Richard Pánik

Richard Pánik
Panik with the Lightning in 2014.
Born February 7, 1991
Martin, Czechoslovakia
Height 6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight 197 lb (89 kg; 14 st 1 lb)
Position Right Wing
Shoots Left
NHL team
Former teams 		Toronto Maple Leafs
Tampa Bay Lightning
National team  Slovakia
NHL Draft 52nd overall, 2009
Tampa Bay Lightning
Playing career 2007–present

Richard Pánik (born February 7, 1991) is a Slovak ice hockey player. He currently plays for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). Pánik was drafted in the second round, 52nd overall in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft by the Lightning.

Playing career

Panik warming up before a game in 2013.

Juniors

He played two years professionally for HC Oceláři Třinec of the Czech Extraliga before being drafted. After being drafted in 2009, Pánik attended training camp with the Lightning. After he was cut from training camp, he joined the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League.[1] Pánik played for the Slovak national team at the 2009 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, where he scored two goals and three assists in five games.[2]

On January 5, 2010, the Windsor Spitfires sent Pánik to the Belleville Bulls in a blockbuster trade along with Austen Brassard, Steve Gleeson, Paul Bezzo, a second-round pick in 2012, a third-round pick in 2010 and a seventh-round pick in 2012. In return the Windsor Spitfires acquired Philipp Grubauer, Marc Cantin and Stephen Johnson.[3]

Norfolk Admirals

Panik was a member of the Norfolk Admirals team that set a the longest win streak in professional hockey in North America. The Norfolk Admirals won a record breaking 28 consecutive victories that season.[4] Panik also helped the Admirals captured the Calder Cup championship in a 4-0 sweep over the Toronto Marlies.[5]

Syracuse Crunch

Following the Calder Cup championship season, the Tampa Bay Lightning changed their American Hockey League affiliate for the upcoming season.[6] During the 2012–13 NHL lockout the Tampa Bay Lightning assigned Paink and 17 other players to the Syracuse Crunch.[7] On February 11, 2013, the Tampa Bay Lightning recalled Richard Panik from the Syracuse Crunch. Paink played in 43 games with the Crunch this season, recording 21 goals and 35 points. Panik recorded an AHL high 12-game point streak from November 2 through December 1 with 17 points.[8] On March 1, 2013, the Tampa Bay Lightning reassigned Paink to the Syracuse Crunch. Paink recorded his first career goal on February 23 at Carolina in a 5-2 Lightning victory. Paink played in nine games during his call-up, and registered a goal and eight shots.[9] Paink helped the Crunch reach the Calder Cup final, but the Crunch fell to the Grand Rapids Griffins in a 4-2 series defeat.[10]

Tampa Bay Lightning

Pánik scored his first NHL goal on February 23, 2013, against Dan Ellis of the Carolina Hurricanes.[11]

Paink made the 2013-14 Tampa Bay Lightning opening night roster out of training camp.[12] Paink saw his playing time dwindle as the season went on, and he was struggling to find consistency in his game. On January 24, 2014, the Tampa Bay Lightning announced that Panik had be assigned to the Syracuse Crunch. Panik had appeared in 39 games with the Lightning this season, collecting two goals and 11 points to go along with 15 penalty minutes.[13] On March 5, 2014, the Tampa Bay Lightning recalled Paink from the Syracuse Crunch. Paink appeared in 13 games with the Crunch this season, collecting three goals and 11 points. Panik also appeared for Slovakia at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, during the Olympic break.[14]

On July 11, 2014, the Tampa Bay Lightning announced the re-signing of Pánik to a one-year, two-way contract. Panik played in 50 games with Tampa Bay last season, recording three goals and 13 points. Panik also appeared in 13 games with the Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League. Panik had three goals and 11 points with the Crunch. Additionally, Paink played in two games during the Lightning's Eastern Conference Quarter-Final series against the Montreal Canadiens during the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs.[15]

Toronto Maple Leafs

After failing to make the Lightning out of training camp for the 2014-15 season, Pánik was placed on waivers and was claimed by the Toronto Maple Leafs on October 9, 2014.[16] On October 25, 2014, Panik recorded his first goal as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs in a 4-1 loss to the visiting Boston Bruins.[17] Panik experienced a breakout season in Toronto, setting a career high in goals and points.

