Michal Handzuš(Slovak pronunciation:[ˈmixalˈɦandzuʂ];born 11 March 1977) is aSlovakformer professionalice hockeycentre.Handzuš played for hometown club,HC ’05 Banská Bystricaof theSlovak Extraligabefore joining theNational Hockey League(NHL) in 1998. Handzuš played for theSt. Louis Blues,Phoenix Coyotes,Philadelphia Flyers,Los Angeles Kings,San Jose Sharksand theChicago Blackhawks,with whom he won theStanley Cupwith in2013.
| Michal Handzuš | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Handzuš with theLos Angeles Kingsin 2009 | |||
| Born |
11 March 1977 Banská Bystrica,Czechoslovakia | ||
| Height | 6 ft 4 in (193 cm) | ||
| Weight | 219 lb (99 kg; 15 st 9 lb) | ||
| Position | Centre | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for |
HC ’05 Banská Bystrica HK Poprad St. Louis Blues Phoenix Coyotes Philadelphia Flyers HKm Zvolen Chicago Blackhawks Los Angeles Kings San Jose Sharks | ||
| National team |
 Slovakia | ||
| NHL draft |
101st overall,1995 St. Louis Blues | ||
| Playing career | 1995–2017 | ||
Handzuš representedSlovakiaat several international ice hockey tournaments, including the2002,2010and2014 Winter Olympics.
Playing career
editHandzuš played in the 1991Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournamentwith a youth team fromPoprad,Slovakia.[1]
Handzuš, nicknamed "Zeus",[2]was drafted 101st overall in the1995 NHL Entry Draftby theSt. Louis Blues,playing with them for two-and-a-half seasons from1998–99to2000–01.The Blues' line ofPavol Demitra,Ľuboš Bartečkoand Handzuš were known as the"Slovak Pack" line.[3]Handzuš finished second in voting for theFrank J. Selke Trophy,awarded annually to the NHL's top defensive-forward, following the1999–2000season.[4]
Handzuš was traded on 13 March 2001, along withLadislav Nagy,Jeff Taffeand two first-round draft picks, to thePhoenix Coyotesin exchange forKeith Tkachuk.[5]Handzuš then spent two seasons with Phoenix.[citation needed]
On 12 June 2002, Handzuš was traded along withRobert Escheto thePhiladelphia Flyersin exchange forBrian Boucherand a third-round draft pick.[6]On 5 December 2002, he became only the second player in NHL history to score a penalty shot goal in overtime. In the2003–04season, he finished second on the Flyers with 58 points and later signed a three-year contract extension with Philadelphia during the ensuing off-season.[7]During the2004–05 NHL lockout,he played for theHKm Zvolen,which reached the playoff finals in theSlovak Extraliga.[citation needed]
On 4 August 2006, Handzuš was traded to theChicago Blackhawksin exchange forKyle Calder.[8]Only eight games into his season with Chicago, however, Handzuš suffered a tornanterior cruciate ligament(ACL), which sidelined him for the remainder of the2006–07season.[citation needed]
On 2 July 2007, Handzuš signed a four-year, $16 million contract with theLos Angeles Kings.[9]
On 1 July 2011, Handzuš signed a two-year, $5 million contract with theSan Jose Sharks.[10]During thelockout-shortened2012–13 season,on 1 April 2013, Handzuš was traded back to Chicago in exchange for a fourth-round draft pick.[11]
On 24 June 2013, Handzuš and the Blackhawks defeated theBoston Bruins3–2 in Game 6 of the2013 Stanley Cup Finalsto win theStanley Cup.In the following off-season, on 5 July, Handzuš re-signed to a one-year contract to remain with the team. On 19 March 2014, he played in his1,000th career NHL game.[citation needed]
On 28 May 2014, with the Blackhawks facing elimination in Game 5 of theWestern Conference Finals,Handzuš scored a game-winning goal in double-overtime against Los Angeles Kings, the eventual Stanley Cup champions. On 16 June, after the Blackhawks had been eliminated from playoff contention, the team announced that they would not be re-signing Handzuš after the season. He subsequently became an unrestricted free agent on 1 July.[12]
Management career
editPost-playing career, Handzuš joined the leadership of theSlovak Ice Hockey Federation,but resigned in September 2022 after the organization chose to continue allowing national team members to play in theKHLdespite the ongoing2022 Russian invasion of Ukrainesaying, "It is a fundamental value issue for me, and that is why I cannot imagine my further work in this direction of the organization,” in a statement posted to Twitter.[13]
Career statistics
editRegular season and playoffs
edit| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1993–94 | ŠK Iskra Banská Bystrica | SVK U20 | 40 | 23 | 36 | 59 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1994–95 | ŠK Iskra Banská Bystrica | SVK-2 | 22 | 15 | 14 | 29 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1995–96 | Iskra Zlatý Bažant Banská Bystrica | SVK U20 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 13 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1995–96 | Iskra Zlatý Bažant Banská Bystrica | SVK | 19 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1996–97 | HC ŠKP PS Poprad | SVK | 44 | 15 | 18 | 33 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1997–98 | Worcester IceCats | AHL | 69 | 27 | 36 | 63 | 54 | 11 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 10 | ||
| 1998–99 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 66 | 4 | 12 | 16 | 30 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 8 | ||
| 1999–00 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 82 | 25 | 28 | 53 | 44 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 6 | ||
| 2000–01 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 36 | 10 | 14 | 24 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2000–01 | Phoenix Coyotes | NHL | 10 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 21 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | Phoenix Coyotes | NHL | 79 | 15 | 30 | 45 | 34 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 2002–03 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 82 | 23 | 21 | 44 | 46 | 13 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 6 | ||
| 2003–04 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 82 | 20 | 38 | 58 | 82 | 18 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 10 | ||
