RE:Peter Ratchuk

Peter Ratchuk
22

Side
Defense
Born
Buffalo, NY
Date of Birth
9/10/77
Height
6-1
Weight
197
Shoots
left
Information
Signed with the Buffalo Sabres on August 7, 2002.
Bio
2002-03: Had his second multiple-point night as an Amerk on 11/01 against Binghamton… He registered two assists… Made his Rochester Americans debut on 10/11 against Albany River Rats… Had one goal and one assist. LAST SEASON Regular Season: Placed fourth on Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in scoring with 39 points (16+23) in 75 games… Ranked fifth among AHL defensemen in goals and was tied for 15th in scoring… Led the team in shots (241)… Ranked among team leaders in assists (third), goals (fifth), power play goals (third with seven)… Recorded 10 multiple-point games, including one multiple-goal game and four multiple-assist games during the season… Had a point in 28 of 75 games… Recorded two points vs. Saint John on 3/09… Recorded two points (1+1) at Hartford on 2/23… Scored one goal (GWG) vs. Utah on 2/20… Recorded six points (3+3) and was a plus-four during a three-game point streak from 2/06 to 2/10… Recorded two points (1+1) vs. Norfolk on 2/10… Recorded three points (2+1) vs. Rochester on 2/06… Recorded two assists at Hershey on 12/29… Scored PPG at Rochester on 11/23… Scored one goal (SHG) vs. Hartford on 11/16… Recorded two assists at Albany on 11/03… Opened the season with 10 points (3+7) in 10 games (10/4 to 10/25) including a point in six of 10 games… Recorded two points (1+1) at Utah on Oct. 25… Had five points (1+4) during a three-game point streak from 10/13 to 10/19… Recorded two assists at Syracuse on 10/19… Recorded two points (1+1) vs. Hershey on 10/17… Recorded one assist at Cleveland on 10/13… Recorded two points (1+1), including power-play goal vs. Rochester on 10/6… He recorded first multiple-point game of the season… Recorded one assist vs. St. John’s on 10/04 in Penguin debut… Was named an alternate captain by Head Coach Glenn Patrick… Signed as a free agent by Pittsburgh on August 14th. CAREER 2000-01: Split the season between Florida (NHL) and Louisville (AHL)… Went scoreless in eight games with the Panthers… Recorded 18 points (5+13) and 85 penalty minutes in 64 games with Louisville. 1999-2000: Recorded 26 points (9+17) and 64 penalty minutes in 76 games with Louisville. 1998-99: Appeared in 24 games with Florida, recording two points (1+1) and 10 penalty minutes… Signed as a free agent by Florida on 6/15. 1997-98: Played 60 games for Hull (QMJHL), finishing among team leaders in goals (fifth with 23), assists (third with 31) and points (fifth with 54). 1996-97: Recorded 21 points (9+12) in 35 games with Bowling Green (CCHA)… Ranked eighth on the team in scoring… Drafted by Colorado in the first round (25th overall) in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft. PERSONAL Married Julie Scaffidi this offseason … His father, Dennis, is a Buffalo firefighter.

Amerks.com

December 15, 2000
2001 Recruiting Lineup Card
Teams Landing More Early Signees than Ever Before

by Chris Heisenberg/Special to USCHO
A Closer Look

With many players now confirming their commitments by inking NCAA Letters of Intent, this is a good time to see where teams are at the halfway point in the recruiting process. Below are thumbnail sketches of the ECAC, Hockey East, CCHA and WCHA classes.

CCHA

ECAC

Hockey East

WCHA

Signing hockey recruits early is nothing new. Since 1990, the NCAA has set aside a week in November allowing hockey teams to ink-up the recruits who made early commitments.

At the time, the feeling was that the early signing period would benefit the lesser-known programs, giving them a chance tie up commitments from their recruiting "finds" before the big programs started sniffing around. Through the decade, teams have made quicker decisions on players, availing themselves of the period.

As a result, the number of early signings has grown at a steady rate. This season, for example, over 100 players signed National Letters of Intent during the early period. In comparison, last season, 80 players signed early; another 80 signed in 1998; 72 signed in 1997; 69 signed in 1996; 52 signed in 1995; and only 49 signed in 1994. All in all, scouting has moved from an in-season, to a summer activity.

Not only are more players committing to programs at the early signing period, but those committing are also doing so much earlier.

By NCAA rules, teams are only able to initiate contact with players on July 1 in the summer between the player's junior and senior years of high school. Historically, that date had marked the start of the recruiting season. But prospective student-athletes may initiate contact on their own. This season, many of the top recruits made unofficial campus visits and committed even before the end of their junior years. Like dominos, these early choices caused a lot of the recruiting pieces to fall into place well before the November signing date.

Things moved particularly fast for the U.S. talent, as several key recruiting targets made verbal commitments last spring, breaking the logjam much earlier than in past years. When the dust settled in the fall, BU, UNH, Michigan, Michigan State and Minnesota had already wrapped up top U.S. talent like Ryan Whitney, Brian McConnell, Jim Slater, Sean Collins, Jason Bacashihua, Mike Erickson, Keith Ballard and Dwight Helminen.

