Michal Pivoňka

Michal Pivoňka
Born January 28, 1966 (1966-01-28) (age 46)
Kladno, Czech Republic
Height 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight 198 lb (90 kg; 14 st 2 lb)
Position Centre
Shot Left
Played for HC Dukla Jihlava (Cze-1)
Washington Capitals (NHL)
Klagenfurter AC (Austria)
NHL Draft 59th overall, 1984
Washington Capitals
Playing career 1984–2000

Michal Pivoňka (born January 28, 1966) is a retired National Hockey League player. He played his entire NHL career with the Washington Capitals. Selected by the Capitals in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft, Pivonka defected to the United States during the summer of 1986. Since Eastern Europe was still under the Iron Curtain, it was still difficult for younger hockey players from the Eastern Bloc to play in the NHL.

During his NHL career, Pivonka played in 825 games, scored 181 goals and had 418 assists for a total of 599 points, twice leading the Capitals in scoring; 1991–92 (23G, 57A, 80P) and 1995–96 (16G, 65A, 81P). Pivonka last played in the NHL during the 1998-99 season, before finally retiring from hockey in 2000 after several injury filled seasons. He remains the Capitals all-time leader in career assists with 418.

Contents

Career statistics

    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1986–87 Washington Capitals NHL 73 18 25 43 41 7 1 1 2 2
1987–88 Washington Capitals NHL 71 11 23 34 28 14 4 9 13 4
1988–89 Baltimore Skipjacks AHL 31 12 24 36 19 — — — — —
1988–89 Washington Capitals NHL 52 8 19 27 30 6 3 1 4 10
1989–90 Washington Capitals NHL 77 25 39 64 54 11 0 2 2 6
1990–91 Washington Capitals NHL 79 20 50 70 34 11 2 3 5 8
1991–92 Washington Capitals NHL 80 23 57 80 47 7 1 5 6 13
1992–93 Washington Capitals NHL 69 23 51 74 66 6 0 2 2 0
1993–94 Washington Capitals NHL 82 14 36 50 38 7 4 4 8 4
1994–95 Washington Capitals NHL 46 10 23 33 50 7 1 4 5 21
1995–96 Detroit Vipers IHL 7 1 9 10 19 — — — — —
1995–96 Washington Capitals NHL 73 16 65 81 36 6 3 2 5 18
1996–97 Washington Capitals NHL 54 7 16 23 22 — — — — —
1997–98 Washington Capitals NHL 33 3 6 9 20 13 0 3 3 0
1998–99 Washington Capitals NHL 36 5 6 11 12 — — — — —
1999–00 Kansas City Blades IHL 52 16 34 50 38 — — — — —
NHL totals 825 181 418 599 478 95 19 36 55 86

Awards and honors

References

  1. ^ Collins gem Hockey Facts and Stats 2009-10, p.517, Andrew Podnieks, Harper Collins Publishers Ltd, Toronto, Canada, ISBN 978-1-55468-621-6

External links