Longtime Islanders Star Center Peca Didn't Want Apology From Leafs' Tucker After Devastating Hit

In this exclusive THN interview in August of 2002, writer Jonathan Davis spoke to New York Islanders star center Michael Peca about a slew of topics. And Peca made it clear he didn't want an apology from Maple Leafs pesky winger Darcy Tucker for a borderline dirty hit Tucker made on Peca in the 2002 Stanley Cup playoffs. 

Here is the full Q-and-A with Davis and Peca:

'I Wouldn't Expect An Apology'

By Jonathan Davis

Note to Darcy Tucker: put down the receiver. Michael Peca doesn’t want your apology. He believes it was a dirty, dastardly hit you laid on him and nothing you say will change that. Peca has already vowed revenge telling a New York newspaper he wants the Maple Leaf forward to feel his pain - and that he will personally go out of his way to see that it happens.

What’s that, Darcy? No apology was coming anyway?

That’s okay. See, Peca has come to grips with it. He later toned down his vow of retribution, saying he was having a bad day. But as THN’s Jonathan Davis finds out in a lengthy session with the candid New York Islanders captain, Peca’s son Trevor is among those still looking for answers.

Something else to consider: Is revenge a Christian virtue? (Or maybe Peca would call it justice?) Read on and all becomes clear.

The Hockey News How is the recovery from the knee injury progressing?

Michael Peca I’m feeling pretty good. The rehab has gone well so far. The toughest part about rehab, though, is having to hold yourself back at times. You get to points where you feel really good, but there are parts of your body that are still not up for the rigors that you want to put them through. So, it just becomes a matter of staying patient and not getting too far ahead of yourself.

THN Who have you driven crazy the most during your rehab?

MP Early when I wasn’t very mobile it was tough on my family at times, especially my (two-year-old) son who couldn’t comprehend why daddy can’t get up and play with him right away.

THN Realistically, what do you see as your timetable forgetting “back to playing for the Islanders?

MP I think we’re looking at a window of middle of November to middle of December. I think the knee will be ready by mid-November without a doubt. It’s the shoulder rehab that people have to realize is a longer rehab than the knee because they had to take bone from my hip and put into my shoulder and that graft has to be 100 per cent before I can think of playing again.

THN Have you heard from Darcy Tucker since the playoffs?

MP There hasn’t been anything said between us. I wouldn’t expect an apology. I think in his own mind he felt what he did was a clean attempt at a hip check and to this day and forever I will disagree with that.

THN How tough is it for you to play against some of your former teammates and friends in Buffalo?

MP A guy like Jay McKee is tough to play against because we’re really good friends. For a guy like me who likes to play physical it’s tough because when you see a defenseman going back for the puck a lot of times, they can be vulnerable and you want to get that good solid hit on them. When it’s a friend of yours sometimes you say to yourself, ‘Do I lay him out or do I wait for that opportunity for some rookie and make up for not laying out your buddy?’ Those are the difficult moments.

THN Have you ever wanted to dump a bucket of ice on a reporter like Deion Sanders did to Tim McCarver many years ago?

MP (Laughs) I know in my younger and single days there was a reporter that I thought was pretty hot and a bucket of ice on her would have looked pretty good.

THN Five years ago if I said, Michael Peca, I’m looking into a crystal ball and I see you as a member of the New York Islanders in the near future, what would your response have been?

MP I would have told you you’re crazy. I would have thought there was no doubt that I would have finished my career in Buffalo, but obviously the nature of the business can put the best laid plans to rest. When you look at the Islander organization five years ago it was an absolute mess. In talking to the few guys that were here five years ago, they said this team was a disaster. The general manager was told to cut salaries by almost 50 per cent, quality players were traded away and the Island became a place that those who were left felt stranded. It just made life miserable for the lone survivors.

THN What do you remember most about your first NHL game?

MP I was still in my last year of junior hockey and it was just before Christmas and we had just come off a long trip. We had the day off so I decided to turn off all my phones and just relax. I was living at my cousin’s place just outside Ottawa. Well, at 8:30 in the morning my team captain is banging on my window telling me the Canucks had just called me up on emergency recall for tonight’s game in Montreal. He had to drive me from Ottawa to Montreal and I can’t believe this is going on. It’s like the girl on her wedding day saying, isn’t this suppose to be a special day? I was wondering, where is my plane to fly me to Montreal? Don’t I get some fancy hotel? Instead I go from Ottawa to Montreal in a pick-up truck and make it there just a few hours before game time.

THN Any significance to the number you wear?

MP When I played in Sudbury my rookie year I was wearing 21 and then in my second year I got traded and my best friend at the time was Glen Murray, who was wearing 27. Well, when I got traded to Ottawa, I told Glen I would wear 27 in his honor. Here I was, this 17-year-oldpuke getting all-emotional with him. So I got 27 in Ottawa. I’ve been able to wear it most of my NHL career. When I got to the Island Mark Parrish was kind enough to give it up. I think I still owe him a dinner. I hope he doesn’t read this.

THN What’s the one trophy that will never have Michael Peca’s name engraved on it?

MP The Lady Byng. If I ever won the Lady Byng I’d be out of a job.

THN One CD that you are embarrassed to admit you own.

MP Twenty-five Classical Masterpieces. They’re more suited to a guy who would win the Lady Byng.

THN Most memorable locker room meeting.

MP It was back when I was playing in Buffalo. We were going through some tough times, and the coach came in and said some things and one of the Czech kids said something about the coach in Czech and all of sudden Dominik Hasek came flying across the room and wanted to strangle the kid. He just felt the kid was being very disrespectful. One thing Dom never got credit for was being such a great team guy.

