Time to meet our 2016-17 team captain!#GoIrish pic.twitter.com/0lic1D8wv6
— Notre Dame Hockey (@NDHockey) August 31, 2016
Cal Petersen's future looks very bright. The junior goaltender, a prospect of the Buffalo Sabres, will serve as captain of the Notre Dame hockey squad for the upcoming 2016-17 season. In addition, Petersen’s classmates Anders Bjork, Jake Evans and Luke Ripley will serve as alternate captains.
The 6'2", 195 lb. Petersen was the 5th round selection of the Buffalo Sabres in 2013. Petersen, 22, is a Waterloo, Iowa native, is primed for an excellent career in the NHL after his Fighting Irish playing days are over. Petersen may well be the next Ryan Miller in Sabres history. He's a big, strong, athletic NCAA goalie who projects to be a difference maker at the NHL level.
In the near future, Petersen will compete for the starting job in Buffalo with super Swede prospect Linus Ullmark.
“We selected these four juniors and I think they all bring something different to the table with Cal being the leader of the group,…head coach Jeff Jackson said. “With Cal’s position, the other three will be required to step up in game situations. I think Luke, Jake and Anders are all instrumental players in our lineup but, more importantly, they also have respect and ear of the team.…
The Petersen appointment is the first time in the illustrious Notre Dame hockey history that a goaltender will serve as the captain of the squad..
Petersen started all 37 games in 2015-16. He was 19-11-7 and ended the season with a 2.20 GAA and .927 save percentage, which ranked as the third-best, single-season mark in program history, while his 2.20 goals-against average was the sixth-best, single-season total in the Irish record book.
An Honorable Mention Hockey East All-Star, Petersen posted a 1.77 GAA in Hockey East play, good for second in the league, while his .937 save percentage in league play ranked third.
He was named the Hockey East Defensive Player of the Week three times. He also earned Hockey East Goaltender of the Month honors for January.
A Mike Richter Award nominee for the second consecutive year. He has five carer shutouts.
How about Petersen's 87 save performance in the longest game ever played in NCAA college hockey history.
It's important to note that Sabres starting goalie Robin Lehner will be RFA after the 2016-17 season. If he plays well this season, Murray may reward the Large In Charge Swede with another two year deal. However, if Lehner fails or suffers another injury and is forced to miss a huge chunk of game action, you might see Ullmark in the Buffalo cage next season which would create a huge opportunity for Petersen to slide right into the Rochester net.