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Monday, September 4, 2006
He's here with eye on team over there
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When Geoff Peters signed a two-year contract with the Anaheim Ducks last June, he didn't spend much time celebrating. No. Peters went to work to whip himself into the best shape of his nine-year professional career. "You get paid for eight months but you're supposed to train for 12," he said. "You take your weeks (off) at the end of the season and heal. Then you get back to work." At 28, after kicking around hockey's minor leagues for nine seasons, Peters finally may get his shot to play in the National Hockey League. "He's definitely someone who can contribute to this organization," Portland Pirates Coach Kevin Dineen said. The Pirates are the Ducks' top minor-league affiliate. "We'd like to see him on both coasts." Peters received a two-year contract after reaching career highs with 23 goals and 22 assists last season to help the Pirates capture the Eastern Conference championship. "Last season he scored 20 goals and he had 13 fights for us," Dineen said. "He was a guy who certainly made his statement and I'm looking for him to improve upon that. He has had a little sniff of having some success and he wants to build on it." This summer, Peters, who lives in St. Catherines, Ontario, worked out daily with a personal trainer. "You have to be realistic when you go to training camp," Peters said. "You have to be ready physically to prove yourself." The 10-week program enabled Peters to improve his quickness. "Overall I'm in better shape than I've ever been in," he said. "I didn't gain any weight but I didn't lose any weight, either. I just tried to get lean and just get quick." Quickness, Peters believes, will be the key to his success. "The way the game has changed from my eyes, speed is real important to me," he said. "Without the hooking and the holding, it's more suited to my game. I like to think I'm a good skater." Anaheim officials were surprised by Peters' first season with the organization. "When (Anaheim) signed me last year, they just saw me as an older guy in the AHL," Peters said. "In their eyes, I don't think they saw me as someone they could use (in the NHL)." "I knew he had a hard shot and I knew he could skate, but he was a guy who was underrated as a player," Dineen said. "When opportunity knocks you've got to be ready for it, and he took advantage of it." Peters' teammates aren't surprised the Ducks decided to keep him around. "He's the type of guy who anybody would love to have as a teammate," said Tim Brent, a Portland center embarking on his fourth professional season. "He's the first guy in there to stick up for you. He does a lot of things that the average hockey fan might not notice, but his teammates know." Before signing his first contract with the Ducks' organization last September, Peters, selected in the second round of the 1996 NHL draft by the Chicago Blackhawks, had spent the previous four seasons as a free agent playing in the ECHL, the British Ice Hockey Superleague and the AHL. "It's tough to train in the summer when you don't have a deal," he said. "Last season I didn't sign until Labor Day." This summer, after signing a two-year deal with Anaheim, Peters had plenty of motivation. "This summer I had a good reason to train," he said. "I've got two years to prove myself. Last year was a start. This year I've got to take the next step." And it really doesn't make any difference to Peters where he ends up playing, in Anaheim or Portland. "If I come back to Portland, I won't be disappointed," he said. "I love the team there. I love the fans there. It will just force me to work harder." Staff Writer Paul Betit can be contacted at 725-8795 or at:
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