Well-traveled center Michael Pelech looks to make a difference in Norfolk

Twenty-six year old center Michael Pelech has played in many different places and for many different teams. However, his unique skill set should allow him to find a home in Norfolk. Having garnered 180 goals throughout his career, Pelech offers scoring prowess that will help to make Norfolk a prolific scoring team. Q: Is it difficult to adjust to a new setting and a new team? A: I’ve been here before; I didn't know too much about the city before. Q: Where all have you played? A: I was in Utah for two years. I was in Cincinnati, and I was also in Ontario, California, prior to that. Q: When did you start playing hockey? A: I started playing when I was five. I have two older brothers, so we all started around the same time. Q: Do you have a favorite hockey memory? A: Yeah, when I played minor hockey in Toronto for two years, we made best team in Ontario and pretty much won every game, so that was fun. Q: As a center, do you have any players that you look up to in the position? A: Not really. When I was younger, I looked up to Steve Yzerman, but now I’ve been around quite a bit, so I just kind of try to play my own game now. Q: Is there anything that you like to do during your down time here? A: I actually got here a day ago, but I have two dogs, so I spend a lot of time with them--a lot of walks. Q: As a center, is it important to communicate with the wings on both sides of you? A: Yeah, definitely. When we get the puck along the boards, it's one of the hardest plays in hockey, so I always have to be yelling at them and telling them what to do. Q: Do you feel as if you’re an asset to the team in clutch situations, like late in games and during shootouts? A: Yeah, I hope so. I’ve definitely been in those situations before. ​ Q: What do you hope to accomplish this season? A: I definitely want to make the playoffs. They’ve made the playoffs the past couple of years, so we are definitely looking forward to that.