Peter Ratchuk
Peter Ratchuk ( born September 10, 1977 in Buffalo, New York ) is a retired American professional ice hockey player who played for the Rapperswil -Jona Lakers of the National League A.
Playing career
Peter Ratchuk grew up in the American Buffalo. There he went through several youth teams and leagues. 1996 ended the talented defender from high school at the Shattuck -St Mary 's School in Faribault, Minnesota and was selected in the NHL Entry Draft at 25th place in the first round by the Colorado Avalanche. There, however, he signed a contract and two years later became a free agent. In the meantime, the Americans for the Bowling Green State University in the NCAA and the Hull Olympiques in the QMJHL played. Especially in his junior season with the Hull Olympiques knew Ratchuk to persuade and scored in 71 games a total of 63 points scorer ( 26 goals, 37 assists).
On 17 June 1998 Ratchuk signed a contract with the Florida Panthers. But the breakthrough in the NHL was denied to the young players. The Panthers decided to give the defender to the farm team, the Beast of New Haven in the American Hockey League. From there he made his way in the following two seasons with the Louisville Panthers. There, the offensive defenseman scored more regularly, so that it in the 2000 /01 season once again allowed to deny eight missions for the Florida Panthers. From 2001 to 2003, Ratchuck in the NHL with the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Buffalo Sabres tried, but again he only played in the farm team for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and the Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League.
2003, the Americans opted for a move to Europe. His path led him to the Frankfurt Lions in his first season for which he achieved 22 goals and 27 assists in 67 games and was surprisingly German champion with the Lions. In the following season won the defender, who finally in 2005 moved to the Adler Mannheim.
With the confidence gained in Germany, the Americans in 2006 decided to move once again to his home and signed a contract with the Minnesota Wild. But even in the 2006/07 season he played only for different farm team in the American Hockey League. For this reason Ratchuk returned the next year returned to Germany, where he ran aground between 2007 and 2009 for the DEG Metro Stars. For the season 2009/10 he moved within the league to the Hamburg Freezers and a season later for EC KAC. After the signing of Mike Siklenka his contract was terminated in January 2011.
End of January 2011 Ratchuk moved to the Rapperswil -Jona Lakers, where he signed a contract until the end of the season.
Awards and achievements
- 2004 DEL All-Star Game
- 2004 German champion with the Frankfurt Lions
- 2008 DEL All-Star Game
- 2009 DEL All-Star Game
Career Stats
( Key to Career statistics: Sp or GP = Games Played, T or G = goals scored, V or A = achieved assists; Pts or Pts = scored points scorer, SM or PIM = received penalty minutes, / - = Plus / Minus balance sheet; PP = scored majority gates; SH = scored shorthanded goals, GW = achieved victory gates; Play-downs/Relegation 1 )