AMERKS APPOINT PECA AS TEAM CAPTAIN
Veteran forward and former AHL All-Star becomes 66th captain in franchise history
Oct 14, 2026The Rochester Americans announced today that Matthew Peca has been named team captain for the 2026-27 season. The veteran forward, who signed a multi-year AHL contract with Rochester back in July, becomes the 66th captain in franchise history.
The 33-year-old currently leads the Amerks with five points (2+3) through his first four games of the season and is the only player to record at least one point in all four contests thus far.
Peca is no stranger to serving in a leadership role, having previously captained the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds for three seasons and serving as co-captain at Quinnipiac University during his senior year. This marks the fourth straight year in which Peca has been appointed captain.
Peca, who’s currently in this 12th pro season, has amassed 409 points (130+279) in 548 career AHL games with Rochester, Syracuse, Springfield, Belleville and Laval. He’s also added 42 points (14+28) in 58 playoff contests, including a pair of trips to the Calder Cup Finals in 2017 with Syracuse and again in 2022 with Springfield.
The Petawawa, Ontario, native has also appeared in 83 career NHL games with the St. Louis Blues, Ottawa Senators, Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning from 2016 to 2022 earning six goals and 15 assists.
Prior to his professional career, the 5-foot-10, 180-pound forward played four seasons at Quinnipiac University, where he posted 42 goals and 102 assists in 157 games for the Bobcats from 2011 to 2015. He was named to the ECAC All-Rookie Team as a freshman following the 2011-12 season and concluded his collegiate career by earning All-ECAC Hockey First Team honors while serving as co-captain.
Peca was originally a seventh-round selection (201st overall) of the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2011 NHL Draft.