]

Per NHL.com

 

Link:

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=514168

[gregkash]

Congrats on a great career!

[inkman]

One of my all time favorite Sabres. Best open ice hitter I can remember.

[frisky]

I saw his name as one of the coaches for the Jr. Sabres camp thing.

[ThePebble19]

One of my all time favorite Sabres. Best open ice hitter I can remember.

 

Agreed...Got a chance to meet him and get an autograph at the Galleria Mall when I was a kid..great guy, and was one of my favorites growing up.

[That Aud Smell]

best signage i've ever seen at a home game (i trust this was at the arena, not the old barn): mike peca is bigger than your peca.

 

great player, great captain, great guy.

[bills_fan_in_raleigh]

Always enjoyed watching Peca play enjoy retirement man

[kingcongkorab]

One of my all time favorite Sabres. Played a lot bigger than his size. I always thought the failure to resign him was a huge mistake.

[Lethbridge Broncos]

Great little player.

 

Wonderful career.

 

The contract mess he started and finished (with Don Meehan at his side) is hard to forget. But other than being a little greedy -- he was awesome. His hits are legend.

[2ForTripping]

greedy pro athletes imagine that

[Sabretip]

One of my all time favorite Sabres. Best open ice hitter I can remember.

 

Definitely in the open ice but I would say that Kaleta brings back memories of the physical impact Peca's hits used to have in games - and I would say Kaleta hits even a little harder, albeit he uses the boards more than the open ice to do his damage.

[DR HOLLIDAY]

I loved watching him wear the C for the Sabres, thanks Mike.......... :thumbsup:

[wjag]

Damn... I had this idea that Peca and the Sabres were going to make up and he was "the" trade deadline addition. He rides with the team into the playoffs and gets that final shot at a ring.

 

Not even close. He is my favorite Sabre of all time.. Now this Myers kid could dethrone him in a few years..

[jimiVbaby]

First jersey I have ever bought and quite honestly haven't worn in awhile. I'll have to pull it out for the next game in his honor.

[SwampD]

I liked him a lot. But I will never understand someone that chooses no money over less money. He should have returned to the finals with Buffalo not Edmonton.

[FogBat]

Great little player.

 

Wonderful career.

 

The contract mess he started and finished (with Don Meehan at his side) is hard to forget. But other than being a little greedy -- he was awesome. His hits are legend.

I'm hoping he won't trash the Sabres in case another player shows interest in coming here.

 

Otherwise, great career.

[Taro T]

Damn... I had this idea that Peca and the Sabres were going to make up and he was "the" trade deadline addition. He rides with the team into the playoffs and gets that final shot at a ring.

 

Not even close. He is my favorite Sabre of all time.. Now this Myers kid could dethrone him in a few years..

I wasn't overly ticked about him holding out at 1st; I figured he'd sign in early December and then have something left in the tank during that playoff run. His appearing exhausted by the time they hit Dallas is the biggest reason we're still waiting for game 6 to resume w/ a faceoff in the neutral zone to Dom's left. If he had anything left, I really thought the Sabres could do it.

 

When he wasn't signed in December '00, I believed him when he said he wouldn't sign that year and was not happy. THAT should have been the year.

 

If they'd've gotten anything for him, or better yet HIM; I'm convinced it was their year. Even w/out him, they were w/in a fluke goal (and still had 2 more full OT's to try to get it done w/ that failed) of facing a Devils team they OOOOOOWWWWWNNNNED and a Avs team they beat in Denver w/ Marty in net.

[Rip Titwide]

I wish Pecs nothing but the best.

 

Capt. Crunch is one of my favorite Sabres of all time.

 

Cheers to all the Carrubba Collisions :beer:

[Kristian]

I'll never forget him waiting an extra second in the box just so he could come out of nowhere to level Tie Domi coming up the wing.

[That Aud Smell]

I'll never forget him waiting an extra second in the box just so he could come out of nowhere to level Tie Domi coming up the wing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUURyBlnFrg

[Sabretip]

Damn... I had this idea that Peca and the Sabres were going to make up and he was "the" trade deadline addition. He rides with the team into the playoffs and gets that final shot at a ring.

 

Not even close. He is my favorite Sabre of all time.. Now this Myers kid could dethrone him in a few years..

 

The window on Peca's possible return to Buffalo unfortunately closed prior to the '08-'09 season - according to Tim Graham (who spoke to Peca at the time), Peca and Regier met about a possible reunion but the Sabres didn't show any further interest. Most critics said that Peca was a broken and worn-down player that wouldn't have helped but his leadership abilities would have definitely helped last season's squad in much the same way as what Grier has done for this season's roster.