Brent Peterson

Brent Ronald Peterson (born February 15, 1958 in Calgary, Alberta) is a former professional ice hockey player and coach. He played 11 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) with four clubs, primarily as a low-scoring checker with a reputation as a strong defensive forward. He was a longtime assistant coach with the Nashville Predators, retiring in 2011 for health reasons. Peterson is now an advisor for the team.

For the hockey player who played 56 NHL games for the Tampa Bay Lightning, see Brent Peterson (ice hockey, born 1972).

Brent Peterson
Born (1958-02-15) February 15, 1958
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb)
Position Right Wing
Shot Right
Played for Detroit Red Wings
Buffalo Sabres
Vancouver Canucks
Hartford Whalers
NHL Draft 12th overall, 1978
Detroit Red Wings
Playing career 1978–1989

He is the brother of former Calgary Stampeder Greg Peterson.[1]

Playing career

After a sterling junior career with the Portland Winter Hawks, Peterson was selected in the first round, 12th overall, of the 1978 NHL Amateur Draft by the Detroit Red Wings. He made Detroit's NHL squad in his first training camp, but unfortunately saw his season end after only 5 games due to a broken leg. Recovering from his injury, he spent most of the 1979–80 season in the minors, although he saw 18 games in a Detroit uniform and scored his first NHL goal. In 1980–81, he established himself as an NHL regular, registering 6 goals and 24 points in 53 games.

Early in the 1981–82 season, Peterson was dealt to the Buffalo Sabres in a monster six-player trade centered around Mike Foligno and Danny Gare. In Buffalo, he would hit his stride as an NHL player as a key component of one of the best checking lines in the league alongside Craig Ramsay and Ric Seiling. In 1982–83, he set career highs of 13 goals and 24 assists for 37 points, while establishing himself as a top-notch penalty killer and face-off specialist.

After four years with the Sabres, Peterson was claimed by the Vancouver Canucks in the 1985 NHL Waiver Draft. In 1985–86, he registered 9 goals and 22 assists for 31 points with the Canucks, including a career-high 3 shorthanded goals. His acquisition would be a key factor in a 68-goal reduction in the team's goals against from the previous year. In 1986–87, Peterson recorded 7 goals and 15 assists for 22 points in 69 games for the Canucks.

Peterson was claimed by the Hartford Whalers in the waiver draft on the eve of the 1987–88 season, and would suffer through the worst year of his career with just 2 goals and 9 points in 52 games. He would rebound to have an improved year in 1988–89, registering 4 goals and 17 points in 66 games for the Whalers while anchoring the top penalty-kill unit alongside Dave Tippett. However, at the conclusion of the season he announced his retirement to accept a coaching position with the Whalers.

Peterson finished his NHL career with totals of 72 goals and 141 assists for 213 points in 620 games, along with 484 penalty minutes. He added 4 goals and 4 assists for 8 points in 31 playoff games.

Coaching career

Following his retirement, Peterson spent two seasons as an assistant coach for the Whalers under head coach Rick Ley. Following Ley's firing in 1991, Peterson returned to the Portland Winter Hawks, his former junior team, to accept a head coaching position there. In Portland, he would establish himself as one of the top coaches in Canadian junior hockey, winning three division titles in 7 years. His tenure with the Winter Hawks culminated with a dominating 1997–98 season, in which the team posted a 53–14–5 record and ultimately won the WHL Championship and then the Memorial Cup as the top team in Canadian junior.

Following his Memorial Cup championship in 1998, Peterson moved back to the NHL to accept a job as the associate coach to Barry Trotz with the expansion Nashville Predators. He stayed as a coach with the Predators until 2011, despite being considered for head coaching positions at other teams in the NHL.

Personal life

Peterson is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.[2] Peterson has Parkinson's disease, having been diagnosed in 2004.[2][3][4]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs
Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GPGAPtsPIM GPGAPtsPIM
1973–74 Calgary Royals AAHA ————— —————
1974–75 Edmonton Oil Kings WCHL 6617264344 —————
1975–76 Edmonton Oil Kings WCHL 7022396157 54267
1976–77 Portland Winterhawks WCHL 69347811298 1038118
1977–78 Portland Winterhawks WCHL 5133508395 31122
1978–79 Detroit Red Wings NHL 50000 —————
1979–80 Adirondack Red Wings AHL 529223161 50006
1979–80 Detroit Red Wings NHL 181232 —————
1980–81 Adirondack Red Wings NHL 310110 —————
1980–81 Detroit Red Wings NHL 536182424 —————
1981–82 Detroit Red Wings NHL 151016 —————
1981–82 Buffalo Sabres NHL 46951443 410112
1982–83 Buffalo Sabres NHL 7513243738 1012328
1983–84 Buffalo Sabres NHL 709122152 30114
1984–85 Buffalo Sabres NHL 7412223447 50006
1985–86 Vancouver Canucks NHL 778233194 32029
1986–87 Vancouver Canucks NHL 697152277 —————
1987–88 Hartford Whalers NHL 5227940 40002
1988–89 Hartford Whalers NHL 664131761 20114
NHL totals 62072141213484 3144865

References
  1. Sportak, Randy (December 23, 2008). "Does it Getz any better?". Sun Media. Retrieved April 29, 2010.
  2. Shill, Aaron (April 18, 2011), "Mormon hockey coach shows toughness in taking on Parkinson's", Deseret News
  3. Frei, Terry (October 16, 2005). "Peterson not looking for sympathy, just opportunity". ESPN.com. Retrieved April 29, 2010.
  4. Peterson, Brent; Diamond, Jim (2013). Engel, Heather (ed.). My Toughest Faceoff: My Life in Hockey and My Battle with Parkinson's Disease. CreateSpace Independent Publishing (Print on demand by Amazon.com). ISBN 9781482652383.
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