Standing only five feet, six inches, and while playing for the Flin Flon Bombers of the Western Canadian Hockey League, Polonich attracted attention of scouts by being a pest, antagonizing opposing players while scoring occasional goals. During the 1972–73 season Polonich was known for his relentless trash-talking, and racked up 222 penalty minutes along with 83 points. Polonich was drafted 118th by the Detroit Red Wings in 1973. However, the Wings wanted to see if Polonich could be as effective in a higher-level league, and sent him play a season with the London Lions in Britain. He impressed and was brought back for the 1974–75 season.\n', '

In the 1974–75 season, Polonich joined the Virginia Wings of the American Hockey League (AHL). He led the Wings in penalty minutes, and his 34 points helped them reach the playoffs, where he was the team\'s leading scorer in their short playoff appearance. Towards the end of the regular season, Polonich joined the Red Wings for his first four NHL games, recording no points or penalty minutes. After a quick stint with the Kalamazoo Wings of the International Hockey League (IHL), Polonich became a full-time Red Wing in the 1975–76 NHL season. The Red Wings were retooling, adding toughness and grit to their roster after a few disappointing seasons and Polonich fit the bill. Although small, Polonich brought an instant force to the team. Polonich set a club record on March 24, 1976 by sitting out eight penalties – five minors, a major and a misconduct.[citation needed]\n', '

In the 1976–77 NHL season Polonich had a short tenure as captain of the Detroit Red Wings while Danny Grant was injured. He finished second in team scoring with 46 points and led the team (second in the league behind Tiger Williams) in penalty minutes with 274. He again led the team in penalty minutes the following season.\n', '

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