Pete Peeters

Pete Peeters (born August 17, 1957) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He was selected by the Philadelphia Flyers in the eighth round (135th overall) of the 1977 NHL amateur draft. and went on to play 13 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Philadelphia Flyers, Boston Bruins and Washington Capitals. He featured in the 1980 Stanley Cup Finals with the Flyers and won the 1984 Canada Cup with Team Canada. In his first season with the Bruins in 1982–83, he won the Vezina Trophy and finished second in voting for the Hart Memorial Trophy behind Wayne Gretzky.

Early life Peeters was born in a family of Dutch immigrants in Edmonton, Alberta. At a young age, he valued swimming more than hockey. It was not until he was 18 that Peeters was committed to junior hockey. In 1975, Peeters joined a struggling Medicine Hat Tigers team. He would stay with the Tigers for two years before being drafted. Peeters was drafted 135th overall by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 1977 NHL amateur draft after showing scouts that he had what it took to play at an NHL level. He played for two years in the AHL winning the Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award for best GAA in the league, won back-to-back Calder Cups, and he was also selected to the first All-Star team.

Playing career

Philadelphia Flyers Peeters was called up by the Flyers in 1980 sharing the net with Phil Myre. Peeters started with a 22–0–5 record before losing his first game of the season on February 19. The Flyers went an NHL and professional sports record 35 straight games without a loss that season. Peeters finished the season with a 29–5–5 record with a 2.73 GAA. He led the Flyers all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals before losing to the New York Islanders on an overtime goal by Bob Nystrom. For his effort, Peeters was selected to play in the NHL All-Star Game.

The following season, expectations were high for Peeters, but he did not meet them. Over the next two years his GAA rose and his playoff success diminished. Following an infamous incident in 1982 where he molested a reporter in the locker room, he was traded to the Boston Bruins for defenceman Brad McCrimmon.

Boston Bruins

Peeters joined the Boston Bruins for the 1982–83 season. Peeters had his best year, playing in 62 games and posting a 40–11–9 record with 8 shutouts and a decade-best 2.36 GAA. At one point, Peeters went 31 games without a loss. He won the Vezina Trophy for his spectacular play and was selected First All-Star team goalie. He also played in the All-Star Game in his first season with Boston. Peeters finished 2nd in voting for the Hart Memorial Trophy to Wayne Gretzky. Next season, expectations were high again for Peeters and, like in Philadelphia, he did not meet them. He played for two more years with the Bruins with his GAA inflating and the losses piling up.

1984 Canada Cup Peeters was invited to Team Canada for the 1984 Canada Cup. Despite having a sprained ankle, Peeters was able to play in four tournament games including both best-of-three final games against Sweden and the memorable overtime win against the Soviets in the semifinal.

Washington Capitals After the Canada Cup experience, Peeters had trouble readjusting his game to the NHL level. After a slow start in the 1985–86 season, Peeters was traded to the Washington Capitals in exchange for goaltender Pat Riggin. Peeters had much success with the Caps by providing a solid goaltending for the next four seasons and became the team’s starting goalie in the playoffs. However, his team never advanced past the second round.

Return to Philadelphia Peeters returned to Philadelphia in 1990 by way of free agency. He remained there for the last two seasons of his career sharing the net with Ron Hextall and Ken Wregget. Peeters would hang up the pads in 1991.

Coaching At the end of his playing career, Peeters returned to the family farm in Edmonton. He then got into coaching, serving as a goaltender coach to the Minnesota North Stars, Winnipeg Jets, Phoenix Coyotes, and the Edmonton Oilers. From July 2009 to June 2013 he was the goaltending coach for the Anaheim Ducks, a position which had been left vacant following the departure of François Allaire.

Family Peeters' son Trevor played 36 games as a goaltender in the Western Hockey League for the Red Deer Rebels, Swift Current Broncos, and Saskatoon Blades.

Awards, records and achievements Selected to the AHL second All-Star team in 1979. Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award in 1979 (shared with Robbie Moore). Elizabeth C. Dufresne Trophy winner in 1983. Bruins Three Stars Awards: 1983 Seventh Player Award winner in 1983. Selected to the NHL first All-Star team in 1983. Vezina Trophy winner in 1983. Played in 1980, 1981, 1983, and 1984 NHL All-Star Games. Canada Cup winner in 1984. Only goalie in NHL history to have two (25+) game unbeaten streaks. Only goalie in NHL history to have two (25+) game unbeaten streaks playing on two different teams. One of two goalies to have a (30+) game unbeaten streak along with Gerry Cheevers. Named One of the Top 100 Best Bruins Players of all Time.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP W L T MIN GA SO GAA SV% GP W L MIN GA SO GAA SV% 1975–76 Medicine Hat Tigers WCHL 37 16 11 9 2074 147 0 4.25 .877 — — — — — — — — 1976–77 Medicine Hat Tigers WCHL 62 26 24 12 3423 232 1 4.07 .877 4 — — 204 17 0 5.00 — 1977–78 Milwaukee Admirals IHL 33 12 10 7 1698 92 1 3.25 .919 — — — — — — — — 1977–78 Maine Mariners AHL 17 8 2 2 855 40 0 2.80 — 11 8 3 562 25 1 2.67 — 1978–79 Maine Mariners AHL 35 25 6 3 2067 100 2 2.90 — 6 5 0 329 15 0 2.74 — 1978–79 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 5 1 2 1 280 16 0 3.43 .867 — — — — — — — — 1979–80 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 40 29 5 5 2373 108 1 2.73 .898 13 8 5 779 37 1 2.78 .902 1980–81 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 40 22 12 5 2333 115 2 2.96 .897 3 2 1 180 12 0 4.00 .815 1981–82 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 44 23 18 3 2591 160 0 3.71 .871 4 1 2 220 17 0 4.64 .838 1982–83 Boston Bruins NHL 62 40 11 9 3611 142 8 2.36 .904 17 9 8 1024 61 1 3.57 .873 1983–84 Boston Bruins NHL 50 29 16 2 2868 151 0 3.16 .876 3 0 3 180 10 0 3.33 .853 1984–85 Boston Bruins NHL 51 19 26 4 2975 172 1 3.47 .868 1 0 1 60 4 0 4.00 .846 1985–86 Boston Bruins NHL 8 3 4 1 485 31 0 3.84 .873 — — — — — — — — 1985–86 Washington Capitals NHL 34 19 11 3 2021 113 1 3.35 .876 9 5 4 544 24 0 2.65 .905 1986–87 Washington Capitals NHL 37 17 11 4 2002 107 0 3.21 .885 3 1 2 180 9 0 3.00 .882 1986–87 Binghamton Whalers AHL 4 3 0 1 245 4 1 0.98 .967 — — — — — — — — 1987–88 Washington Capitals NHL 35 14 12 4 1896 88 2 2.78 .898 12 7 5 654 34 0 3.12 .896 1988–89 Washington Capitals NHL 35 20 7 3 1854 88 4 2.85 .889 6 2 4 359 24 0 4.01 .854 1989–90 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 24 1 13 5 1140 71 1 3.74 .883 — — — — — — — — 1990–91 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 26 9 7 1 1270 61 1 2.88 .902 — — — — — — — — 1990–91 Hershey Bears AHL 2 0 1 0 105 11 0 6.29 .833 — — — — — — — — NHL totals 489 246 155 51 27,699 1,424 21 3.08 .886 71 35 35 4,200 232 2 3.31 .880

International Year Team Event GP W L T MIN GA SO GAA 1984 Canada CC 4 3 1 0 234 13 0 3.00