Quote:
Originally Posted by fanman
Don't think Pelech is a bust yet, but the clock is definately starting to tick away. I don't think the seriousness of his medical condition should be forgotten or downplayed either. He had a potentially life threatening blood clot in his shoulder, and has had to be mindful of that ever since. A broken bone or muscle tear are difficult enough to make a quick comeback from, but a blood clot will kill you if it travels to your heart. I commend him for having the guts to come back as quickly as he did. He's still young and has time to pick it up again.
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The biggest problem for Pelech seems to be his skating and his awareness. Now, as Hal Gill has proven, you don't NEED to be the best skater when you're a really big guy with a big stick. Pelech isn't Hall Gill-sized, but to say that he couldn't play a similar style and be effective would be unreasonable.
But Feaster said he's still a guy who takes himself out of position to make big hits, leading to bad chances. And the fact that he's still getting burned by AHL forwards to the outside is really alarming. Elite forwards in the AHL are guys like Boyd, Jaffray, Dawes etc... guys who get nullified INSTANTLY at the NHL level. If Pelech can't hang with those guys nearly six years after he was drafted, why would anyone think he could handle the Sedins, Toews, Getzlaf etc.
Also, given the depth at D, I don't see where there's room for him anymore. His roster spot is better served by someone younger next year. Someone who won't be an AHL lifer.