| 2004–05 | HKm Zvolen | SVK | 33 | 14 | 24 | 38 | 34 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 73 | 11 | 33 | 44 | 38 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | ||
| 2006–07 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 8 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 82 | 7 | 14 | 21 | 45 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 82 | 18 | 24 | 42 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009–10 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 81 | 20 | 22 | 42 | 38 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 4 | ||
| 2010–11 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 82 | 12 | 18 | 30 | 20 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2011–12 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 67 | 7 | 17 | 24 | 18 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2012–13 | HC '05 Banská Bystrica | SVK | 15 | 9 | 10 | 19 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2012–13 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 28 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2012–13 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 11 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 23 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 6 | ||
| 2013–14 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 59 | 4 | 12 | 16 | 16 | 19 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 8 | ||
| 2014–15 | HC '05 Banská Bystrica | SVK | 22 | 7 | 11 | 18 | 16 | 18 | 3 | 9 | 12 | 2 | ||
| 2015–16 | HC '05 Banská Bystrica | SVK | 40 | 12 | 16 | 28 | 36 | 15 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 12 | ||
| 2016–17 | HC '05 Banská Bystrica | SVK | 10 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 27 | 15 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 4 | ||
| SVK totals | 183 | 61 | 85 | 146 | 167 | 64 | 13 | 31 | 44 | 24 | ||||
| NHL totals | 1,009 | 185 | 298 | 483 | 498 | 116 | 16 | 30 | 46 | 52 | ||||
 Handzuš (left) is knocked down by Swedish centreHenrik Sedinduring the 2010 Winter Olympics. | ||
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| RepresentingSlovakia
| ||
| Ice hockey | ||
| World Championships | ||
 |
2002 Sweden | |
 |
2000 Russia | |
|
2012 Finland/Sweden | |
International
edit| Year | Team | Event | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Slovakia | EJC B | 5 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 4 | |
| 1996 | Slovakia | WJC | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 | |
| 1997 | Slovakia | WJC | 6 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 2 | |
| 2000 | Slovakia | WC | 6 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 4 | |
| 2002 | Slovakia | OG | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | |
| 2002 | Slovakia | WC | 6 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 4 | |
| 2005 | Slovakia | WC | 7 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 2 | |
| 2009 | Slovakia | WC | 6 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 6 | |
| 2010 | Slovakia | OG | 7 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2011 | Slovakia | WC | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2012 | Slovakia | WC | 8 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2014 | Slovakia | OG | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | |
| Junior totals | 17 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 8 | |||
| Senior totals | 51 | 11 | 24 | 35 | 22 | |||
Awards and achievements
editThis is the list of achievements of Michal Handzuš:[14]
| Award | Year(s) |
|---|---|
| AHLPlayer of the Week | 5 April 1998 |
| Slovak ExtraligaAll-Stars Team | 2004–05 |
| IIHF World ChampionshipMedal | Gold:2002,Silver:2000,2012 |
| Stanley Cupchampion | 2013 |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^"Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA"(PDF).Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament.2018. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 6 March 2019.Retrieved1 February2019.
- ^Holka, Marek; Takáč, Adam (18 May 2023)."Boris Valábik Poviem to škaredo – naši strelci sa musia prebudiť".Konzervatívny denník Postoj.Archivedfrom the original on 18 May 2023.Retrieved18 May2023.
- ^"The Olympians: Pavol Demitra – Vancouver Canucks – Features".Canucks.nhl.Retrieved17 January2014.
- ^"1999-00 NHL Awards Voting".Hockey-Reference.Retrieved26 August2024.
- ^"Coyotes Acquire Handzus, Nagy and Taffe from St. Louis for Tkachuk".Phoenix Coyotes.13 March 2001. Archived fromthe originalon 19 June 2001.Retrieved22 May2023.
- ^"Flyers Acquire Center Michal Handzus and goaltender Robert Esche from Phoenix for Brian Boucher".Philadelphia Flyers.12 June 2002. Archived fromthe originalon 3 August 2002.Retrieved4 June2022.
- ^"Flyers Re-Sign Michal Handzus to New Contract".Philadelphia Flyers.6 August 2004. Archived fromthe originalon 8 August 2004.Retrieved27 May2022.
- ^"Flyers Acquire Left Wing Kyle Calder From Chicago".Philadelphia Flyers.4 August 2006. Archived fromthe originalon 29 November 2014.Retrieved12 January2024.
- ^"Kings ink Nagy, Handzus, Preissing, Calder".The Sports Network.3 April 2010.Retrieved28 November2009.
- ^"Sharks Sign Handzuš To Two-Year Contract Worth $5 Million".The Sports Network.2 July 2011.Retrieved2 July2011.
- ^"Blackhawks acquire Handzus from Sharks for draft pick".The Sports Network.1 April 2013.Retrieved11 April2013.
- ^"Blackhawks to Part Ways with Michal Handzus".NBC Chicago. 16 June 2014.Retrieved16 June2014.
- ^"Former Slovak hockey player Handzuš resigned from the leadership of the hockey association"(in Czech).Deník N.14 September 2022.Retrieved16 September2022.
- ^"EliteProspects – Player info".EliteProspects.Retrieved26 June2013.
External links
edit
- Biographical information and career statistics fromNHL,orEliteprospects,orEurohockey,orHockey-Reference,orThe Internet Hockey Database
- Michal Handzuš at NHLPAat theWayback Machine(archived 22 March 2006)
- Michal HandzušatOlympedia
- Michal HandzušatOlympics
- Michal HandzušatOlympic.sk(in Slovak)
