Canadiens center Matthew Peca credits Quinnipiac for his NHL success

Matthew Peca signed with Montreal as a free agent and has 10 points (3-7—10) in 38 matches. (Getty Images)

Matthew Peca entered this campaign with 20 total National Hockey League games under his belt. The Montreal Canadiens center has played in nearly double that amount this season alone.

Selected in the seventh round (200th overall) of the 2011 NHL draft by Tampa Bay, Peca made his big-league debut and registered one goal and an assist in 10 contests during the 2016-17 campaign with the Lightning. In the same amount of games last season with the Bolts, he totaled five points (2-3—5).

He signed with Montreal as a free agent in the summer and, as of March 11, has 10 points (3-7—10) in 38 matches this season.

And none of his NHL success to this point would’ve been possible if not for the four years, 2011-15, he spent developing at Quinnipiac University.