Samuel Hlavaj

{{Infobox ice hockey biography

| name = Samuel Hlavaj

| halloffame =

| image = 2024-02-17_HC_Energie_Karlovy_Vary_gegen_HC_Škoda_Plzeň_(Extraliga,_Hockey_Outdoor_Triple_Klingenthal)_by_Sandro_Halank–010.jpg

| image_size = 230px

| alt =

| caption = Hlavaj with HC Škoda Plzeň in 2024

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2001|5|29|df=y}}

| birth_place = Martin, Slovakia

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 4

| weight_lbs = 218

| position = Goaltender

| catches = Left

| league = NHL

| team = Minnesota Wild

| prospect_league = AHL

| prospect_team = Iowa Wild

| former_teams = HC Slovan Bratislava
HC Škoda Plzeň

| ntl_team = SVK

| draft = Undrafted

| career_start = 2017

| career_end =

| website =

}}

Samuel Hlavaj (born May 29, 2001, in Martin, Slovakia) is a Slovak professional ice hockey goaltender for the Iowa Wild in the American Hockey League (AHL) as a prospect to the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League (NHL). Hlavaj has played for his country in the IIHF World Championships of 2023 and 2024.

Playing career

=Junior=

Hlavaj signed for Lincoln Stars of the United States Hockey League (USHL) during the 2018–19 season.{{cite web|url=https://sportnet.sme.sk/spravy/samuel-hlavaj-bude-pokracovat-v-klube-lincoln-stars/|title=Hlavaj poputuje do zámorskej USHL, dohodol sa s Lincoln Stars|language=sk|work=sme.sk|date=30 December 2018|access-date=24 May 2024}} The following season, 2019–20, Hlavaj played for Canadian side Sherbrooke Phoenix, during which time he won the Jacques Plante Memorial Trophy.{{cite web|url=https://www.teraz.sk/hokej/slovensky-brankar-hlavaj-s-trofejou-ja/456233-clanok.html|title=Slovenský brankár Hlavaj s Trofejou Jacquesa Plantea|language=sk|work=teraz.sk|date=28 March 2020|access-date=3 April 2025}}

=Professional=

Back in Europe, he played for Slovak team HC Slovan Bratislava for two seasons, before joining Czech side HC Škoda Plzeň in May 2023, signing a two-year contract.{{cite web|url=https://www.idnes.cz/hokej/extraliga/samuel-hlavaj-skoda-plzen-prestup-brankar-posila.A230501_091257_hokej_huda|title=Hokejová Plzeň podepsala nového brankáře, do klubu přichází Slovák Hlavaj|trans-title= Plzeň hockey signed a new goaltender, Slovak Hlavaj comes to the club|language=cs|work=idnes.cz|date=1 May 2023|access-date=24 May 2024}}

On April 5, 2024, after completing his first season with Plzeň, Hlavaj enacted his NHL out clause after agreeing to terms with the Minnesota Wild on a two-year, entry-level contract starting with the 2024–25 NHL season.{{cite press release|url=https://www.nhl.com/wild/news/minnesota-wild-signs-hlavaj-040524|title=Minnesota Wild Signs Goalie Samuel Hlavaj to Entry-Level Contract|work=NHL.com|date=5 April 2024|access-date=24 May 2024}}

International play

Hlavaj played for the Slovakia men's national junior ice hockey team at the 2019 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.

Hlavaj started three games for Slovakia at the 2023 IIHF World Championship. At the 2024 IIHF World Championship he didn't play in Slovakia's opening game,{{cite web|url=https://sportnet.sme.sk/spravy/samuel-hlavaj-slovensko-kazachstan-najazdy-spomienka-ms-v-hokeji-2024/|title=Hlavaj spomína na kazašské nájazdy: Šiel som na párky a utieral si z úst kečup aj horčicu|language=sk|work=sme.sk|date=11 May 2024|access-date=2 April 2025}} but made five appearances, including a 4–0 win against Poland in which he completed a shutout.{{cite web|url=https://www.idnes.cz/hokej/ms-2024/hokej-ms-slovensko-polsko-ohlas-samuel-hlavaj.A240516_000254_ms-hokej-2024_drev|title=Hlavaj po výhře nad outsiderem: Cítil jsem se hůř než proti Americe|trans-title=Hlavaj after victory against outsider: I felt worse than against America|language=cs|work=idnes.cz|date=16 May 2024|access-date=2 April 2025}} At the tournament Hlavaj wore a mask with an image of Juraj Jánošík on it.

In August 2024 he was included in the Slovakia squad for the qualification tournament for the 2026 Winter Olympics,{{cite web|url=https://www.idnes.cz/hokej/reprezentace/slovensko-nominace-kvalifikace-olympiady-rusko-khl.A240819_092130_reprezentace_hrj|title=Slováci berou hráče z KHL. Šatan vyjel na novináře: Jsme apolitická instituce |trans-title= Slovaks take players from the KHL. Šatan attacks journalists: We are an apolitical institution|language=cs|work=idnes.cz|date=19 August 2024|access-date=24 May 2024}} in which he played, and resulted in Slovakia, as well as Denmark and Latvia, qualifying.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sport.cz/clanek/hokej-hokejiste-lotysska-si-v-kvalifikaci-vybojovali-ucast-na-olympijskych-hrach-5035760|title=Hokejisté Slovenska, Lotyšska a Dánska postoupili na ZOH 2026|language=cs|work=Czech News Agency|date=1 September 2024|access-date=2 April 2025}}

