Michael Peca

TODAY MIKE PECA MADE IT OFFICIAL…
AT 35…AND AFTER 13 SEASONS IN THE NHL MIKE PECA HAS RETIRED…
ALL OF THIS IS NOT A SURPRISE…
PECA HAS NOT PLAYED SINCE LAST SEASON…
AS HE PUT IT…”I GUESS PEOPLE WILL STOP ASKING ME NOW”…
TO HIS TEAMMATES AND HIS FANS PECA WAS KNOWN AS…
“CAPTAIN CRUNCH”…
A NICK NAME HIS FIRST EARNED…RIGHT HERE IN VANCOUVER…IN HIS ROOKIE SEASON…
IN FEBRUARY OF 1995…AT THE PACIFIC COLISEUM…TEEMU SELANNE OF THE WINNIPEG JETS WAS CRUISING AT CENTER ICE…
HE MADE BEAUTIFUL PASS…AND THEN MADE THE MISTAKE OF TAKING SOME TIME TO ADMIRE IT…
BIG MISTAKE!!!
PECA CAUGHT HIM WITH ONE OF THE MOST “DEVASTATING” OPEN ICE HITS OF ALL TIME…
UNLIKE THE CHEAP SHOT HANDED OUT BY “PATRICE CORMIER” EARLIER THIS WEEK…
THE PECA HIT ON SELANNE WAS CLEAN…
THERE WAS NO ELBOW…AND NO SHOT TO THE HEAD…
IT SHOULD HAVE CONVINCED CANUCK MANAGEMENT…THEY HAD SOMETHING SPECIAL IN THEIR LINE UP…
NOT THE CASE…
INSTEAD LATER THAT YEAR…THE CANUCKS DEALT PECA TO THE BUFFALO SABRES AS PART OF A DEAL THAT BROUGHT ALEXANDER MOLGINY TO VANCOUVER…
IN 1997 PECA WON THE FIRST OF TWO SELKE TROPHIES…AS THE NHL TOP DEFENSIVE FORWARD…
AND AS CAPTAIN…HE LED THE SABRES TO THEIR FIRST STANLEY CUP FINAL IN 24 YEARS…
THE CANUCKS WITH MOLGINY…NEVER GOT PAST THE FIRST ROUND…
IN 2002…MIKE PECA HELPED CANADA WIN IT’S FIRST OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL IN MEN’S HOCKEY…IN 50 YEARS…
AND THEN IN 2006…HELPED THE EDMONTON OILERS GET TO GAME 7 OF THE CUP FINALS…
THESE DAYS PECA AND HIS FAMILY STILL CALL BUFFALO HOME…
AS HE PUTS IT…”ITS A GREAT PLACE LIVE…I HAVE NOTHING BUT GREAT MEMORIES”…
BUT ON A DAY LIKE TODAY…IT’S HARD FOR VANCOUVER HOCKEY FANS NOT TO STOP AND WONDER…
WHAT IF???