By all accounts George Pelawa was destined for greatness.
At eighteen-years-old he was physically imposing, standing 6'3" and weighing 235 lbs, and his hands were as soft as the way he spoke which is why the Calgary Flames couldn't resist selecting the native of Bemidji, Minnesota, 16th overall in the 1986 NHL Entry Draft.
Very few ever saw him play, but the one's that did said he handled the puck like a 5'10", 170-pound superstar, had a quick release, skated very well, and had a bit of a nasty streak though at times he was accused of being too soft.
He was an all-round athlete, as he also played fullback on the Bemidji Lumberjacks football team, averaging 9.9 yds a carry in his senior year.
Pelawa was not a great student, and because of that the University of Minnesota passed on him, despite being handed the prestigious Mr. Hockey award; which is given to the most outstanding senior high school hockey player in the state of Minnesota as selected by NHL scouts and Division I coaches.
He was signed by the University of North Dakota, and it was rumoured he would play for the Fighting Sioux for a year before he headed to ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Daniel Sallows
My Boy’s Gonna Play In The Big Leagues: The Legend Of George Pelawa
December 21st, 2009 by Daniel Sallows Leave a reply »
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