Mike Pelyk



Michael Joseph "Mike Mikita" Pelyk (born September 29, 1947 in Toronto, Ontario) is a retired professional ice hockey player who played 441 games in the National Hockey League and 150 games in the World Hockey Association. He played with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Blazers, and Cincinnati Stingers.

He played junior for the Toronto Marlboros from 1965 to 1967, winning the Memorial Cup in 1967. The Toronto Maple Leafs chose him 17th overall in the 1964 NHL Amateur Draft.

Although a gifted skater, Mike struggled with inconsistency early in his career with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Then, just as he seemed to be finally reaching his potential, leading Leaf defensemen with 12 goals in 1973-74, 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 73-74 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.

Mike Pelyk was captain of the WHA Cincinnati Stingers for the 1975-76 season.

He played in 441 NHL games and scored 26 goals and 88 assists. In the WHA he played 150 games and scored 24 goals and 49 assists.