Matt Pelech The Next Big, and I Mean Really Big, Thing

On the defense rich Calgary Flames, it'll be tough for any 22-year-old blueliner to crack the lineup.

Even if the magnitude of your size is impossible to comprehend, and you are as talented a hockey player as Pearl Jam is musically.

Depending who you ask, Flames prospect Matt Pelech stands anywhere from 6'3" to 6'6" and weighs 220 lbs.

He is a behemoth, and a definite blue chip prospect.

The Flames selected Pelech in the first round, 26th overall in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, and made the most out of their late round pick.

Pelech is shaping up to be a very talented all-round defenseman. He is cut from the same cloth as Zdeno Chara and Chris Pronger, in that he has tremendous size, is aggressive in nature, and can shut down and intimidate opposing forwards.

But he has also added an offensive side to his game, something scouts did not think the big young D-man was capable of.

In five games last season with the Flames, Pelech recorded three assists to go with nine penalty minutes and was a +1 overall.

Not a bad first impression for a 21-year-old blueliner.

This season with the Abbotsford Heat he has already surpased his career highs in the AHL with ten points in 26 games, and is +5 on the year.

Simply put, Matt Pelech is looking like a bigger steal than Walmart's prices on toilet paper right now, and if he was on any other team in the NHL you would have to believe he would be taking a regular shift with the pro club instead of the affiliate.

That being said, it is tough to argue with anything the Flames do as they sit third overall in the Western Conference at 17-7-3.

It's basically like saying U2 would be better if they added another guitarist—they do well enough on their own.

Which makes me wonder if Pelech may be good trade bait for another scoring forward?

Surely Vancouver Canucks general manager Mike Gillis may be interested, afterall Pelech is his nephew.

Or maybe Brian Burke would be interested, as he seems to love acquiring defenseman as much as my girlfriend likes buying shoes—even though she never wears them and they just take up room in our closet.

Either way, the Calgary Flames are in good shape now and in the future thanks to the depth this young phenom gives them.

And whether Matt Pelech stays a Flame or not, he will definitely someday make a huge impact in the NHL.

That is about as guaranteed as the latest South Park episode offending people.

It is just going to take a little while longer before Pelech gets his opportunity.