Several of these players project to make an immediate impact next season. Whitney, a two-way defenseman, has been hailed by many to be a top five NHL draft pick, excelling during international tournaments. Ballard, fresh off a season with the U.S. National Program, displays skills that will return offense to Minnesota's blueline. Brian McConnell, another preseason NHL first rounder, is a bit more raw, but equally sought out. Not far behind were the likes of Providence, Maine, Harvard, St. Lawrence and North Dakota.

As usual, coaches waited longer to review the Canadian talent, because many players make the move from midget hockey to the junior level at age 18. Compounding the difficulties was the absence of a dominating talent. Out west, for example, the Alberta Junior League (AJHL) lacked the big names from the past three years, when players such as Mike Comrie, Dany Heatley, Krys Kolanos and Connor James had established their bona fides early in their senior season, drawing early college suitors.

While Alberta lacks the top-end talent, this year it offers older, more experienced forwards who can make solid contributions. But it also means college coaches prefer to see them in action before commiting a scholarship.

The run-and-gun British Columbia League (BCHL) also broke the mold by offering a defenseman as its best prospect. The BCHL, producer of offensive players such as Paul Kariya, Brendan Morrison, Ryan Bayda, Shawn Horcoff, Chuck Kobasew and Jeremy Jackson, offered up Duncan Keith, a mobile defenseman in the Travis Roche mode. After being pursued by Denver, Maine, and BC, he ultimately settled on Michigan State.

In the Canadian plains, a 16-year old, Alex Leavitt, accelerated his schooling in order to graduate early, thereby jumping to the head of the Saskatchewan Junior League recruiting list. Out east, Ontario did not offer up a clear offensive dynamo like Jeff Farkas, Brian Gionta, Darren Haydar or Mike Cammalleri. It does, however, offer up plenty of talent of the likes of St. Lawrence's Jimmy Ball and Cornell's Mike Knoepfli.

Reviewing the list of current recruits, keep in mind the following warning: Hockey players blossom at different ages, so beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. For every blue chip Paul Kariya, there is the unheralded Jean-Yves Roy. One need not look any further than last year's seniors. In March, 1996, The Hockey News ran a profile of its "Top 10" college recruits. They were:

Jeff Farkas, Boston College
Ben Clymer, Minnesota
Tom Poti, Boston University
[b]Peter Ratchuk, Bowling Green
Mike Mottau, Boston College
Dave Spehar, Minnesota
Dan Peters, Colorado
Fernando Pisani, Providence
Brad Defauw, North Dakota
Joe Dusbabek, Notre Dame [/b]

Last spring, four years later, Mottau earned the Hobey Baker Award as college hockey's best performer, edging out The Hockey News' number one selection Jeff Farkas. However, three picks, Ben Clymer,Peter Ratchuk and Tom Poti, quit school for the pro game, while others went on to solid, but not spectacular careers. Meanwhile, unsung recruits like Wisconsin's Steve Reinprecht, Colgate's Andy MacDonald, North Dakota's Jeff Panzer and RPI's Joel Laing, earned Hobey nominations.

Lastly, the player comments that follow are based largely on reputation and word-of-mouth, whereas recruiters are trained to find the hidden gems. Using the "reputation" standard, players like Jason Krog and Rejean Stringer would have garnered only brief mention in an article like this.

In short, it is somewhat presumptuous to announce the winners in the recruiting race when you never know how players will develop in college, so don't be surprised to see a number of unsung players surpass those labeled today as "blue chip" recruits.

Ultimately, the results of this November's choices will not be known until 2003 at the earliest.

(Chris Heisenberg operates the ultimate independent web site on recruiting, chronicling the progress of each school's incoming class).
http://www.uscho.com/news/2000/12/15_001332.php

Von 1996:

In Antwort auf:
Mini-Profile: Peter Ratchuk
1995-1996: Shattuck-St. Mary's
Position:D, Shoots: L
HT: 6-0, WT: 175
Born: September 10, 1977
Hometown: Buffalo, N.Y.

This U.S. high school defenseman will play under coach Buddy Powers at Bowling Green next season, and scouts like that idea.
Bowling Green has a history of developing good NHL defensemen, including Rob Blake, Garry Galley and Dave Ellett among others, and Powers was an assistant coach with the Falcons during those players' times there.
Ratchuk certainly gives the Falcons something to work with.
"He's a fast, highly skilled defenseman who is still physically immature," a scout said.
"He's a tremendously competitive kid, and there is reason to believe he will be an impact player as a college freshman."
He is, however, a 19-year-old, and that diminishes some luster. Ratchuk graduated from Shattuck, a private school coached by former NHLer Mike Eaves. Ratchuk, a Buffalo native, originally attended Lawrence Academy, but then jumped to Rochester of the United States League, only to finally end up at Shattuck.

http://www.ukrweekly.com/Archive/1996/449628.shtml

Außerdem spielt er wohl scheinbar auch mal Winger...