Mike Peluso (ice hockey, born 1965)

Michael Peluso
Born	(1965-11-08) November 8, 1965 Pengilly, Minnesota, U.S.
Occupation	Professional ice hockey player (retired)
Years active	1990–1998
Known for	Enforcer in the NHL; member of 1995 Stanley Cup-winning New Jersey Devils "Crash Line"

Michael David Peluso (born November 8, 1965) is a retired American professional ice hockey player, recognized chiefly for his role as an enforcer in the National Hockey League (NHL). His NHL career spanned from 1990 to 1998, during which he played for the Chicago Blackhawks, Ottawa Senators, New Jersey Devils, St. Louis Blues, and Calgary Flames. Peluso was part of the New Jersey Devils' "Crash Line" that secured the Stanley Cup in 1995, and he also won the 1990 Turner Cup with the Indianapolis Ice in the International Hockey League. Notably, he is among just three NHL players to have accumulated over 400 penalty minutes in a single season.

Early life

Born in Pengilly, Minnesota, Peluso grew up in a family where his father was employed in the steel industry and his mother worked in childcare. Among four brothers, he mainly played as a defenseman during his high school years with the Greenway Raiders. His senior season was curtailed to only 12 games due to a strike by teachers.

College career

Selected 190th overall by the New Jersey Devils in the 1984 NHL entry draft primarily because of his physical stature, Peluso opted to continue his education by accepting a scholarship at the University of Alaska Anchorage. Beginning with the 1985–86 season, he competed in NCAA Division I hockey for the Alaska Anchorage Seawolves while pursuing a degree in sociology. Given NCAA regulations that prohibited fighting, Peluso distinguished himself as the Seawolves’ top-scoring defenseman historically and set single-season records for assists and points at that position. He captained the team for three consecutive years and earned two All-Great West Conference honors. In December 1988, under his leadership, the team won the Jeep/Nissan Classic tournament. Peluso remained with Alaska Anchorage until 1989.

Chicago Blackhawks

After completing college, Peluso entered free agency and initially reached out to the Minnesota North Stars, who declined to sign him. He subsequently inked a contract with the Chicago Blackhawks in 1989 and transitioned from defenseman to forward, encouraged by coach Mike Keenan to embrace fighting as part of his role. Assigned to the IHL’s Indianapolis Ice under coach Darryl Sutter, Peluso honed his skills as a role player. Although recalled early in the 1989–90 NHL season, he did not immediately appear in games. Following recovery from a broken cheekbone sustained during a fight, he debuted in the NHL on December 28, 1989, stepping in for the suspended Dave Manson. In that first game, Peluso engaged in a fight with Basil McRae, helping secure a 1–1 draw. He played one additional NHL game before returning to Indianapolis, where he contributed to winning the 1990 Turner Cup.

Peluso earned a roster spot with Chicago for the 1990–91 season. He netted his first NHL goal on October 16, 1990, facing off against the Detroit Red Wings. After suffering an injury caused by a puck striking his cheek that sidelined him for eleven games, he briefly returned to Indianapolis before rejoining Chicago. On March 17, 1991, during an intense match against the St. Louis Blues, Peluso was among five players ejected for fighting and subsequently faced a ten-game suspension along with a $10,000 fine for leaving the bench to engage in combat. He participated in the 1991 playoffs; however, Chicago was eliminated after seven games by the Minnesota North Stars.

