Marek Svatoš

Marek Svatoš
Born June 17, 1982
Košice, Czechoslovakia
Height 5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight 185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb)
Position Right Wing
Shoots Right
team
Former teams 		Free Agent
HC Kosice
Colorado Avalanche
Avangard Omsk
Nashville Predators
Ottawa Senators
HC Slovan Bratislava
National team  Slovakia
NHL Draft 227th overall, 2001
Colorado Avalanche
Playing career 2002–present

Marek Svatoš (born June 17, 1982) is a Slovak professional ice hockey player who is currently an unrestricted free agent. He most recently played during the 2013-14 season in the Slovak Extraliga with HC Kosice, the same club with which he began his career in 1999. Svatos has played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for several seasons, mostly with the Colorado Avalanche; his most recent stint in the NHL was in the 2010–11 season, during which he played with the Nashville Predators and Ottawa Senators after beginning the season in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) with Avangard Omsk.

Playing career

Svatoš was drafted 227th overall by the Colorado Avalanche in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. He played his first NHL games for the Avalanche in the 2003–04 season. Following a strong performance in the Avalanche's second round loss in the playoffs, he returned to the Avalanche's AHL affiliate, the Hershey Bears, during the 2004 NHL Lockout. Svatoš recorded his first career hat-trick in the NHL against the Calgary Flames in a 7–3 win on October 10. He was chosen to play in the 2006 Olympic Games in Turin, Italy as part of the Slovak national team.

On March 9, 2006, it was announced that Svatoš sustained a fracture on his right shoulder that forced him to miss the rest of the 2005–06 season.[1] At the time of his injury, Svatoš led the NHL in game-winning goals with nine, which tied an NHL record for game-winning goals by a rookie. He was also one of the top rookie scorers with 32 goals in 61 games.

Svatoš' numbers dropped in 2006–07, his second season. He recorded 15 goals and 15 assists in 66 games although suffering a re-occurring groin injury throughout various points in the season.

Svatoš was leading the Avalanche with 26 goals during the 2007–08 campaign when he suffered a torn ACL in a game against the Los Angeles Kings on March 1, 2008.[2][3] Svatoš missed the final sixteen games of the season and the additional playoff series but still placed second in goals on the team.

On July 25, 2008, Svatoš re-signed with the Avalanche for a further two-years avoiding arbitration scheduled on the same day.[4] He managed to return to the opening night roster for the 2008–09 season, recovering from his ACL tear gradually as the season went on.[5] He played in 69 games with the Avs before injuring his hand on April 7, 2009, in a 0-1 overtime loss against the San Jose Sharks in San Jose, ending his play with three games left in the season. His 14 goals tied Wojtek Wolski for fourth on the Western Conference last placed Avs.

In the 2009–10 season, Svatoš was limited to 54 games, again missing 18 games through groin and chest injuries. With a sixth consecutive NHL season affected from injury, he suffered from a loss of form and under new coach Joe Sacco, was relegated to a reserve player to record a career low 7 goals and 11 points.

Without a contract offer, Svatoš left the NHL and signed a one-year contract during the early stages of the 2010–11 European season with Russian team, Avangard Omsk of the KHL, on September 24, 2010.[6] In 19 games with Omsk, he posted 3 goals and 8 points before he was granted a release, after both sides agreed to terminate the deal on December 23, 2010.[7]

On December 28, 2010, Svatoš returned to North America with NHL ambitions and signed a one-year, two-way contract with the St. Louis Blues.[8] However in order to return to the NHL he was placed on waivers due to starting the season in Europe and the following day on December 29, was subsequently claimed by the Nashville Predators.[9] On December 31, 2010, he dressed for the Predators to make his 2010–11 NHL season debut in an away game win over the Minnesota Wild.[10] In his fourth game, Svatos registered his first and only goal for the Predators in a 5-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings on January 6, 2011.[11] Leading up to the trade deadline, Svatos was waived by the Predators after nine games and was subsequently claimed by the Ottawa Senators on February 24, 2011.[12] Svatos earned a regular shift with the Senators and on March 27, 2011, he scored his second goal of the game, which marked his 100th career NHL goal, in a defeat to the Atlanta Thrashers.[13] Svatos appeared in 19 games for the Senators before he suffered a season ending concussion as a result of an check from Jay Rosehill in a late season contest against the Toronto Maple Leafs.[14]

After sitting out the entire 2011–12 season recovering from injury, Svatos in a bid to return to the NHL, signed a try-out contract to attend training camp of the Florida Panthers for the 2012–13 season following a resolution to the NHL lockout on January 7, 2013.[15] Upon completion of the abbreviated training camp, Svatos was released two days prior to the regular season on January 17, 2013.[16]

Shortly after leaving Panthers camp, Svatos agreed to sign for KHL team HC Slovan Bratislava from his home country for the remainder of the 2012–13 season on January 22, 2013.[17]

