By now, Andrew Peeke has established a reasonably good id for himself as an NHL participant. He’s a troublesome, no-frills stay-at-home defender who could be a dependable anchor for a 3rd pairing.
However whereas Peeke is aware of who he’s, that doesn’t imply the 27-year-old Bruins defenseman isn’t nonetheless taking a look at methods to enhance his recreation.
Peeke loved an enormous confidence enhance final spring when he, together with Jeremy Swayman and Mason Lohrei, was a member of the Crew USA squad that gained gold on the World Championships. He needs to construct off of that.
“Any time you win like that, it’s a reasonably particular reminiscence. It was an superior expertise. Guys had been superior, employees, all the things. It was one of many cooler moments in my life when it comes to successful that,” stated Peeke. “However individually I simply assume I gained quite a lot of confidence in realizing who I’m as a participant. Getting into there, there have been quite a lot of nice defensemen (together with his former Columbus teammate Zach Werenski) on that staff and having the ability to play good minutes, be relied on and trusted by the coaches. I believe in that event, I actually stepped up my recreation to a different degree and took so much on my plate. It gave me quite a lot of confidence going into the summer time and gave me a bit pep in my step to construct off of that and produce it into camp and the common season.”
Peeke was taken within the second spherical (thirty fourth general) in 2016 by the Blue Jackets. After a three-year collegiate profession at Notre Dame and a while within the AHL with the Cleveland Monsters, Peeke turned a daily within the Jackets’ lineup, taking part in 82 and 80 video games in 2021-22 and 2022-23. However after falling out of favor in Columbus, he was traded to the B’s for Jakub Zboril and a 2027 third-round choose on the 2024 commerce deadline.
He was a daily on the B’s again finish final season, taking part in 76 video games. There’s nothing to counsel that he’s going to turn into an offensive pressure – he’s bought 11-50-61 totals in 309 NHL video games – however that doesn’t imply he can’t be extra concerned.
“For me, you are taking a lot time to crack the NHL. Then it’s ‘how do I stick?’ and now it’s ‘how do I evolve my recreation?’” stated Peeke. “I believe for me offensively, there are areas the place I can nonetheless enhance – having extra poise, getting extra photographs by way of, simply taking pictures the puck extra typically, utilizing my toes on the blue line a bit extra. Little issues like that the place you simply fine-tune. For me, I do know I’m at all times going to be relied upon defensively, be robust in battles, successful the puck, transferring the puck up ice. However any instances there’s an opportunity to leap up and add to my toolbox, that’s what I’m attempting to do.”
A bit extra shot readiness from Peeke and the opposite defensemen could be welcomed. New coach Marco Sturm needs to extend the shot quantity and has burdened that to the protection corps. Peeke can converse from expertise how problematic the bombs-away strategy could be for the defending staff.
“When there are shot-volume groups, it’s chaos within the D-zone, proper? You lose your man, the puck goes to the wall, something can occur off photographs. And for us as a D corps, it’s about getting extra pucks by way of,” stated Peeke.
Whereas Peeke has primarily been a third-pair defenseman, he may very well be one thing greater than that this season. All through camp practices he has been paired with Hampus Lindholm. Sturm is simply attending to know Peeke as a participant.
“I heard quite a lot of good issues, particularly popping out of the World Championship, that he performed like a person,” stated Sturm final week. “I believe he’s an enormous, robust presence and proper now I actually like that pair.”
Perhaps that pairing sticks collectively, possibly not. If it doesn’t, Peeke can function a superb safety blanket and sounding board for a youthful participant like a Lohrei. Within the first preseason recreation, he was paired with Frederic Brunet. In a 5-2 loss to Washington, the pairing was not scored on.
“It goes fast however I’ve accrued a pair hundred video games now and there are belongings you study, particularly as a defenseman. It’s a tough place to play within the NHL,” stated Peeke. “There are performs you see and a few you don’t see and issues occur fast. Any time a younger man needs to ask questions, particularly taking part in with a man like Freddy, having the ability to chat with him on the bench and having the ability to give him my opinion and two cents is nice. You don’t need to overwhelm the child or something however simply right here and there you need to give them info that you just assume may also help them.”
Peeke is within the ultimate yr of a three-year contract that carries a $2.75 million hit. Whereas level producers get the massive bucks, Peeke must be within the candy spot of his profession for incomes energy, particularly with right-shot defensemen being so extremely coveted. However that’s not his focus for the time being.
“I’m in my final yr and there’s no secret there. However I’m simply targeted on day-by-day and game-by-game, I don’t need to assume too far forward proper now,” stated Peeke. “There’s an ideal alternative for me right here in Boston and with this staff typically, with how final season went and attempting to get again to the place we had been. I cherished Boston because the second I used to be traded right here. It’s felt like dwelling so it’s been an superior spot for me.”
And the match has been very similar to Peeke’s play – stable.
