George Pesut

George Pesut
Born	(1953-06-17) June 17, 1953 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
Height	6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight	197 lb (89 kg; 14 st 1 lb)
Position	Defence
Shot	Left
Played for	California Golden Seals Calgary Cowboys (WHA)
NHL draft	24th overall, 1973 St. Louis Blues
WHA draft	24th overall, 1973 Cleveland Crusaders
Playing career	1973–1993

George Matthew Pesut (born June 17, 1953) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played 92 games in the National Hockey League for the California Golden Seals over two seasons. He also played 17 games in the World Hockey Association with the Calgary Cowboys during the 1976–77 season. The rest of his career was mainly spent in the minor leagues and in Europe.

Early years

Pesut began his hockey career in the province of Saskatchewan, Canada, in the city of Saskatoon. He played his minor hockey in the Saskatoon system and eventually began his junior career with the A level Saskatoon Macs of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League. A strapping, lanky defenseman, Pesut, at the age of 18, entered the major junior hockey ranks in the 1971–72 season with the Victoria Cougars which was a member of the Western Canada Hockey League, now called the WHL, one of the three the major junior leagues for professional draft eligible players in Canada. The WHL represented the best junior players in Western Canada, the others being the OHL (Ontario Hockey League) and the QMJHL (Quebec Major Junior Hockey League).

Professional career

George Pesut was drafted early in the second round at #24 of the 1973 NHL Amateur Draft by St. Louis Blues. Pro scouts had him rated much higher than many upcoming NHLers in the draft and he was selected ahead of other illustrious defensemen of that year, notably Colin Campbell, who was selected later in the second round by the Pittsburgh Penguins, and Pesut's junior teammate Dave Lewis selected in the third round by the New York Islanders. Both went on to lengthy careers in the NHL. At the same time, Pesut was also drafted by the fledgling World Hockey Association's Cleveland Crusaders, at exactly the same draft position as he had been drafted in the NHL, an unusual feat which provided prospective teams with a consistent analysis of his abilities. However, Pesut opted begin his professional career in the NHL and to accept a contract offer with the Blues. He was offered a similar contract which he declined, by the World Hockey Associations' Cleveland Crusaders, who retained his professional rights.

After attending the St. Louis Blues training camp in 1973, he was sent down to begin and develop his pro career with the Blue's minor league affiliate, the Denver Spurs in the Western Hockey League. In Denver, he played only 7 games before being traded in November 1973 to the Philadelphia Flyers for Bob Stumpf, a defenseman who was a later draft pick in the same draft year as Pesut. He was put on Philadelphia's opening night roster as the only rookie to make the squad.

The 1974-75 NHL season saw Pesut report to the California Golden Seals training camp and once again in his career, make the team's opening night roster. In his first full NHL season, Pesut put up a respectable 13 points in 47 games with the Golden Seals, a team which had been struggling as a bonafide NHL team since its inaugural season in 1967. The Golden Seals was primarily assembled from numerous off season trades and first round draft picks, with one of the youngest rosters in the NHL. The young team allowed Pesut to play alongside first year NHL defensemen and first round draft picks like the 18 year old Rick Hampton, who was selected third overall in the 1974 NHL amateur draft. Pesut, was also in good company on the Seal's blueline, coupled with much needed NHL mentorship from 32 year old, storied defenseman, Jim Neilson aka the "Chief". Neilson had played the previous 12 seasons with the New York Rangers and had clocked 1,058 total games in the NHL and World Hockey Association, 1,023 of those games in the NHL.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1970–71	Saskatoon Macs	SAHA		—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—	—	—
1971–72	Victoria Cougars	WCHL		38	3	13	16	83		—	—	—	—	—
1971–72	Flin Flon Bombers	WCHL		25	3	8	11	73		—	—	—	—	—
1971–72	Saskatoon Blades	WCHL		2	0	0	0	4		—	—	—	—	—
1972–73	Saskatoon Blades	WCHL		68	12	25	37	98		—	—	—	—	—
1973–74	Denver Spurs	WHL		7	0	2	2	19		—	—	—	—	—
1973–74	Richmond Robins	AHL		38	3	5	8	4		—	—	—	—	—
1974–75	Richmond Robins	AHL		8	0	1	1	7		—	—	—	—	—
1974–75	California Golden Seals	NHL		47	0	13	13	73		—	—	—	—	—
1975–76	Salt Lake Golden Eagles	CHL		7	2	0	2	10		—	—	—	—	—
1975–76	California Golden Seals	NHL		45	3	9	12	57		—	—	—	—	—
1976–77	Calgary Cowboys	WHA		17	2	0	2	2		—	—	—	—	—
1976–77	Tidewater Sharks	SHL		14	4	6	10	19		—	—	—	—	—
1976–77	Erie Blades	NAHL		25	5	7	12	62		9	1	2	3	6
1977–78	HC Davos	NLB		—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—	—	—
1978–79	EHC Dübendorf	NLB		—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—	—	—
1979–80	EHC Chur	NLB		28	28	20	48	100		—	—	—	—	—
1980–81	Wichita Wind	CHL		53	6	21	27	33		16	3	4	7	39
1981–82	Hamburger SV	GER-2		32	18	16	34	84		—	—	—	—	—
1982–83	EC Hannover	GER-3		22	22	23	45	60		—	—	—	—	—
1982–83	Berliner SC Preussen	GER-3		12	10	11	21	38		—	—	—	—	—
1983–84	Berliner SC Preussen	GER-2		42	16	24	40	42		—	—	—	—	—
1984–85	Berliner SC Preussen	GER-2		42	15	37	52	72		—	—	—	—	—
1985–86	Chamonix	FRA		—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—	—	—
1986–87	Berliner SC Preussen	GER-2		35	3	29	32	28		18	0	3	3	13
1987–88	ECD Iserlohn	GER		14	4	2	6	8		—	—	—	—	—
1987–88	SV Bayreuth	GER-2		6	1	6	7	10		—	—	—	—	—
1988–89	EHC 80 Nürnberg	GER-2		33	5	30	35	46		—	—	—	—	—
1989–90	EHC 80 Nürnberg	GER-2		34	8	34	42	35		—	—	—	—	—
1990–91	ECD Sauerland	GER-2		17	10	20	30	20		—	—	—	—	—
1991–92	EC Kassel	GER-2		38	9	24	33	34		—	—	—	—	—
1992–93	EC Kassel	GER-2		40	5	18	23	40		—	—	—	—	—
1993–94	EC Kassel	GER-2		7	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
WHA totals				17	2	0	2	2		—	—	—	—	—
NHL totals				92	3	22	25	130		—	—	—	—	—

Awards, honors and accomplishments

• Best Defenceman Award Western Canada Hockey League (WCHL Major Junior) 1972–73 season;
• WCHL All-Star Team, 1972–73;
• Voted the Best Defenceman in Swiss hockey three consecutive seasons;
• German Championship winner with Berlin, first team All-star for consecutive seasons in Germany.

External links

• Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database