COLUMBUS, Ohio — University of Notre Dame captain Andrew Peeke has signed three-year, entry level contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets the NHL team announced on Monday morning (April 1).
Peeke, a junior defenseman, will forgo his senior season and join Columbus as the first year of his deal includes the 2018-19 season. He was originally a second round selection (34th overall) by the Blue Jackets in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.
“Andrew has had a big impact on our program over the last three years both on and off the ice,” Notre Dame head coach Jeff Jackson said. “We’re proud of him and his growth as a player and as a person as he moves on to his professional career.”
The Parkland, Florida native was part of three NCAA tournament teams that reached at least the NCAA Regional Finals over the past three seasons and also included Frozen Four semifinal (2017) and championship game (2018) appearances. He helped lead the Irish to a Big Ten Regular Season Championship in 2017-18 and Big Ten Tournament titles in 2018 and 2019.
“Notre Dame will forever be in my heart,” Peeke stated. “I can’t thank my teammates, coaches, staff and everyone else involved at the University enough for the person and player they’ve helped me become.”
Peeke skated in 119 games in his Irish career, notching 12 goals and adding 40 assists for 52 points. Serving as the team captain for a younger Irish team, he had a career-best year offensively as a junior and finished the season as the team’s fourth-leading scorer with three goals and 21 assist for 24 points. His 21 assists ranked second on the team.
Peeke is a management consulting major who has earned Big Ten All-Academic Team honors each of the past two seasons. He was also named to the 2019 Big Ten All-Tournament Team.
AS A JUNIOR
• Named the team’s captain prior to the season.
• Notched a pair of assists in both games of the 2018 Ice Breaker Tournament, helping Notre Dame win the tournament (Oct. 12-13).
• Scored his first power-play goal of the season in Notre Dame’s 3-2 loss to Minnesota Duluth (Oct. 26).
• Scored a power-play goal in Notre Dame’s 5-4 win at ninth-ranked Penn State (Dec. 7).
• Notched a pair of assists in Notre Dame’s 4-2 loss at fourth-ranked Ohio State (Feb. 1).
• Had a pair of assists in Notre Dame’s 5-2 win over Wisconsin (Feb. 16).
• Assisted on Mike O’Leary’s game-winning, power-play goal in Notre Dame’s 1-0 Big Ten Quarterfinal game one victory over Michigan State early in the third period (March 8).
• Had the primary assist on Michael Graham’s overtime winner in Notre Dame’s 2-1 victory over Minnesota in the Big Ten Tournament semifinal (March 16).
• Added an assist in the 3-2 Big Ten championship victory over Penn State (March 23).
• Named to the Big Ten All-Tournament Team (March 23).
Notched an assist in the 3-2 overtime win over Clarkson in the NCAA Northeast Regional semifinal (March 29).
AS A SOPHOMORE
• Notched his first point of the season with an assist versus Sacred Heart (Oct. 19).
• Had two assists in Notre Dame’s 3-1 win over Sacred Heart (Oct. 20).
• Scored his first goal of the season in Notre Dame’s 6-4 loss to Omaha (Oct. 26).
• Had two assists in Notre Dame’s 3-2 win at #16 Ohio State (Nov. 4).
• Had the primary assist on Cam Morrison’s overtime game winner at RPI (Nov. 18).
• Named to Team USA’s roster for the 2017 IIHF World Junior Championship in Buffalo (Dec. 26 – Jan. 5) and helped Team USA win the bronze medal to become Notre Dame’s sixth all-time medalist at the prestigious tournament.
• Peeke, who was the 19th Notre Dame player to take part in the Junior World Championship, played in all seven games for team USA and finished with a goal and an assist.
• Scored what proved to be the game winner, late in the first period, in Notre Dame’s 4-2 win versus Wisconsin (Jan. 19).
• Notched his first career power-play goal in Notre Dame’s 5-3 win at Penn State (Feb. 2).
• Notched a goal in Notre Dame’s 6-3 win over Michigan State to push the Irish lead to 3-1.
• Scored in B1G semifinal win over Penn State (March 10).
• Recorded an assist in B1G championship win over Ohio State (March 17).
AS A FRESHMAN
• Made his Notre Dame debut on Oct. 7 versus Arizona State.
• Notched his first career point with an assist in Notre Dame’s 6-2 win over UConn (Oct. 28).
• Scored his first career goal in Notre Dame’s 5-2 win at Northeastern (Nov. 12).
• Had the game-winning goal and added an assist for his first career multi-point game in Notre Dame’s 4-1 win over then fifth-ranked UMass Lowell (Nov. 18).
• Notched a goal and an assist in the third period of Notre Dame’s 5-4 loss at UMass (Dec. 2).
• Posted a career-high two assists in Notre Dame’s loss to Michigan Tech (Jan. 7).
• Scored the second goal in Notre Dame’s 3-0 win over New Hampshire (Jan. 21).
• Notched a pair of assists in Notre Dame’s 4-4 comeback tie versus Vermont (Feb. 3).
• The only defenseman named to the Hockey East All-Rookie Team (March 15).
• Finished his inaugural season with four goals and 10 assists for a total of 14 points.
• Received the Monogram Club’s Rookie of the Year award.