Matej Pekar

May 2023 – In his third and most recent season with the AHL’s Rochester Americans, Pekar recorded four assists in fourteen games. After spending all of 2021-2022 in the AHL, he had surgical operations on both shoulders in the spring of 2022. This season, he was loaned to the ECHL’s Cincinnati Cyclones, with whom he scored 13 goals and 24 points in 28 games. He was recalled to Rochester towards the end of the season and has remained with the AHL squad throughout the 2023 postseason. He provides physicality for his team, particularly in a defensive capacity. His offensive abilities have not yet arrived at the AHL level, as his puck skills and skating are not quite sufficient enough for consistent offensive production. Pekar has appeared in only one playoff game thus far for the Americans in 2023 but continues to practice with them as they face Toronto in the North Division Final. Kevin Wong

May 2022 – The 22-year-old continues to struggle at the pro level, with a two-year total of just four goals over 72 games. His forte is slanting towards being an agitator, and his ability to get under opponent’s skin may be his only ticket to getting an NHL look. Let’s see how Year 3 in the AHL goes before pigeonholing him as such. – Dobber

May 2020 – Pekar was traded from the Barrie Colts to the Sudbury Wolves during the season and amassed 28 goals and 63 points in 51 games between the two teams in 2019-2020. The 20-year-old plays a gritty, heavy style. He has developed a strong sense of timing with regards to the use of his stick to block lanes defensively and take possession of the puck back for his team. While hs is a good backchecker, he is not particularly fast or agile, nor does he possess particularly noteworthy puck skills. He is a finisher who can make smart passes and support possession in the corners. His hockey sense and grit are his two best assets. Kevin Wong

January 2019 – While Matej Pekar’s World Junior experience was not a bright one, he has been on fire since he came back to Ontario. He played in one last game with the Barrie Colts before being dealt to the Sudbury Wolves at the OHL Trade Deadline. With Pekar joining Sudbury, the Wolves have the Czech winger playing alongside Quinton Byfield and David Levin. The trio is one of the most powerful forward lines across the OHL and we have seen that so far. In five games with Sudbury, Pekar has mustered up two goals and eight assists. If the trio continues to cream the opposition, they could be on their way to the Memorial Cup. In terms of Pekar’s fantasy value, it is only going up. He is becoming one of the most efficient playmaking wingers in the OHL. Josh Tessler

December 2019 – Pekar has been lights out for the Barrie Colts this season. After 25 games, the Czech native has tallied 15 goals and 13 assists. Pekar’s offensive production is growing at a significant rate as he tallied 36 points in 33 games last year. If he can keep at his current pace, he will surpass last season’s total. In other news, he was invited to the Czech Republic World Juniors camp. Given the Czech’s offensive depth issues, Pekar will likely be (if he makes it through camp) cemented in on the top line or the second line at the World Juniors. Josh Tessler

October 2019 – After a mediocre season last year with the Barrie Colts, Matej Pekar is off to a hot start this season. After six games played, Pekar has recorded seven goals and two assists. In their first game of the season, Pekar notched two goals. The first goal was a wrap-around goal and the second was a rebound goal. If he keeps producing at this rate, he could potentially be a solid fit in the Sabres top nine next season. Josh Tessler

March 2019 – After a fast start from the pesky Czech, Matej Pekar suffered an unfortunate broken collarbone on a blindsided hit that ended his season prematurely in January. The Colts weren’t doing too well on the season, but the team took a big hit when he went down so hopefully, he can build on a strong season for next year. Marcus Griep

December 2018 – Pekar has started off the year with a bang, putting up 33 points in 30 games, tallying 12 goals and 21 assists. The gritty winger made the World Junior Championships camp for the Czech Republic squad and is projected to play in the team’s middle six. Marcus Griep

September 2018 – The Sabres selected the Czech forward with the 94^th overall selection. Pekar made a nice transition over to the USHL and has played well with Muskegon this year. He’s primarily a playmaker, plays a very tidy defensive game, is a very hard worker and he can play up and down the lineup. Pekar sees himself like Brad Marchand and enjoys being an annoyance to players and getting under their skin. He is used on the powerplay and penalty kill, contributing with his range of passing and vision which he uses to set up teammates for good scoring looks. He has a solid accurate shot making him a dual threat off the wing. He is a strong player off the boards, winning battles and helping his team transition, but also being very defensively responsible and mature as a hockey player. Pekar could be ready for the NHL in two to three years and would most likely feature in the bottom six to start. Pekar was expected to play with Miami in the NCAA but he will be missing the first semester and will be playing with the Barrie Colts in the OHL instead who chose to select him in the import draft. Marcus Griep