Report: Mike Peca to Join Rangers' Coaching Staff
According to multiple reports, Mike Peca will be joining Peter Laviolette's coaching staff.
The original report came from Jonny Lazarus of THN, initially as a rumor.
Hearing a rumor that former #Isles captain, Michael Peca, might be joining Peter Laviolette’s staff with #NYR
— Jonny Lazarus (@JLazzy23) June 17, 2023
He worked with the #ALLCAPS in ‘20-21 doing Player Development and spent the last 2 seasons as an AHL Assistant Coach with the Rochester Americans.
Jeff Marek said it was happening on Monday.
Mike Peca will be joining Peter Laviolette on the bench with the New York Rangers.
— Jeff Marek (@JeffMarek) June 20, 2023
Peca spent 864 games in the NHL, and was known for his defensive abilities, particularly his skill at the faceoff circle for most of his career. He won the Selke Trophy at 22 with the Buffalo Sabres, and again in 2001-02 at age 27 with the New York Islanders.
Peca has been involved in minor hockey since 2011-12, including some time in Junior A, and in 2020-21 he spent a season with the Washington Capitals as a player development coach working for Peter Laviolette.
For the last two seasons Peca has served as an assistant coach for the Rochester Americans where he was responsible for their power play. He also is credited with helping some of their younger players like Jack Quinn, J.J. Peterka, Jiri Kulich, and Isak Rosén.
Rochester loses another assistant coach to the NHL.
— Lance Lysowski (@LLysowski) June 20, 2023
Michael Peca coached the Amerks’ power play and had a significant role in the development of Quinn, Peterka, Kulich and Rosén.
Peca was captain of the Islanders when Laviolette was head coach. https://t.co/sTTvO7SFAJ
Overall, this appears to be an interesting and different hire as far as assistant coaches go. It isn't a case of an old school retread, but instead someone a little younger not as far removed from their playing days. How a player played in the NHL doesn't always translate to coaching, see Wayne Gretzky, but in Peca's case in a short sample he's had some positive results which is something that could be beneficial to the Rangers.
He was credited with helping the Capitals improve at the faceoff dot, and that's something that certainly will be appreciated here.
Tarik El-Bashir
Ultimately we need to see how the rest of the coaching staff rounds out, but thus far the reaction to this potential hire has been pretty positive. Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.
