Pelech sets ECHL career games-played record

Atlanta Gladiators’ forward Mike Pelech set the ECHL record for career games played on Tuesday when he took the ice for his 860th league game against South Carolina. Pelech breaks the record of 2018 ECHL Hall of Fame inductee Sam Ftorek, who played in 859 career ECHL games over 15 seasons from 1998-2018. Pelech has played 14 seasons in the ECHL with Ontario, Toledo, Cincinnati, Utah, Norfolk, Reading, Greenville, Wheeling, Indy and Atlanta. He ranks third all-time in ECHL history with 457 assists - just three behind Chris Valicevic for second all-time - and is fourth in league history with 655 points. Pelech is two goals shy of becoming the 28th player in league history to score at least 200 goals. “On behalf of the ECHL, I would like to congratulate Mike Pelech on breaking the ECHL record for career games played,” ECHL Commissioner Ryan Crelin said. “In our decorated 35-year history, this accomplishment speaks volumes to the hard work, dedication, professionalism and love of the game that Mike has portrayed for all of these years in our league.” Pelech has played in over 60 ECHL games in 11 of his seasons in the league while scoring over 40 points in 10 seasons. The 33-year-old Pelech is second on the Gladiators this season with 44 points (8g-36a) in 46 games. His 36 assists are tied for fourth in the ECHL. MOST GAMES PLAYED, ECHL CAREER860 – Mike Pelech (Ontario/Toledo/Cincinnati/Utah/Norfolk/Reading/     Greenville/Wheeling/Indy/Atlanta - 2009-Present)859 – Sam Ftorek (Augusta/Mobile/Greensboro/Gwinnett/Fresno/Cincinnati/     Kalamazoo/Norfolk - 1998-2018)789 – Cam Brown (Columbus/Erie/Baton Rouge/Gwinnett - 1991-2006)771 – Louis Dumont (Tallahassee/Wheeling/Louisiana/Augusta/Pensacola/     Mississippi/Utah- 1994-2006)769 – Justin Taylor (Trenton/Idaho/Tulsa/Kalamazoo - 2010-Present) About the ECHL Formed in 1988-89 with five teams in four states, the ECHL has grown into a coast-to-coast league with 28 teams in 20 states and two Canadian provinces for its 35th season in 2022-23. There have been 734 players who have gone on to play in the National Hockey League after starting their careers in the ECHL, including seven who have made their NHL debut in the 2022-23 season. The ECHL has affiliations with 28 of the 32 NHL teams in 2022-23, marking the 26th consecutive season that the league has affiliations with at least 20 teams in the NHL. Further information on the ECHL is available on its website at ECHL.com as well as on Twitter and Facebook.