Mike Pelyk

Michael Joseph Pelyk (born September 29, 1947) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played 441 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) and 150 games in the World Hockey Association (WHA) between 1967 and 1978. He played with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Blazers, and Cincinnati Stingers.

Mike Pelyk
Born	(1947-02-15) February 15, 1947 (age 78) Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada
Height	6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight	188 lb (85 kg; 13 st 6 lb)
Position	Defence
Shot	Left
Played for	Toronto Maple Leafs Vancouver Blazers Cincinnati Stingers
NHL draft	17th overall, 1964 Toronto Maple Leafs
Playing career	1967–1978

Playing career

Pelyk attended Michael Power/St. Joseph High School in Etobicoke, Ontario. Although a gifted skater, Pelyk struggled with inconsistency early in his NHL career with the Toronto Maple Leafs. In the 1973–74 season he seemed to be finally reaching his potential, leading Leaf defencemen with 12 goals,^[1] when he was lured away from the Leafs with a million-dollar contact to the Vancouver Blazers of the WHA. However, he was never quite able to return to the potential shown in the 1973–74 season either in his two years in the WHA, or with his return to the NHL with the Maple Leafs in 1976. After two years alternating between the NHL and CHL he retired in 1978.^[2][3]

Pelyk was captain of the WHA Cincinnati Stingers for the 1975–76 season.^[4]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1964–65	Westclair York Steel	MetJBHL		25	2	21	23	—		—	—	—	—	—
1965–66	York Steel	MetJBHL		—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—	—	—
1965–66	Toronto Marlboros	OHA		17	0	3	3	20		—	—	—	—	—
1966–67	Toronto Marlboros	OHA		48	2	18	20	146		17	3	10	13	35
1966–67	Toronto Marlboros	M-Cup		—	—	—	—	—		9	0	4	4	37
1967–68	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL		24	0	3	3	55		—	—	—	—	—
1967–68	Tulsa Oilers	CHL		47	0	16	16	131		—	—	—	—	—
1968–69	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL		65	3	9	12	146		4	0	0	0	8
1969–70	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL		36	1	3	4	37		—	—	—	—	—
1970–71	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL		73	5	21	26	54		6	0	0	0	10
1971–72	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL		46	1	4	5	44		5	0	0	0	8
1972–73	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL		72	3	16	19	118		—	—	—	—	—
1973–74	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL		71	12	19	31	94		4	0	0	0	4
1974–75	Vancouver Blazers	WHA		75	14	26	40	121		—	—	—	—	—
1975–76	Cincinnati Stingers	WHA		75	10	23	33	117		—	—	—	—	—
1976–77	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL		13	0	2	2	4		9	0	2	2	4
1976–77	Dallas Black Hawks	CHL		62	9	26	35	73		—	—	—	—	—
1977–78	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL		41	1	11	12	14		12	0	1	1	7
1977–78	Tulsa Oilers	CHL		32	2	12	14	35		—	—	—	—	—
WHA totals				150	24	49	73	238		—	—	—	—	—
NHL totals				441	26	88	114	566		40	0	3	3	41