Devin Peck left home last season for his first season of junior hockey, going back and forth between the NAHL’s North Iowa Bulls and NA3HL’s Mason City Toros.

This season, the Colorado Springs native started back in the NAHL with North Iowa but has since come home to play for the NCDC’s Pueblo Bulls.

“I went through training camp and the preseason for the second year in a row and then landed on the trade wire,” explained Peck. “There was some interest from a couple of NAHL teams who were also waiting on USHL drops, so nothing looked very promising. Pueblo’s goalie coach Marty Wakelyn ended up reaching out and I spoke with him a little bit about coming to Pueblo and being given an opportunity to prove myself. Looking at my options, it seemed like Pueblo would be the best spot for me to continue developing as a player and as a person. That decision has turned out to be a really good one for me. The people of Pueblo and fans have been unreal.”

Peck added that the 2023-24 season was a learning experience.

“Last year was my first year of juniors and I was up and down a lot between the NA3 and the NA,” Peck said. “I learned a lot in that first year, for sure. One of the biggest things I learned was the value of finding a team where I was not only going to be given an opportunity to play, but also be with a program that would help me hone my abilities both on the ice and in the weight room to help me become the best goaltender I can be. That’s what I found in the Bulls organization. The winning culture and competitive mentality that the staff in Pueblo were instilling in their guys really stood out to me as well.”

Now back in his home state, Peck is thrilled with how everything unfolded.

“To be able to play junior hockey so close to home is a blessing that can often get overlooked,” said Peck. “After being away from home all of last year, I have gained a new appreciation for being so close to home this year and now have the ability to see my friends and family more regularly.”

Growing up in Colorado Springs, Peck said hockey came into his life some 15 years ago and he’s never looked back.

“I grew up watching the Colorado Avalanche and the Air Force Academy hockey teams and loved going to games,” Peck said. “I remember when I was about five or six, my dad came home from work one day and asked me if I wanted to play hockey. As a kid, I was always super active so any sport for me was a no-brainer. I started off with skating lessons, then after that moved to full on ice hockey, playing for the Jr. Falcons at the Air Force Academy and I loved it. After that first practice, I think I was pretty hooked to say the least.

When he was 12, Peck and his parents decided to make the move to the Colorado Springs Tigers.

“I played my second-year Pee Wee and my first-year Bantam there and then decided to make the jump to AAA when the Tigers started their first-ever 14 AAA team,” remembered Peck. “I also played my 15U AAA season there before moving to the Colorado Rampage. I played my 16s and first-year 18s with the Rampage and really grew on and off the ice over those two seasons. During my time at the Rampage, I was able to experience some outstanding coaches that definitely made an impact on me as a player and as a person. My head coach for 16s was Pat Bingham and my head coach for 18s was Brett Clark. Both were great coaches, and while we had some ups and downs, they both made a lasting impact on my hockey career which included a trip to nationals in 2023. –

“My goalie coaches during my time with the Rampage were Ryan Massa and Jackson Applequist. They both worked with me a lot and really helped me shape my game along the way. I’ve been fortunate to work with a number of outstanding goalie coaches growing up in Colorado, including Matt Zaba, Mark Sample and Tate Maris, who have all helped me as well. A few other coaches that really stand out as positive influences on me were Andrew Sherman, Jon Eng, Mario Puskarich, and Justin Walters. They, along with some great teammates, have all had a big impact on where I am today and I can’t thank them enough.”

Moving forward, Peck has his eyes on hockey and school and eventually combining the two.

“My short-term goal in hockey would be to help lead the Bulls to the Dineen Cup playoffs and play well enough to have the opportunity to win a championship,” said Peck. “As for school, I’m going to focus on taking some pre-college courses in preparation for my longer-term goal, which is to receive an NCAA Division I college commitment and then see where my career takes me. I’m currently undecided, but I think I would like to study sports science and nutrition in college.”

Photo/Steve Thayer

— Matt Mackinder

(December 1, 2024)