Michal Pivoňka

Michal Pivoňka
Born (1966-01-28) January 28, 1966
Kladno, Czechoslovakia
Height 6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
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 19842000

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 has the third most assists in Capitals history with 418, trailing only Nicklas Backstrom and Alexander Ovechkin.

Career statistics

    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1986–87Washington CapitalsNHL731825434171122
1987–88Washington CapitalsNHL71112334281449134
1988–89Baltimore SkipjacksAHL3112243619
1988–89Washington CapitalsNHL528192730631410
1989–90Washington CapitalsNHL7725396454110226
1990–91Washington CapitalsNHL7920507034112358
1991–92Washington CapitalsNHL8023578047715613
1992–93Washington CapitalsNHL692351746660220
1993–94Washington CapitalsNHL821436503874484
1994–95Washington CapitalsNHL4610233350714521
1995–96Detroit VipersIHL7191019
1995–96Washington CapitalsNHL7316658136632518
1996–97Washington CapitalsNHL547162322
1997–98Washington CapitalsNHL3336920130330
1998–99Washington CapitalsNHL36561112
1999–00Kansas City BladesIHL5216345038
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
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