Pelech signs with Gladiators

DULUTH, Ga. - Atlanta Gladiators President Jerry James and Head Coach Jeff Pyle announced that veteran forward Mike Pelech has agreed to terms for the 2021-22 season.

Pelech, 31, enters his 13th season of pro hockey and his first with the Gladiators. Pelech ranks fourth in ECHL history in games played (767), third in assists (396) and 13th in points (575). When the Toronto, Ontario native puts on a Gladiators sweater, he will be playing for his eighth different ECHL team. Pelech has also skated in parts of five seasons in the American Hockey League.

He enters the 2021-22 season 23 games shy of moving into second places on the League's all-time games played list

Pelech originally signed with the Gladiators in July of 2020 before Atlanta opted out of the 2020-21 campaign. Last season, hw forward registered 34 points (10g-24a) while splitting time between the Wheeling Nailers and the Indy Fuel.

Two of Pelech’s best seasons came recently in 2018-19 and 2019-20 with the Greenville Swamp Rabbits. In that two-year span, he racked up 118 points (34g-84a) in 135 regular-season games, including 53 points (16g-37a) in 2019-20 as Greenville’s captain.