Tomáš Slovák
Born (1983-04-05) April 5, 1983
Košice, Czechoslovakia
Height 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight 209 lb (95 kg; 14 st 13 lb)
Position Defence
Shoots Right
team
Former teams
Free agent
HC Košice
Kelowna Rockets
Hershey Bears
Reading Royals
Lowell Lock Monsters
Mora IK
SaiPa
MsHK Žilina
Ilves
Augsburger Panther
Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg
Piráti Chomutov
HC Dynamo Minsk
HK Gomel
HC Plzeň
HK Hradec Kralove
Brynäs IF
HC Oceláři Třinec
DVTK Jegesmedvék
NHL Draft 42nd overall, 2001
Nashville Predators
Playing career 2000present

Tomáš Slovák (born April 5, 1983) is a Slovak professional ice hockey defenceman. He is currently a free agent.

He was originally drafted 42nd overall by the Nashville Predators in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft.

Playing career

Slovak played as a youth in the developmental program of hometown club, HC Košice, from 1997 to 2001. He made his Slovak Extraliga debut with Košice in the 1999–00 season, appearing in a pair of games. After impressing on the international junior stage for the Slovak junior team, Slovak was selected by the Nashville Predators in the second round, 42nd overall, in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft.

With intention to pursue an NHL career, Slovak opted to play major junior hockey in North America after he was drafted 4th overall in the 2001 CHL Import Draft by the Kelowna Rockets of the Western Hockey League (WHL). Slovak enjoyed a standout second season with the Rockets in 2002–03, contributing with 71 points in 65 games to lead the league amongst defensemen. Having concluded his junior career, Slovak's was expected to compete for a roster position on the Predators defense corps. However, with the Predators going heavy in 2003 NHL Entry Draft on blue chip defenseman Ryan Suter and Shea Weber, his rights were traded by the Nashville Predators to the Colorado Avalanche in exchange for Sergei Soin on June 21, 2003.[1]

On July 15, 2003, Slovak agreed to a three-year, entry-level contract with the Avalanche. After attending the Avalanche's training camp, Slovak was assigned to begin his rookie season with affiliate, Hershey Bears, of the American Hockey League. In the 2003–04 season, Slovak split time between the Bears and the Reading Royals of the ECHL. He contributed with 11 points in 43 AHL games. In the following 2004–05 season, with his role affected with the Bears by the 2004–05 NHL Lockout, Slovak returned to Slovakia after just one game with the Bears and played out the season with HC Košice.

Slovak returned to North America for the final year of his entry-level contract with the Avalanche in the 2005–06 season. He was familiarly assigned by Colorado to the AHL, playing with new partner the Lowell Lock Monsters. In 59 games, Slovak produced just 8 assists from the blueline, signalling the end of his tenure within the Avalanche organization.

On the opening day of free agency, Slovak was unable to gain NHL interest and opted to sign a contract with Swedish club, Mora IK of the then Elitserien on July 1, 2006. He played just 6 games with Mora in the 2006–07 season, before embarking on a tumultuous year by playing in four separate European teams in three different leagues.

From his return to European hockey, Slovak adapted to his journeyman status and has played in 6 countries and 14 clubs.[2]

Playing predominately in the Czech Extraliga over the last 7 years, Slovak agreed to extend his playing career by signing a one-year contract with Piráti Chomutov on May 1, 2017. His signing marked a return to Chomutov after 6 years from his first stint in the Czech 1st Division.[3]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1997–98 HC Košice SVK U20 4716724
1998–99 HC VSŽ Košice SVK U20 456142065
1999–2000 HC VSŽ Košice SVK U20 55162844119
1999–2000 HC VSŽ Košice SVK 20000
2000–01 HC Košice SVK U20 31126
2000–01 HC Košice SVK 43551028 31012
2001–02 Kelowna Rockets WHL 532242641 150008
2002–03 Kelowna Rockets WHL 6518537186 192202226
2003–04 Hershey Bears AHL 43381116
2003–04 Reading Royals ECHL 20371032
2004–05 Hershey Bears AHL 10002
2004–05 HC Košice SVK 333111442 1012324
2005–06 Lowell Lock Monsters AHL 5908861
2006–07 Mora IK SEL 600051
2006–07 SaiPa SM-liiga 60114
2006–07 MsHK Žilina SVK 1611230
2006–07 Ilves SM-liiga 1315612 701118
2007–08 Augsburger Panther DEL 56491382
2008–09 Augsburger Panther DEL 3417828
2008–09 HC Košice SVK 1613412 1814542
2009–10 Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg KHL 5124666 40112
2010–11 Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg KHL 2003344
2010–11 KLH Chomutov CZE.2 1036922 1316714
2011–12 Dinamo Minsk KHL 3111225 10002
2011–12 HK Gomel BLR 10000
2012–13 HC Škoda Plzeň ELH 2747118 1914510
2013–14 HC Škoda Plzeň ELH 47491334 61012
2014–15 Mountfield HK ELH 302151728
2014–15 Brynäs IF SHL 211236 71120
2015–16 HC Košice SVK 50000
2015–16 HC Oceláři Třinec ELH 2502212 40000
2016–17 HC Škoda Plzeň ELH 1602228
2016–17 MsHK DOXXbet Žilina SVK 30002
2017–18 Piráti Chomutov ELH 48381116
2018–19 DVTK Jegesmedvék SVK 3913420
2018–19 HC Košice SVK 80448 60442
2019–20 HC Košice SVK 4606618
2020–21 HC Košice SVK 4604466 41012
2021–22 HK Trebišov SVK.3 30442 934725
SVK totals 257 11 37 48 226 41 4 10 14 72
KHL totals 102 3 8 11 135 5 0 1 1 4
ELH totals 193 13 43 56 126 29 2 4 6 12

International

Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2001 Slovakia WJC 8th 7 1 1 2 8
2001 Slovakia WJC18 8th 6 0 1 1 16
2003 Slovakia WJC 5th 6 0 0 0 36
Junior totals 19 1 2 3 60

Awards and honors

Award Year
WHL
West First All-Star Team 2003
Slovak
Champion 2009
Czech
Champion 2013

References

  1. "Predators go heavy on defense; Trade Slovak". Nashville City Paper. 2003-06-21. Retrieved 2017-05-14.
  2. "Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg's 2010-11 Roster". hockeydb.com. 2011-02-03. Retrieved 2011-02-03.
  3. "Tomas Slovak after six years dons the jersey again" (in Czech). Piráti Chomutov. 2017-05-01. Retrieved 2017-05-01.
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