One To Watch – Ales Padelek
Name: Ales Padelek
DOB: 01/01/1980
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 13st 12lbs
Nationality: Czech
Position: Left Wing
Shoots: Left
Tonight’s One to Watch is a former Czech Republic international, Ales Padelek is back for another year with Peterborough as they look to take on the best the NIHL National league has to offer.
Padelek is a veteran of 24 seasons of playing professional ice hockey and the vast majority of this time has been spent playing in the top two leagues of the Czech Republic. He made his debut with HC Dukla Brod in the top Czech league aged just 17 and he played 34 games in this first season.
Over the course of his career Padelek has played a total of 394 games in the top Czech league and scored a very respectable 149 points in those games. What this means is that he is a top player with a serious skill level, following his time in the top division Padelek moved down to the 2nd division and despite being older the lower skill level allowed him to increase his point production while in the 2nd division.
He made his first appearance in the UK with the Slough Jets in the old EPL and a very solid return of 48 points was his reward. After this he went back to the Czech Republic for a season before signing with Peterborough in the EPL and two consecutive seasons with points totals in the 60’s showed he still “had it” even in his mid-late thirties. Padelek stayed with the Phantoms following the collapse of the EPL and he has been a good point scoring forward each season with Peterborough.
At the age of 41 now there are some questions over whether he can still contribute what is required at this level but knowing his pedigree I’m sure he will deliver.
