Penn State men’s hockey junior forward Keaton Peters will miss the rest of the 2026-27 season with a torn ACL, torn MCL, and lateral meniscus injuries, according to a statement Peters posted on Instagram.

The news comes just two games into Peters’ return after missing the entire 2025-26 season due to a knee injury that required surgery.

An update from Keaton Peters #WeAre #HockeyValley pic.twitter.com/I7DfX2PVSF

— Penn State Men’s Hockey (@PennStateMHKY) October 13, 2026

“I was extremely excited to get back on the ice with my teammates after months of work recovering from ACL reconstructive surgery from an injury suffered last preseason,” Peters said in the post.

“Unfortunately, during the first shift of my first game back, I sustained a knee-on-knee collision resulting in an ACL tear, MCL tear, and medial and lateral meniscus injuries, which will sideline me for the remainder of the season.

Peters was slotted in as Penn State’s fourth-line center for Friday’s season opener against UConn, marking his first game back since April 10, 2025.

He missed Saturday’s matchup against Sacred Heart, cutting his season short after more than a year of recovery.

“Yeah, I’m so crushed. The whole team is so crushed for him because he worked so hard for 13 months,” head coach Guy Gadowsky said Tuesday.

“Really, really hard to get back into playing shape, and if you know Keaton, he was such a huge part of our Frozen Four run, and he brings such an awesome mentality, just such a competitor and such a workhorse and such a tough guy.”

Peters first announced his injury in September 2025, saying he had undergone surgery and would take a medical redshirt while he recovered.

His return was expected to provide some much-needed depth at center after the Nittany Lions lost several key players over the offseason. At media day last week, Gadowsky emphasized the importance of having Peters back, particularly for his faceoff ability.

“I’m incredibly grateful for the support I’ve received from my family, friends, teammates and all the fans who have been there for me throughout this process,” Peters said. “I vow to attack this hardship head on and come back stronger than ever!”

During his freshman campaign in 2024-25, Peters played in 35 games, scoring 2 goals and recording 4 assists. He also blocked 31 shots and won 54.9% of his faceoffs.