Peca twice won the Frank J. Selke Trophy for being the best defensive forward, in 1996–97 and 2001–02. He captained the Buffalo Sabres to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1999. His nickname was "Captain Crunch" because of his penchant for delivering bone-crushing open ice hits.[1] During the 1997–98 season Peca was suspended three games by the NHL for an illegal hit on Vancouver Canucks defenseman Mattias Öhlund on March 26, 1998.[2]
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 in exchange for Tim Connolly and Taylor Pyatt, where he led the Islanders to their first playoff berth in seven years. Peca was hip-checked by Toronto Maple Leafs' Darcy Tucker during the 2002 Stanley Cup playoffs in game five of the first round.[3] The check blew out Peca's MCL and ACL on his left knee, ending his season and delaying his entry into the 2002–03 season. No penalty was assessed, but the NHL made clipping illegal as a result of the incident.
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 season, making Tucker and Peca teammates. During a game against the Chicago Blackhawks on December 22, 2006, Peca collided with Chicago defenceman Jim Vandermeer 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, and missed the remainder of the 2006–07 season.
On August 21, 2007, Peca signed a one-year contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets. On October 11, 2008, he received an indefinite suspension (later reduced to a five-game suspension) after grabbing referee Greg Kimmerly's arm in Columbus' first game of the 2008–09 season.[4][5]
Beginning in the 2012–13 season, Peca was named head coach of the Buffalo Jr. Sabres of the Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL), where he coached through the 2013–14 season. After the 2012–13 season, he was named OJHL Coach of the Year. In his two years coaching, he had 66 wins in 108 regular season games. Michael Peca served as head coach of the Bantam Major Jr. Sabres in addition to his duties as general manager and director of hockey operations for the Buffalo Jr. Sabres.[7]
On February 10, 2021, Peca was hired by the Washington Capitals to be a player development coach working with the "taxi squad" players for the 2020–21 season.[8] In 2021, he was hired by the Buffalo Sabres as an assistant coach with their American Hockey League affiliate, the Rochester Americans.[9]
Peca was announced as an assistant coach with the Rangers on June 20, 2023, joining under new head coach Peter Laviolette.
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.
