Peter Mueller (ice hockey)

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Peter Mueller
Peter Mueller 2008.jpg
Mueller in 2008
Born (1988-04-14) April 14, 1988 (age 37)
Bloomington, Minnesota, U.S.
Height 6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight 204 lb (93 kg; 14 st 8 lb)
Position Center
Shot Right
Played for Phoenix Coyotes
Colorado Avalanche
Florida Panthers
Kloten Flyers
Malmö Redhawks
EC Red Bull Salzburg
HC Kometa Brno
HC Vítkovice
Grizzlys Wolfsburg
National teamFlag of the United States.svg  United States
NHL draft 8th overall, 2006
Phoenix Coyotes
Playing career 20072025

Peter Randy Mueller (born April 14, 1988) is an American former professional ice hockey forward. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Phoenix Coyotes, Colorado Avalanche and the Florida Panthers.

Contents

Playing career

Mueller was drafted 8th overall by the Phoenix Coyotes in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.[ citation needed ] He plays as a center. He played in the USA Hockey developmental program for the 2004–05 season before moving to the Western Hockey League's Everett Silvertips.[ citation needed ] Because of his outstanding performances in the first half of the 2007–08 season, Mueller was selected to play in the 2008 NHL YoungStars Game in Atlanta. [1] He netted his first career NHL hat-trick against the Anaheim Ducks on November 7, 2007.[ citation needed ]

Mueller's 2008–09 season was a small disappointment as he couldn't replicate his 54 point performance of 2007–08, recording 36 points in 72 games.[ citation needed ]

In the 2009–10 season, Mueller's production further sagged, leading to a request to be traded. [2] Mueller scored 17 points in 54 games before on March 12, 2010, he was traded by the Coyotes, along with Kevin Porter, to the Colorado Avalanche for Wojtek Wolski. [3] Later that day Mueller made his Avalanche debut, scoring a goal in a 4–3 victory over the Anaheim Ducks. [4] In just 15 games with the Avs, after a 5–4 overtime victory against the San Jose Sharks in which he scored two goals and an assist, Mueller had already eclipsed his offensive production he managed to register with the Coyotes for the entire season before the trade.[ according to whom? ]

On September 10, 2010, the Avalanche signed Mueller to a two year, $4 million deal. He suffered a concussion in an Avalanche regular season game against San Jose late in the 2010 season. He suffered it as a result of a hard check by former Avalanche defenseman, Rob Blake. He suffered another concussion in the last week of the 2010–11 preseason and was put on injured reserve.[ citation needed ]

Mueller made an anticipated return after a year of absence in the beginning of the 2011–12 season, but post-concussion syndromes forced him to the IR again. On November 25, 2011 it was reported that Mueller, who has been dealing with post-concussion symptoms, now had a groin injury as well. On January 12, 2012, he made another return in a 3–2 OT loss against the Nashville Predators. He scored his first points in almost 2 years on January 18, when he scored two goals and added an assist against the Florida Panthers in a 4–3 OT win.[ citation needed ]

At the conclusion of his two-year contract with the Avalanche, in which both were decimated by injury, Mueller failed to receive a qualifying offer prior to the opening of NHL free agency on July 1, 2012, making him an unrestricted free agent. [5] On July 11, 2012 Mueller signed a one-year, $1.725 million contract with the Florida Panthers. [6]

Despite a lockout shortened 2012–13 season, Mueller returned to full health for the first time since 2010, and featured in 43 games. After initially succeeding on a scoring line alongside eventual Calder Memorial Trophy winner, Jonathan Huberdeau and veteran Alexei Kovalev, Mueller slowed in his offensive output to finish with 8 goals and 17 points with the Panthers.

Unable to agree on a new contract with Florida, and with limited NHL interest, Mueller signed his first European contract on a one-year deal with Swiss club, Kloten Flyers of the National League A on September 6, 2013. [7] In the 2013–14 season, Mueller played a full season to lead the club and finish third in NLA scoring with 46 points. At the conclusion of the season, Mueller accepted an invitation and played for the U.S. at the 2014 IIHF World Championships in Belarus. [8] [9]

In March 2014, Mueller stated in an interview that he is interested in returning to the NHL following his stay in Switzerland with the Flyers. [10] On July 29, 2014, Mueller and the St. Louis Blues agreed to terms on a one-year, two-way contract. [11] On October 8, 2014, after failing to make the Blues roster, Mueller and the club announced the termination of his contract so he could explore his options to play in Europe. [12] On October 10, 2014, Mueller expectedly returned to his previous club in signing a one-year contract with the Kloten Flyers. [13] On March 20, 2015, the Kloten Flyers decided not to offer him a contract extension after tailing only 17 points in the 2014–15 NLA season. [14]

On August 12, 2015, Mueller remained in Europe as a free agent, and signed a one-year deal with Swedish club, Malmö Redhawks of the Swedish Hockey League. [15] In the 2015–16 season, Mueller quickly adapted to the Swedish League and contributed offensively with 13 goals and 25 points in 43 games with the Redhawks.

On September 7, 2016, Mueller as a free agent agreed to another attempt to re-ignite his NHL career in signing a professional try-out with the Boston Bruins, expected to attend their training camp at Warrior Ice Arena in Boston, Massachusetts. [16] On October 2, 2016, Mueller was released from his try-out contract with Boston, however he accepted an offer with AHL affiliate, the Providence Bruins to begin the 2016–17 season on a professional try-out contract. [17] He played the entirety of season with Providence, collecting 13 goals and 25 points in 56 games.

