Filip Mešár
Born (2004-01-03) 3 January 2004
Spišská Belá, Slovakia
Height 5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight 174 lb (79 kg; 12 st 6 lb)
Position Winger/Centre
Shoots Right
NHL team (P)
Cur. team
Former teams		 Montreal Canadiens
Kitchener Rangers (OHL)
HK Poprad
NHL Draft 26th overall, 2022
Montreal Canadiens
Playing career 2020–present

Filip Mešár (born 3 January 2004) is a Slovak junior ice hockey forward currently playing for the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) as a prospect to the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL). Mešár was selected by the Canadiens in the first-round, 26th overall, in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft.

Playing career

Slovakia

Mešár began his professional career with HK Poprad, competing first with the under-16 and under-18 teams. He moved up to the senior team in the Tipos Extraliga for the 2020–21 season. He was only 16 when he entered the adult league, noting later that some of his teammates had children his own age, and attracted media attention when he scored a goal on his first shift.[1] He played 36 games in the regular season, and then participated in the team's deep run to the playoff finals, where they were defeated by HKM Zvolen.

Mešár submitted his name for the 2021 CHL Import Draft and was selected ninth overall by the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).[2] However, he opted to remain in Slovakia for the following season, saying that he was "satisfied with the management of the club and the conditions I have here for my further advancement."[3] In the 2021–22 season, Mešár managed eight goals and eight assists in 37 games. In the playoffs he managed three goals and an assist in six games in the first round, before Poprad was eliminated by HK Nitra.[4]

North America

2022 NHL Entry Draft

In advance of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, Mešár was widely rated as a possible selection late in the first round or early in the second round.[5][6][7][8] On July 7, the Montreal Canadiens selected Mešár twenty-sixth overall (using a pick acquired in trade from the Calgary Flames for Tyler Toffoli). The Canadiens had also selected his longtime friend and national teammate Juraj Slafkovský first overall, to both men's satisfaction.[9] The draft was a "historic" night for Slovak hockey, with Slafkovský and Šimon Nemec occupying the top two spots, and Mešár's giving the country three first round selections for the first time.[10][11][12]

On July 14, Mešár signed a three-year entry level contract with the Canadiens. The team's general manager, Kent Hughes, suggested that Mešár's next step was undecided, but that he would likely play either in the OHL with the Rangers or in the American Hockey League with the Canadiens' affiliate Laval Rocket.[13]

Kitchener Rangers (2022–present)

After participating in the Canadiens' preseason camp, Mešár was reassigned to the Rocket's training. He made his AHL debut on October 14, 2022, playing on the fourth line in a 6–5 overtime loss to the Belleville Senators. The following day, it was announced that he was being loaned to the Rangers.[14] While Mešár had hoped to play with the Rocket for the rest of the season, the Canadiens' development staff believed he would benefit more from playing at the top of the lineup in Kitchener. On arrival he said that "I want to be a leader here. I want to get some points and help the team win."[1] In his debut with the Rangers on October 21, he scored a goal and three assists in a 7–2 victory over the Sudbury Wolves.[15]

International play

Medal record
Representing  Slovakia
Ice hockey
Hlinka Gretzky Cup
Silver medal – second place2021 Czech Republic/Slovakia

Mešár made his debut with the Team Slovakia's U18 team at the 2021 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, managing two goals and six assists and winning a silver medal with the team.[2] He was then selected for the U20 team for the abortive 2022 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, playing two games before they were cancelled because of the Omicron variant.[16]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2018–19 HK Poprad Slovak-Jr. 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
2019–20 HK Poprad Slovak-Jr. 33 13 28 41 8 — — — — —
2020–21 HK Poprad Slovak 36 4 10 14 4 15 2 2 4 2
2021–22 HK Poprad Slovak 37 8 8 16 8 6 3 1 4 0
2022–23 Laval Rocket AHL 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
2022–23 Kitchener Rangers OHL 52 17 34 51 8 9 1 3 4 0
Slovak totals 73 12 18 30 12 21 5 3 8 2

International

Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2021 Slovakia WJC 8th 2 0 0 0 0
2021 Slovakia HG18 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 5 2 6 8 0
2023 Slovakia WJC 6th 5 2 4 6 2
Junior totals 12 4 10 14 2

References

  1. 1 2 Brown, Josh (October 19, 2022). "Montreal Canadiens prospect Filip Mesar embracing move to Kitchener Rangers". Waterloo Region Record. Retrieved October 22, 2022.
  2. 1 2 Brown, Josh (June 30, 2021). "Rangers see Slovakian forward Filip Mesar as a top-line player". Waterloo Region Record. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
  3. ↑ "Filip Mešár ostáva v Poprade aj v ďalšej sezóne" [Filip Mešár will stay in Poprad in the next season as well]. HK Poprad (in Slovak). April 6, 2021. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
  4. ↑ Chauvancy, Alex (April 6, 2022). "Filip Mešár — 2022 NHL Draft Prospect Profile". The Hockey Writers. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
  5. ↑ "Bob McKenzie's Mid-Season Draft Rankings". TSN. January 20, 2022. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
  6. ↑ Pronman, Corey (July 5, 2022). "2022 NHL Draft prospects: Juraj Slafkovsky leads Corey Pronman's final ranking". The Athletic. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
  7. ↑ Wheeler, Scott (June 6, 2022). "NHL Draft 2022 top 100 prospects: Scott Wheeler's final rankings". The Athletic. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
  8. ↑ "Bob McKenzie's Final 2022 Draft Ranking". TSN. June 28, 2022. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
  9. ↑ Cowan, Stu (July 13, 2022). "Juraj Slafkovsky, Filip Mesar ready to grow with Canadiens". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
  10. ↑ Schram, Carol (July 8, 2022). "Slovak Surprise: Slafkovsky And Nemec Make History As Top Two Picks In 2022 NHL Draft". Forbes. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
  11. ↑ Whyno, Stephen (July 8, 2022). "Slafkovsky, Nemec lead new Slovak hockey golden generation". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
  12. ↑ Powers, Scott (July 8, 2022). "NHL Draft provides Slovakian hockey with historic moment". The Athletic. Retrieved July 11, 2022.
  13. ↑ Cowan, Stu (July 14, 2022). "Canadiens sign first-round draft pick Filip Mesar to entry-level deal". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
  14. ↑ "Canadiens loan forward Filip Mesar to OHL's Kitchener Rangers". Sportsnet. October 15, 2022. Retrieved October 22, 2022.
  15. ↑ Cowan, Stu (October 22, 2022). "Canadiens prospect Filip Mesar shines in his OHL debut". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved October 22, 2022.
  16. ↑ Blades, Justin (July 8, 2022). "Getting to know Montreal Canadiens 26th overall pick Filip Mesar". Habs Eyes on the Prize. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
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