Having established himself firmly as an enforcer, Peluso began the following season with Chicago but was demoted to Indianapolis on October 15, 1991. After four games in the IHL, he was recalled on November 3 and completed the 1991–92 NHL season accumulating an extraordinary 408 penalty minutes across 63 games—making him one of only three players ever in NHL history to surpass 400 penalty minutes within one season and ranking third all-time. During the 1992 playoffs, Peluso scored his inaugural postseason goal against Bill Ranford of the Edmonton Oilers during an 8–2 victory. He played an instrumental role in Chicago’s advancement to the 1992 Stanley Cup Finals, where they were ultimately defeated by the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Ottawa Senators

As NHL fighting regulations changed, the Blackhawks chose to keep Stu Grimson instead of Peluso, leaving Peluso available in the 1992 NHL expansion draft. The Ottawa Senators selected him as their second forward pick. Peluso made his first appearance for Ottawa during their inaugural game on October 8, 1992, which ended in a 5–2 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. He netted his initial goal for the Senators two days later against Ron Hextall of the Quebec Nordiques in an 8–2 defeat. On November 25, he achieved his first multi-goal performance by scoring twice against Chris Terreri, contributing to a 3–1 triumph over the New Jersey Devils.

In his only season with Ottawa, Peluso set a franchise record with 318 penalty minutes while also expanding his offensive contributions by scoring 15 goals and accumulating 25 points, ranking fifth on the team. Although well-liked by supporters, he experienced disagreements with management regarding his role, feeling that his value extended beyond just being an enforcer. On June 24, 1993, Peluso was traded to the New Jersey Devils as part of a transaction that finalized an earlier agreement which had brought Craig Billington and Troy Mallette to Ottawa in exchange for Peter Sidorkiewicz, a fourth-round selection in the 1993 NHL entry draft, and additional future considerations.

New Jersey Devils

Peluso’s tough and relentless playing style quickly earned him popularity among New Jersey fans. He made his debut for the Devils on October 6, 1993, contributing to a narrow 2–1 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning. His first point came shortly after on October 8 when he assisted on a goal by Scott Stevens during a 6–3 win against the Washington Capitals. Peluso scored his inaugural goal for New Jersey on October 30 in a match where they defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 5–3. Throughout the lockout-shortened 1994–95 campaign, he was an integral part of the "Crash Line," alongside Randy McKay and Bobby Holík. This energetic fourth line played a pivotal role in providing timely offense and intensity that helped lead the Devils to their first-ever Stanley Cup championship in 1995.

Returning for the 1995–96 season, Peluso spent most of the year regularly in the lineup. The "Crash Line" disbanded after an accidental skate injury to McKay caused by Peluso resulted in a concussion. Subsequently, Peluso sustained a left leg injury during a game against the Florida Panthers, causing him to miss two contests before re-injuring it upon his return. He then missed an additional fourteen games following a hit from Darius Kasparaitis of the Islanders but resumed play on April 2 against the New York Rangers. Experiencing frustration over his ice time and relationship with coach Jacques Lemaire, Peluso was briefly sent back to New Jersey during a March 22 match versus the Pittsburgh Penguins but later repaired ties with Lemaire. The Devils failed to qualify for the playoffs that season, and with emerging player Reid Simpson gaining prominence, Peluso’s position became less secure.

St. Louis Blues

Peluso began the 1996–97 campaign back with the Devils, where Denis Pederson took over Holík's spot on the fourth line. After participating in twenty games and contributing only two points, Peluso was traded on November 26 to the St. Louis Blues, reuniting with his former coach Mike Keenan, who was then the team's general manager. The deal also involved defenceman Ricard Persson moving to St. Louis in exchange for defenceman Ken Sutton and a 1999 second-round draft selection. Peluso made his Blues debut on November 27 in a 3–2 victory against the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, skating alongside Geoff Courtnall and Peter Zezel, and assisted on Courtnall's goal that tied the game. He netted his first goal for St. Louis on February 10, 1997, against goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin during a 4–2 defeat to the Phoenix Coyotes. The Blues advanced to the 2007 Stanley Cup playoffs but were ousted in the opening round by the Detroit Red Wings. Following the conclusion of the season, Peluso entered free agency as an unrestricted free agent.