Svatos opted to remain in Slovakia the following season. Transferring as a free agent to sign a one-year contract with HC Kosice of the Slovak Extraliga on September 18, 2013.[18]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1999–00 HC Kosice Slovak 19 2 2 4 0 — — — — —
2000–01 Kootenay Ice WHL 39 23 18 41 47 11 7 2 9 26
2001–02 Kootenay Ice WHL 53 38 39 77 58 21 12 6 18 40
2002–03 Hershey Bears AHL 30 9 4 13 10 — — — — —
2003–04 Colorado Avalanche NHL 4 2 0 2 0 11 1 5 6 2
2004–05 Hershey Bears AHL 72 18 28 46 69 — — — — —
2005–06 Colorado Avalanche NHL 61 32 18 50 60 — — — — —
2006–07 Colorado Avalanche NHL 66 15 15 30 46 — — — — —
2007–08 Colorado Avalanche NHL 62 26 11 37 32 — — — — —
2008–09 Colorado Avalanche NHL 69 14 20 34 34 — — — — —
2009–10 Colorado Avalanche NHL 54 7 4 11 35 3 1 0 1 2
2010–11 Avangard Omsk KHL 19 3 5 8 14 — — — — —
2010–11 Nashville Predators NHL 9 1 2 3 2 — — — — —
2010–11 Ottawa Senators NHL 19 3 2 5 8 — — — — —
2012–13 HC Slovan Bratislava KHL 6 1 0 1 4 2 0 0 0 2
2013–14 HC Kosice Slovak 26 6 13 19 10 — — — — —
NHL totals 344 100 72 172 217 14 2 5 7 4

International

Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2000 Slovakia WJC18 5th 6 2 0 2 0
2002 Slovakia WJC 8th 7 7 1 8 6
2006 Slovakia OG 5th 6 0 0 0 0
2010 Slovakia WC 12th 6 1 1 2 6
Junior totals 13 9 1 10 6
Senior totals 12 1 1 2 6

Awards and honours

Award Year
Western Hockey League
All-Rookie Team 2000–01
West Second All-Star Team 2001–02

References

  1. ↑ "Shoulder injury ends season for Svatos". Colorado Avalanche. March 9, 2006. Retrieved February 2, 2009.
  2. ↑ "Avs beat Kings; Smyth, Svatos hurt". Rocky Mountain News. March 1, 2008. Retrieved February 2, 2009.
  3. ↑ "Symth suffered concussion, Svatos out with ACL tear". Colorado Avalanche. March 3, 2008. Retrieved February 2, 2009.
  4. ↑ "Svatos under contract with Avs". Colorado Avalanche. July 25, 2008. Retrieved February 2, 2009.
  5. ↑ "Svatos' confidence grows after ACL tear". Rocky Mountain News. December 2, 2008. Retrieved February 2, 2009.
  6. ↑ "Svatos signs one-year deal with Omsk in KHL". The Sports Network. September 24, 2010. Retrieved September 26, 2010.
  7. ↑ "Avangard terminate contract with Marek Svatos" (in Russian). Avangard Omsk. December 23, 2010. Retrieved December 23, 2010.
  8. ↑ "Blues Sign Forward Marek Svatos". St. Louis Blues. December 28, 2010. Retrieved December 28, 2010.
  9. ↑ "Predators trump Blues; claim Svatos off waivers". The Sports Network. December 29, 2010. Retrieved December 30, 2010.
  10. ↑ "Predators 4, Wild 1". National Hockey League. December 31, 2010. Retrieved January 2, 2010.
  11. ↑ "Predators score five unanswered goals to beat Kings". CBS Sports. 2011-01-06. Retrieved 2012-04-15.
  12. ↑ "Bulletin: Senators claim forward Svatos off waivers from Predators". Ottawa Senators. 2011-02-24. Retrieved 2012-04-15.
  13. ↑ "Thrashers edge Sens, keep playoff hopes flickering". CBS Sports. 2011-03-27. Retrieved 2012-04-15.
  14. ↑ "Alfredsson won't return for Sens this season". National Hockey League. 2011-04-04. Retrieved 2012-04-05.
  15. ↑ "After year off, Svatos will report to Florida's training camp". NBC Sports. 2013-01-07. Retrieved 2013-01-07.
  16. ↑ "Svatos released, Santorelli and others on waivers". The Sun Sentinel. 2013-01-17. Retrieved 2013-01-17.
  17. ↑ "Marek Svatoš to Slovan: "I've received an advantageous offer"" (in Slovak). sport.aktuality.sk. 2013-01-22. Retrieved 2013-01-22.
  18. ↑ "Marek Svatos to help HC Kosice" (in Slovak). HC Kosice. 2013-09-18. Retrieved 2013-09-18.

External links