As a free agent the following off-season, Mueller returned to Europe in belatedly signing a one-year deal with Austrian outfit, EC Red Bull Salzburg of the EBEL, on September 20, 2017. [18]

Mueller played the last 8 seasons of his professional career abroad, most notably with HC Kometa Brno in the Czech Extraliga, before announcing his retirement after 18 years on July 27, 2025. [19]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season TeamLeagueGP G A Pts PIM GPGAPtsPIM
2003–04 U.S. NTDP U17 USDP17491325
2003–04U.S. NTDP U18 NAHL 431016262673254
2004–05U.S. NTDP U18NAHL1411132416
2004–05U.S. NTDP U18USDP4327275475
2005–06 Everett Silvertips WHL 522632584415761310
2006–07 Everett SilvertipsWHL512157784512791612
2007–08 Phoenix Coyotes NHL 8122325432
2008–09 Phoenix CoyotesNHL7213233624
2009–10 Phoenix CoyotesNHL54413178
2009–10 Colorado Avalanche NHL15911208
2011–12 Colorado AvalancheNHL3279168
2012–13 Florida Panthers NHL43891718
2013–14 Kloten Flyers NLA 4924224612102134
2014–15 Kloten FlyersNLA341071712
2015–16 Malmö Redhawks SHL 4313122516
2016–17 Providence Bruins AHL 5613122520111232
2017–18 EC Red Bull Salzburg EBEL 3814284218195141910
2018–19 HC Kometa Brno ELH 4324244542106394
2019–20 HC Kometa BrnoELH3314243824
2020–21 HC Kometa BrnoELH462935641493254
2021–22 HC Kometa BrnoELH482332551443368
2022–23 HC Vítkovice Ridera ELH361817356133580
2023–24 HC Vítkovice RideraELH1767134
2023–24 Grizzlys Wolfsburg DEL 187916440222
2024–25 HC Kometa BrnoELH3618183642076138
NHL totals297639716098
ELH totals2591321542861085622194124

International

Medal record
Ice hockey
Representing Flag of the United States.svg  United States
World Junior Championships
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2007 Sweden
IIHF World U18 Championship
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2005 Czech Republic
YearTeamEventResultGPGAPtsPIM
2004 United States U17 4th50552
2005 United States WJC18 Gold medal icon.svg643720
2006 United States WJC 4th724626
2007 United StatesWJCBronze medal icon.svg73368
2008 United States WC 6th70440
2014 United StatesWC6th81342
Junior totals259152456
Senior totals151782

Awards and honors

AwardYearRef
WHL
Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy 2005–06
Top Draft Prospect Award2005–06
West First All-Star Team 2007
NHL
NHL YoungStars Game 2007–08

References

  1. "Mueller picked for YoungStars". AZCentral. January 15, 2008. Retrieved March 5, 2010.
  2. "Coyotes make seven trades before deadline". KTAR. March 3, 2010. Retrieved March 9, 2010.
  3. "Coyotes get Wolski for Mueller, Porter". NHL. March 3, 2010. Retrieved March 9, 2010.
  4. "Mueller scores in debut as Avs down Ducks". TSN. March 3, 2010. Retrieved March 9, 2010.
  5. "Avalanche pass on offer for forward Peter Mueller". The Denver Post . June 25, 2012. Retrieved July 3, 2012.
  6. "Panthers gamble on Peter Mueller with one-year deal". NBC Sports. July 11, 2012. Retrieved July 11, 2012.
  7. "Kloten Flyers sign Peter Mueller, Jim Vandermeer" (in German). Kloten Flyers. September 9, 2013. Archived from the original on April 3, 2014. Retrieved September 9, 2013.
  8. "Ex-Tip Peter Mueller back on USA Hockey roster consideration". heraldnet.com. April 16, 2014. Retrieved April 16, 2014.
  9. "Fifteen players chosen for U.S. National Team". USA Hockey. April 17, 2014. Retrieved April 17, 2014.
  10. "Paulsson probably stays, Mueller want to return to NHL". swisshockey.ch. March 28, 2014. Retrieved March 28, 2014.
  11. "Blues agree to 1-year deal with Mueller". St. Louis Blues. July 29, 2014. Retrieved July 29, 2014.
  12. "Mueller, Blues mutually agree to terminate contract". NHL.com. October 8, 2014. Retrieved October 8, 2014.
  13. "Welcome back Peter Mueller!" (in German). Kloten Flyers. October 10, 2014. Archived from the original on October 13, 2014. Retrieved October 10, 2014.
  14. "Kloten Flyers sign three new players, cut ties with three imports". www.swisshockeynews.ch. March 20, 2015. Retrieved March 21, 2015.
  15. "Peter Mueller ready for the Redhawks" (in Swedish). Malmö Redhawks. August 12, 2015. Archived from the original on September 7, 2015. Retrieved August 12, 2015.
  16. Pierre Lebrun (September 7, 2016). "Boston signs former NHL'er Peter Mueller to PTO". Twitter . Retrieved September 7, 2016.
  17. "Peter Mueller among the Bruins cuts". Boston Herald . October 2, 2016. Retrieved October 2, 2016.
  18. "Red Bulls pick up forward with NHL experience" (in German). EC Red Bull Salzburg. September 20, 2017. Retrieved September 20, 2017.
  19. "Peter Mueller decides to end career" (in Czech). HC Kometa Brno. July 27, 2025. Retrieved July 27, 2025.
Awards and achievements
Preceded by Phoenix Coyotes first round draft pick
2006
Succeeded by