You might have seen today that goaltender Anthony Peters has signed with Iserlohn in Germany, ending his tenure with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Here’s the official release from the Roosters, which you can translate if you’d like to get a sense of how the team scouted him.
Allow me to share a quick anecdote:
I stopped at the Penguins’ annual equipment sale last spring figuring I could pick up a few small trinkets — either as small decorations for my newsroom desk or simply as souvenirs from my first full season of covering the team.
I ended up buying a couple locker nameplates, and one of them was that of Peters. It is pinned to my left as I type this.
I choose his tag for a couple reasons, and they focus on Peters the person and Peters the player.
Peters the person was one of my favorite Penguins to talk to over the last couple seasons because he was both very candid in his answers — particularly in this feature I did in the fall on new goaltending equipment — and extremely personable. No matter what kind of story or feature I was working on, he would greet me with a smile and give me what felt like his full attention as I asked him questions.
For a 24-year-old rookie reporter that began 2017-18 with the simple goals of trying not to anger anyone beyond repair and proving that I wasn’t a complete idiot, that affability was something I tremendously appreciated as I tried to establish my legitimacy among the players and coaches.
And, sure, last year was rough for Peters the player, but he was a stabilizing piece for the Penguins when they needed it most the season prior. He won 12 games and quickly became a fan favorite as the team’s carousel of netminders continued to spin. One could argue that, without him, the playoff streak would have ended 12 months earlier than it did.
So, all I can say is I wish Peters the best of luck. He may not be remembered years from now among the most legendary of Penguins, but I’ll look to my left every night and know what he did.
The other Penguins news from today was that former second-round pick Kasper Bjorkqvist signed a two-year entry-level contract. Guerin is really high on the Providence product and cited his team-first style and discipline. He can also score, putting in 33 goals over his last two seasons with the Friars.
I’m looking forward to seeing how his game translates to the pro ranks.
Finally, on a sad note, the Manchester Monarchs announced they are ceasing operations. The team was a key part of the AHL as the Penguins established themselves and helped develop future Cup winners like Dustin Brown and Jonathan Quick.
I never experienced a game there, but I’m sure many of you have and I’d love to hear any memories you have of the team.
Anyway, that’s all from me. Enjoy the rest of your week. I’ll be back if something big happens.
Tyler Piccotti has covered the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins for Times-Shamrock newspapers since 2017. In the Penguins Insider blog, he provides a look at NEPA’s only professional hockey team, sharing analysis and insights that go beyond the game sheet. A 2015 graduate of Syracuse University, he also has written for Bleacher Report, The Post-Standard and Lacrosse Magazine. Contact: tpiccotti@citizensvoice.com; 570-821-2000; @CVPiccotti