THN They say you’ve made it when you’ve had your own bobblehead night. How was the likeness of the Mike Peca bobblehead doll?

MP It wasn’t too bad. It did make me realize that I need to shave a lot more. It almost looks like the Ken Morrow version with a full beard. I think I need to clean up my act and shave every other day.

THN One guy that competes really hard and doesn’t get much attention.

MP One of the guys I admire in the league the most is Adam Foote. Here’s a guy that plays with an edge night in and night out and he doesn’t care if it’s his sister, brother, mother, he’s going to play you tough. So here we were at the Olympics as teammates and he comes up to me and says, “I want to apologize for being so tough on you in those games we played recently I was really fired up and I guess I took it out on you.” That’s the thing with Adam, it’s not personal, it’s just his competitive nature.

THN All time ugliest uniforms.

MP Had to be when the Islanders went to that Fisherman logo.

THN One person you hope never gets the opportunity to belt out the anthem at an NHL game.

MP Hopefully Carl Lewis won’t be making any appearances at an NHL rink nearby.

THN Worst roommate.

MP It would have to be Jason Dawe. The guy eats way too much protein.

THN One goalie that has your number.

MP Ed Belfour has always been tough on me and though they say his weak spot is top shelf and that’s where I love to go, I think I’ve only beaten him twice in my career.

THN One building you miss playing in.

MP I miss playing in the Aud in Buffalo. It was a rink that was full of character and full of life. These new buildings are beautiful, they have a lot of great entertainment. They’re state of the art, but they just lack the character and charm of the older rinks. It’s just sad to see them go.

THN One person you’ve been awestruck in meeting?

MP It would have to be Wayne Gretzky. When the guy enters a room he has that movie star feel to him. I can remember watching this guy as a kid, breaking all these records and setting the league on fire.

THN Did you ever tell Wayne that you watched him as a kid?

MP I didn’t want to embarrass him. I think he knows he’s getting a little older and he doesn’t need to be reminded that a 28-year-old guy watched him as a kid.

THN One thing that you said that provided bulletin board material for the opposition.

MP I can recall one year playing Ottawa in the playoffs and saying that my goal was to shut Alexei Yashin down. I also remember going into Toronto for a clinching Game 5 and saying this could be Curtis Joseph’s last game as a Maple Leaf.

THN Worst playoff beard.

MP I’d have to go with my teammate Adrian Aucoin from last year’s playoff run. He had these stubbles growing off his chin and no other facial hair

THN Greatest game that you’ve been a part of.

MP Winning the gold medal at the Olympics.

THN Is it a good idea that professionals are allowed to compete in the Olympics?

MP It’s hard to say. You look back at the 1980 Miracle on Ice and that was a special moment because these were a bunch a kids that weren’t suppose to do anything. But I always viewed the Olympics as a representation of the country’s best. I know people feel there is a purity to it all with amateurs, but I still think it should be the best a country has to offer.

THN Describe for our readers the smell of the glove facial.

MP Fortunately you don’t get the smell right away. But when you head back to the bench or to the penalty box it starts to linger. It has to be one of the worst smells ever.

THN Best practical joke that you’ve been a witness to.

MP It was my early days in Buffalo and Pat LaFontaine had a cop friend that he knew real well. He had him come to the practice rink just before we were leaving on a West Coast road trip and the cop said to me that I was being investigated for some crime and I could be charged any day. Pat had everyone from the coaches to the players to the media in on this. I got on the phone with my agent trying to figure out what to do. He said he would look into it. A day or two later Pat confessed. I think I can finally look back on it and laugh at the situation.

THN Greatest perks as a result of being a professional hockey player.

MP There are quite a few. Everything from free hockey equipment to Nike gear to designer clothing. I’ve got this great little Italian specialty store that gives me food for next to nothing. I’ve gotten to know this person in the airline industry that I can call at the last minute and get coast-to-coast flights for like $100.

THN Any game day rituals?

MP I’ve never really had any. I’m not concerned about eating the same meal or napping at a certain time. I’ve always felt…I could get myself in a positive frame of mind without having to go through all that crazy stuff.

THN What is it with hockey players and taking a nap on game day?

MP That’s the thing I look forward to the most. I think it has become part of the culture. You have a game at night and you’ve got to get some sleep. For me, I just love to sleep so this gives me the opportunity to get another two to three hours in.

THN One guy you’d love to have as a teammate but hate to play against.

MP A lot of guys come to mind like Darius Kasparaitis, Bobby Holik and Scott Stevens.

THN Who is going to take money from you on the golf course?

MP I won’t play for money unless the guy I’m playing against can prove his handicap so I don’t get taken to the cleaners.

THN Most embarrassing hockey moment.

MP It was three years ago against Toronto. The Sabres were struggling and I made a bonehead play in overtime. I picked up the puck in our corner, dumped it behind our net not realizing that Steve Thomas was the only one there, and he said thank you very much, did the wraparound move, game over.

THN Toughest part during the time you sat out (in 2000-01 with a contract dispute).

MP Not being around the guys was very tough. You miss the game, but what makes things special is the camaraderie. But to have that year to spend with my newborn child was something I would never trade for anything in the world.

THN Two truths and one lie about Michael Peca. But don’t tell us what is true and what’s not.

MP I have garnered several awards in art. I get seasick on boats and I’m a good Christian.

THN Best trash talker.

MP There are guys that just shoot their mouths off and nothing makes any sense. The good trash talkers are guys like Garth Snow. He’s got such a wit and sense of humor like no other. The guy says things that will cut you without being rude or obnoxious.

THN If you could remove the vocal chords from one person…

MP It would be my teammate Steve Webb. It’s hard enough to understand him with his deep raspy voice, so if he were silent things would be better for all of us.