Day two of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft kicked off Saturday morning. The Columbus Blue Jackets went to work with their second pick of the event (34th overall) to select defenseman Andrew Peeke of the USHL’s Green Bay Gamblers.
Peeke is set to join Notre Dame in the fall, where he’ll be a part of the Fighting Irish blueline. The college path seems a good pick on a surface level, as this past season Peeke was named USHL Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
The Draft Analyst on YouTube recently shared a highlight package from Peeke this year. This is less the traditional “dangle-and-score” video mold, and more “check out these great outlet passes and assists.” He’s a defenseman, after all.
While he’s more immediately a Green Bay player, Peeke is a product of the NHL’s southern expansion. Friend of the podcast Jameson Olive profiled the young d-man in February for the Florida Panthers, highlighting his Sunshine state ties. “I was always a huge Panthers fan,” Peeke told Olive in the feature. The whole article is worth exploring, and it’s awesome to see non-traditional hockey towns make an impact. It’s made even more tangible to us now that Peeke is with the Jackets.
You can find Peeke’s stats below from Elite Prospects. Keep an eye on Andrew in the year to come – Notre Dame is frequently featured on national NCAA broadcasts, so you may get a chance to watch his progress this season.
Stay tuned for more updates about the 2016 Entry Draft, and more in-depth coverage of the new Jackets in the days ahead.
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