Career statistics

=Regular season and playoffs=

border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; width:75%"

ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! align="center" colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! align="center" rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! align="center" colspan="9" bgcolor="#e0e0e0" | Regular season

! align="center" rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! align="center" colspan="8" bgcolor="#e0e0e0" | Playoffs

ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! Season

! Team

! League

! GP

! W

! L

! OT

! MIN

! GA

! SO

! GAA

! SV%

! GP

! W

! L

! MIN

! GA

! SO

! GAA

! SV%

ALIGN="center"

| 2017–18

| MHA Martin

| Slovak.20

| 8

| 3

| 5

| 0

| 419

| 22

| 0

| 3.15

| .917

| —

ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2017–18

| HK Orange 20

| Slovak

| 1

| 0

| 1

| 14

| 2

| 0

| 8.67

| .714

| —

ALIGN="center"

| 2017–18

| HK Orange 20

| Slovak.1

| 5

| 1

| 3

| 1

| 283

| 17

| 0

| 3.61

| .877

| —

ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2018–19

| HK Orange 20

| Slovak

| 4

| 0

| 3

| 1

| 212

| 21

| 0

| 5.95

| .861

| —

ALIGN="center"

| 2018–19

| HK Orange 20

| Slovak.1

| 3

| 2

| 0

| 1

| 119

| 2

| 1

| 1.01

| .957

| —

ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2018–19

| Lincoln Stars

| USHL

| 22

| 3

| 18

| 1

| 1178

| 90

| 0

| 4.58

| .862

| —

ALIGN="center"

| 2019–20

| Sherbrooke Phoenix

| QMJHL

| 39

| 33

| 3

| 2

| 2295

| 86

| 3

| 2.25

| .915

| —

ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2020–21

| Sherbrooke Phoenix

| QMJHL

| 20

| 7

| 11

| 2

| 1175

| 62

| 1

| 3.17

| .895

| 3

| 0

| 3

| 176

| 15

| 0

| 5.10

| .857

ALIGN="center"

| 2021–22

| HC Slovan Bratislava

| Slovak

| 9

| 5

| 3

| 1

| 476

| 19

| 2

| 2.39

| .908

| —

ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2021–22

| HC Modré Krídla Slovan

| Slovak.1

| 15

| 6

| 7

| 2

| 913

| 49

| 2

| 3.22

| .909

| 8

| 3

| 5

| 476

| 21

| 0

| 2.65

| .920

ALIGN="center"

| 2022–23

| HC Slovan Bratislava

| Slovak

| 18

| 9

| 6

| 3

| 1060

| 45

| 1

| 2.55

| .916

| 1

| 0

| 1

| 58

| 3

| 0

| 3.10

| .900

ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2022–23

| HC Modré Krídla Slovan

| Slovak.1

| 6

| 4

| 1

| 370

| 20

| 1

| 3.25

| .913

| 1

| 0

| 61

| 3

| 0

| 2.96

| .923

ALIGN="center"

| 2023–24

| HC Plzeň

| ELH

| 28

| 8

| 20

| 0

| 1511

| 78

| 0

| 3.10

| .903

| 2

| 0

| 2

| 118

| 8

| 0

| 4.07

| .877

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan=3 | ELH totals

! 28 !! 8 !! 20 !! 0 !! 1,511 !! 78 !! 0 !! 3.10 !! .903

! 2 !! 0 !! 2 !! 118 !! 8 !! 0 !! 4.07 !! .877

=International=

border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" ID="Table3" style="text-align:center; width:40em"

ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! Year

! Team

! Event

! Result

! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! GP

! W

! L

! OT

! MIN

! GA

! SO

! GAA

! SV%

2018

| Slovakia

| U18

| 7th

| 1

| 0

| 1

| 0

| 58

| 4

| 0

| 4.11

| .889

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2019

| Slovakia

| WJC

| 8th

| 4

| 1

| 2

| 0

| 188

| 12

| 0

| 3.83

| .872

ALIGN="center"

| 2019

| Slovakia

| U18

| 10th

| 4

| 0

| 4

| 0

| 201

| 15

| 0

| 4.49

| .894

ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2020

| Slovakia

| WJC

| 8th

| 5

| 1

| 3

| 0

| 201

| 18

| 0

| 5.37

| .851

ALIGN="center"

| 2021

| Slovakia

| WJC

| 8th

| 2

| 0

| 2

| 0

| 119

| 8

| 0

| 4.03

| .889

ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2023

| Slovakia

| WC

| 9th

| 3

| 0

| 3

| 0

| 189

| 7

| 0

| 2.22

| .932

ALIGN="center"

| 2024

| Slovakia

| WC

| 7th

| 5

| 3

| 2

| 0

| 307

| 13

| 1

| 2.54

| .925

ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2024

| Slovakia

| OGQ

| Q

| 3

| 0

| 180

| 5

| 0

| 1.67

| .929

ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan=4 | Junior totals

! 16

! 2

! 12

! 0

! 767

! 57

! 0

! 4.46

! .886

ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan=4 | Senior totals

! 11

! 6

! 5

! 0

! 676

! 25

! 1

! 2.22

! .929

References

External links

{{Ice hockey stats}}

Category:2001 births

Category:Living people

Category:Iowa Heartlanders players

Category:Iowa Wild players

Category:Ice hockey people from Martin, Slovakia

Category:Lincoln Stars players

Category:HC Plzeň players

Category:Slovak ice hockey goaltenders

Category:Sherbrooke Phoenix players

Category:HC Slovan Bratislava players

Category:21st-century Slovak sportsmen