A
dam Pleskach has never had it easy, but he certainly understands what it takes to
reach his goals. Based on his willingness to adapt on the fly -- and do whatever it
takes to succeed -- his future remains bright. That future will undoubtedly include
hockey and his family, but it also never hurts to have a degree in finance and economics.
Pleskach – a long time ECHL vet – had the
opportunity of a lifetime this past season
when he got the call from his hometown
Manitoba Moose. After playing nearly 200
games in the MJHL with Selkirk, Ples-
kach suited up for another 140 NCAA
Division 1 games for American In-
ternational College in Springfield,
Mass. After finishing school, the
rugged winger took his talents
to Tulsa of the East
Coast Hock-
ey League,
where
he
has
spent
the
past
four
sea-
sons.
It
hasn’t
been an easy
journey for Ples-
Having the chance to play four
seasons with the team I watched as a kid was
really special. It was pretty surreal too,
being in the building where I also used to
watch my brother play for the Fishermen
kach, but the experience and even the results have been more than he could have
imagined. In finding himself cut from countless teams over the course of his playing
career, the 6-foot-2, 205 pound forward has had to deal with plenty of disappointment.
However, in his opinion, the highs have always outdistanced the lows.
“I was never the best skater; I’m not slow or anything, but I’m not the fastest guy
out there,” said Pleskach, who was born in Beausejour and played much of his
minor hockey in Selkirk. “But I have always been that bigger guy who is willing to
play in the harder areas, and is also able to produce. So I’ve been able to earn a
job by going into the areas that a lot of guys aren’t willing to go – I’m the guy
that goes to the paint and just stays there. Whether it’s power play or even
strength, the paint is where I live.”
The four years spent in Selkirk with the Steelers may have been the
pinnacle of Pleskach’s hockey career. Although he’s played on some solid
teams after his time in the MJHL, not much can compare to the memories
made in Selkirk in the late 2000s.
“Having the chance to play four seasons with the team I watched as a
kid was really special,” Pleskach said. “It was pretty surreal too, being in
the building where I also used to watch my brother play