International

He was selected to play for the Slovakia men's national ice hockey team at the 2010 IIHF World Championship where he recorded two assists and finished a +3.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2007–08 HC Oceláři Třinec Czech 6 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
2008–09 HC Oceláři Třinec Czech 15 1 1 2 4 4 0 0 0 0
2009–10 Windsor Spitfires OHL 33 9 9 18 19 — — — — —
2009–10 Belleville Bulls OHL 27 12 11 23 36 — — — — —
2009–10 Norfolk Admirals AHL 5 0 1 1 0 — — — — —
2010–11 Belleville Bulls OHL 27 14 17 31 33 — — — — —
2010–11 Guelph Storm OHL 24 13 12 25 42 6 1 2 3 10
2011–12 Norfolk Admirals AHL 64 19 22 41 62 18 5 1 6 23
2012–13 Syracuse Crunch AHL 51 22 19 41 81 16 9 5 14 59
2012–13 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL 25 5 4 9 4 — — — — —
2013–14 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL 50 3 10 13 21 2 0 0 0 4
2013–14 Syracuse Crunch AHL 13 3 8 11 8 — — — — —
2014–15 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 76 11 6 17 49 — — — — —
NHL totals 151 19 20 39 74 2 0 0 0 4

International

Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2007 Slovakia WJC18 5th 6 0 2 2 2
2008 Slovakia WJC18 7th 6 4 6 10 0
2009 Slovakia WJC 4th 7 2 3 5 4
2010 Slovakia WJC 8th 6 6 2 8 2
2010 Slovakia WC 12th 6 0 2 2 6
2011 Slovakia WJC 8th 6 7 2 9 12
2014 Slovakia Oly 11th 4 0 0 0 0
Junior totals 31 19 15 34 20
Senior totals 10 0 2 2 6

Awards and honours

Award Year
AHL Calder Cup 2011–12 [18]

References

  1. ↑ Tampa Bay Lightning reassigns right wing Richard Pánik to OHL Windsor
  2. ↑ Richard Pánik, Hockey's Future
  3. ↑ "Spits make blockbuster trade". Windsor Star. 2010-01-05. Retrieved 2010-01-05.
  4. ↑ Norfolk, Admirals (October 11, 2013). "#1: Admirals Win 28 Straight Games; Set Record". Admirals Press Release. Retrieved November 20, 2014.
  5. ↑ Associated, Press (June 9, 2012). "Norfolk Admirals win Calder Cup". ESPN NHL. Retrieved November 20, 2014.
  6. ↑ Tampa Bay, Lightning (June 14, 2012). "Lightning Enter Into Affiliation Agreement With AHL's Syracuse Crunch". Bolts Report. Retrieved November 20, 2014.
  7. ↑ Tampa Bay, Lightning (September 14, 2013). "Lightning Assign 18 Players to Syracuse of the AHL". Lightning News. Retrieved November 20, 2014.
  8. ↑ Tampa Bay, Lightning (February 11, 2013). "Lightning Recall Forward Richard Panik From Syracuse". Lightning News. Retrieved November 20, 2014.
  9. ↑ Tampa Bay, Lightning (March 1, 2013). "Lightning Reassign Forward Richard Panik to Syracuse of AHL". Lightning News. Retrieved November 20, 2014.
  10. ↑ Axe, Brent (June 19, 2013). "Calder Cup Finals: The 2012-'13 Syracuse Crunch won't soon be forgotten even in defeat". Syracuse.com. Retrieved November 20, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Lightning 5, Hurricanes 2". Tampa Bay Lightning. 2013-02-23.
  12. ↑ Fontana, John (September 30, 2013). "2013-14 Tampa Bay Lightning Season preview part 6: Line projections and depth". SB Nation Raw Charge. Retrieved November 20, 2014.
  13. ↑ Kramer, Lindsay (January 24, 2014). "Tampa Bay Lightning assigns forward Richard Panik to the Syracuse Crunch". Syracuse.com. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
  14. ↑ Kramer, Lindsay (January 24, 2014). "Lightning Recall Richard Panik; Reassign Namestnikov to Syracuse". Syracuse.com. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
  15. ↑ Tampa Bay, Lightning (July 11, 2014). "Lightning Re-sign Forward Richard Panik". Press Release. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
  16. ↑ http://www.tsn.ca/leafs-claim-rw-panik-off-waivers-from-lightning-1.102896
  17. ↑ The, Canadian Press (October 25, 2014). "Maple Leafs beaten by Boston Bruins after emotional pre-game ceremony". Maple Leafs Game Recap. Retrieved November 20, 2014.
  18. ↑ Associated, Press (June 9, 2012). "Norfolk Admirals win Calder Cup". ESPN NHL. Retrieved November 18, 2014.

External links