Calgary Flames

On June 21, 1997, Peluso was traded to the New York Rangers as compensation after St. Louis appointed one of New York’s executives, Larry Pleau, as their new general manager. Although he signed a contract extension with the Rangers in August, he was exposed in the waiver draft on September 28 and subsequently claimed by the Calgary Flames. Peluso's debut for Calgary came in the opening game of the 1997–98 season, which ended in a 3–1 loss to the Detroit Red Wings. His final NHL appearance occurred on November 23, 1997, resulting in a 3–3 draw against the Carolina Hurricanes. Persistent neck issues led to a diagnosis of spinal stenosis, compelling Peluso to announce his retirement on December 30, 1997.

Career statistics

Bold denotes league leader

 1992–93 NHL season  Ottawa Senators  NHL  81  15  10  25  318  —  —  —  —  —  |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" 1993–94 NHL seasonNew Jersey Devils NHL 69 4 16 20 238 17 1 0 1 64 - 1994–95 NHL season New Jersey Devils NHL 46 2 9 11 167 20 1 2 3 8 - bgcolor="#f0f0f0" 1995–96 NHL season New Jersey Devils NHL 57 3 8 11 146 — — — — — - 1996–97 NHL season New Jersey Devils NHL 20 0 2 2 68 — — — — — - bgcolor="#f0f0f0" 1996–97 St. Louis Blues NHL 44 2 3 5 158 5 0 0 0 25 - 1997–98 NHL seasonCalgary Flames NHL 23 0 0 0 113 — — — — — - bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1983–84	Greenway High School	HS-MN		12	5	15	20	30		—	—	—	—	—
1984–85	Stratford Cullitons	MWJHL		40	10	35	45	114		—	—	—	—	—
1985–86	University of Alaska Anchorage	GWHC		32	2	11	13	59		—	—	—	—	—
1986–87	University of Alaska Anchorage	GWHC		30	5	21	26	68		—	—	—	—	—
1987–88	University of Alaska Anchorage	GWHC		35	4	33	37	76		—	—	—	—	—
1988–89	University of Alaska Anchorage	NCAA		33	10	27	37	75		—	—	—	—	—
1989–90	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		2	0	0	0	15		—	—	—	—	—
1989–90 IHL season	Indianapolis Ice	IHL		75	7	10	17	279		14	0	1	1	58
1990–91 NHL season	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		53	6	1	7	320		3	0	0	0	2
1990–91 IHL season	Indianapolis Ice	IHL		6	2	1	3	21		5	0	2	2	40
1991–92 NHL season	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		63	6	3	9 408	17		1	2	3	8
1991–92 IHL season	Indianapolis Ice	IHL		4	0	1	1	15 — — — — —
NHL totals				458	38	52	90	1951		62	3	4	7	107

Personal life

Following his retirement, Peluso and his wife, Heather, have made their home in Edina, Minnesota. In 2002, he was honored with induction into the Seawolves' hall of fame. Additionally, Peluso took on the role of scout for the Edmonton Oilers.

Injury and lawsuit

While playing for the New Jersey Devils on December 18, 1993, Peluso suffered a concussion during an altercation with Tony Twist. He missed two games due to the injury but returned after five days, only to experience a seizure. By January 1994, Dr. Marvin Ruderman cautioned that any further head injuries could trigger additional seizures and cause permanent brain damage. Peluso’s position as an enforcer necessitated frequent physical confrontations, increasing his vulnerability to such risks.

Peluso remained with the Devils for another three seasons, playing a part in their 1995 Stanley Cup victory. Despite health concerns raised by trainer Teddy Schuch, team physician Barry Fisher permitted him to continue competing. During the 1996–97 season, Peluso was traded to the St. Louis Blues and ultimately concluded his professional career with the Calgary Flames.

In 2012, after suffering from seizures, dementia, memory impairment, anxiety, and depression, Peluso filed a workers' compensation claim in California against his last four NHL teams. He stated that he had spent tens of thousands of dollars on medical care. Peluso declined a $325,000 settlement proposal offered in 2017.

In January 2019, he initiated legal action against the New Jersey Devils, former general manager Lou Lamoriello, and team physicians, accusing them of hiding the seriousness of his injury and its long-term consequences. This lawsuit was dismissed in August 2019.