Peter Sidorkiewicz is a former professional ice hockey goaltender who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for over a decade. He was born on June 29, 1962, in Dabrowa Tarnowska, Poland, and grew up in Canada. Sidorkiewicz began his hockey career in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the Oshawa Generals in 1980.
In 1982, Sidorkiewicz was drafted by the Hartford Whalers in the fourth round of the NHL Entry Draft. He spent several seasons playing in the minor leagues before making his NHL debut with the Whalers in the 1987-88 season. Sidorkiewicz quickly established himself as a reliable goaltender, playing in 54 games and posting a 3.23 goals against average (GAA) and a .895 save percentage.
Sidorkiewicz continued to play for the Whalers for several seasons, serving as the team's starting goaltender for much of that time. He had his best season in 1990-91, when he played in 63 games and posted a 2.97 GAA and a .902 save percentage. That season, he also helped lead the Whalers to the playoffs, where they were eliminated in the first round.
In 1993, Sidorkiewicz was traded to the Ottawa Senators, where he played for two seasons. He served as the team's backup goaltender for much of that time, playing in 29 games over two seasons. In 1995, he signed as a free agent with the New Jersey Devils, where he played for one season as a backup to Martin Brodeur.
After the 1995-96 season, Sidorkiewicz retired from the NHL. He played one more season of professional hockey in Germany before retiring for good in 1997. In total, Sidorkiewicz played in 365 NHL games, posting a 3.47 GAA and a .886 save percentage.
Since retiring from hockey, Sidorkiewicz has worked as a goaltending coach for several teams, including the Oshawa Generals, the Ottawa Senators, and the Carolina Hurricanes. He has also worked as a scout for the Hurricanes and as a goaltending consultant for Hockey Canada.
Overall, Peter Sidorkiewicz had a successful career as a goaltender in the NHL. While he was never a superstar, he was a reliable and consistent player who helped his teams win games. He was also known for his work ethic and his dedication to the game, both on and off the ice.
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