Marek Malík
Born (1975-06-24) June 24, 1975
Ostrava, Czechoslovakia
Height 6 ft 6 in (198 cm)
Weight 240 lb (109 kg; 17 st 2 lb)
Position Defence
Shot Left
Played for HC Vítkovice
Hartford Whalers
Malmö Redhawks
Carolina Hurricanes
Vancouver Canucks
New York Rangers
Tampa Bay Lightning
Genève-Servette HC
HC TWK Innsbruck
National team  Czech Republic
NHL Draft 72nd overall, 1993
Hartford Whalers
Playing career 19932014

Marek Malík (born June 24, 1975) is a Czech former professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1994 to 2009.[1]

Playing career

After playing with TJ Vitkovice Jr. in the Czech junior league, Malík was drafted 72nd overall by the Hartford Whalers in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft. He played one season for HC Vítkovice of the Czech Extraliga before joining the Whalers' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Springfield Falcons, in 1994–95. He played the better part of two seasons with the Falcons before earning a roster spot with the Whalers. Marek scored his first career NHL goal on October 19, 1996, against Jeff Reese and the New Jersey Devils in a 6–2 Whalers victory.[2]

While the Whalers' franchise relocated to Raleigh, North Carolina in 1997–98 to become the Carolina Hurricanes, Malík played in Sweden's Elitserien with the Malmö Redhawks. He returned to the NHL the following season with the Hurricanes. In 2001–02, Malík recorded a career-high 23 points. The following season, his ninth with the Whalers/Hurricanes franchise, Malík was traded to the Vancouver Canucks along with Darren Langdon in exchange for Jan Hlaváč and Harold Druken. He completed his second season with the Canucks, in 2003–04, as co-recipient of the NHL Plus/Minus Award (shared with Martin St. Louis of the Tampa Bay Lightning) with a +35 rating.

During the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Malík returned to the Czech Extraliga to play for HC Vítkovice. With NHL play set to resume the following season, he signed a three-year deal with the New York Rangers.

On November 26, 2005, Malík scored on Washington Capitals netminder Olaf Kölzig to finish the then longest shootout in NHL history.[3][4] The goal was described as a "circus shot" as Malík drew the puck towards the center of the net, put his stick between his legs, and shot high on Kölzig's stick side. With goaltenders Henrik Lundqvist and Kölzig dominant in net, the shootout went to 15 rounds. The teams had selected so many players to shoot that they were being forced to send out their weaker defencemen. Bryan Muir of the Caps scored in round 14, and Jason Strudwick answered for the Rangers to tie the score again. The next Caps shooter (Matt Bradley) was stopped by Lundqvist, which set the stage for Malík. He skated in on Kölzig, deked to his glove, pulled the puck back, put his stick through his legs, and flipped the puck in over Kölzig's blocker to score and win the game. He had not scored a goal during the season at the time. After the shot, he raised his arm and shrugged to the fans before being mobbed by his teammates. Former Rangers commentator John Davidson said, "Now I've seen it all! First Strudwick scores, then Malík wins a shootout with a shot between the legs. Oh Baby!" The goal was ranked as the play of the year by TSN's SportsCentre.

During his time with New York, Malík was criticized for his lack of physical play, despite his size, as well as his risky decision-making with the puck. These criticisms have been applied to Malík as early as his minor league days in Springfield.[5]

On January 24, 2008, he was not at the game on Brian Leetch Night, even though it was team policy for players to be present at games. He also did not attend practice and his locker was empty for the game after he refused to shake hands with head coach Tom Renney after a victory in the Rangers' previous game.[6]

On October 14, 2008, Malík signed a one-year contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

On November 23, 2009, Malik signed a one-year contract with the Genève-Servette HC from the Swiss National League A.

On May 7, 2014, Malik announced his retirement.[7]

Personal life

Malík has a wife and two sons.[8][9] Malik's teammates and coaches called him "Harry", a nickname he received during his rookie season in Hartford because (at that time) he reminded them of the title character from Harry and the Hendersons.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1992–93TJ VítkoviceTCH U20295192416
1993–94HC VítkoviceELH393476520002
1994–95Hartford WhalersNHL10110
1994–95Springfield FalconsAHL5811304191
1995–96Hartford WhalersNHL70004
1995–96Springfield FalconsAHL6881422135813420
1996–97Hartford WhalersNHL4715650
1996–97Springfield FalconsAHL30334
1997–98MIF RedhawksSEL3715668
1997–98HC VítkoviceELH10000
1998–99HC VítkoviceELH11016
1998–99Carolina HurricanesNHL5229113640004
1998–99Beast of New HavenAHL21281028
1999–2000Carolina HurricanesNHL574101463
2000–01Carolina HurricanesNHL61614203430006
2001–02Carolina HurricanesNHL8241923882303318
2002–03Carolina HurricanesNHL1002216
2002–03Vancouver CanucksNHL6971118521411210
2003–04Vancouver CanucksNHL783161945700010
2004–05HC VítkoviceELH42191050700037
2005–06New York RangersNHL74216187840116
2006–07New York RangersNHL6921921701013410
2007–08New York RangersNHL42281048
2008–09Tampa Bay LightningNHL4205536
2009–10HC Vítkovice SteelELH80446
2009–10Genève–Servette HCNLA250441020281014
2010–11HC Vítkovice SteelELH4752429134141456
2011–12HC Vítkovice SteelELH4821416155
2012–13HC Vítkovice SteelELH491161791900054
2013–14HC TWK InnsbruckAUT474141848
ELH totals 235 13 71 84 505 32 1 4 5 99
NHL totals 691 33 135 168 620 65 2 8 10 64
AHL totals 150 21 55 76 258 8 1 3 4 20

International

Marek Malík
Medal record
Representing  Czech Republic
Ice hockey
Winter Olympics
Bronze medal – third place 2006 Turin
Year Team Event   GP G A Pts PIM
1993 Czechoslovakia EJC 2 0 2 2 0
1994 Czech Republic WJC 7 2 4 6 20
1995 Czech Republic WJC 7 2 5 7 12
2004 Czech Republic WCH 4 0 0 0 4
2006 Czech Republic OG 8 0 0 0 8
Junior totals 16 4 11 15 48
Senior totals 12 0 0 0 12

Awards

References

  1. "Marek Malik Stats and News".
  2. "New Jersey Devils at Hartford Whalers Box Score — October 19, 1996".
  3. "Malik's goal lifts Rangers in league's longest shootout". ESPN. November 26, 2005. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  4. Gereffi, Paul (December 16, 2014). "Panthers outlast Capitals in longest NHL shootout". AP News. Retrieved November 15, 2023.
  5. Lowe, Mike (May 10, 1996). "PIRATES TRY TO FINISH OFF FALCONS". Portland Press Herald.
  6. Greenberg, Jay (January 25, 2008). "Malik sits out Rangers' victory". New York Post. Retrieved January 27, 2008.
  7. "NHL | Sport | Zprávy a události z domova i ze světa | TN.cz".
  8. Weinman, Sam (March 1, 2007). "Malik doesn't get the boos, and neither do I". The Journal News. Retrieved July 31, 2008.
  9. Weinman, Sam (January 24, 2007). "Malik status a mystery". The Journal News. Retrieved July 31, 2008.
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