Pavol Demitra (; 29 November 1974 – 7 September 2011) was a
Slovak professional
ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice ...
player. He played nineteen seasons of professional hockey, for teams in the
Czechoslovak First Ice Hockey League (CSL),
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey sports league, league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranke ...
(NHL),
Slovak Extraliga (SVK), and
Kontinental Hockey League
The Kontinental Hockey League (KHL; russian: Континентальная хоккейная лига (КХЛ), Kontinental'naya khokkeynaya liga) is an international professional ice hockey league founded in 2008. It comprises member clubs ba ...
(KHL). A skilled offensive player, Demitra was a
top-line forward throughout his career.
After a season with
HC Dukla Trenčín in the CSL, Demitra was selected 227th overall in the
1993 NHL Entry Draft
The 1993 NHL Entry Draft was the 31st NHL Entry Draft. It took place on June 26, 1993, at the Colisée de Québec in Quebec City, Quebec.
First overall pick Alexandre Daigle is widely regarded today as one of the all-time greatest draft bust ...
by the
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators (french: Sénateurs d'Ottawa), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member ...
. He subsequently left Slovakia to join the Senators organization, spending three seasons split between team and their
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 season, every team in the lea ...
affiliate. A contract holdout at the start of the
1996–97 season saw Demitra traded to the
St. Louis Blues
The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis. The Blues compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the ...
. Demitra had his most successful seasons with St. Louis, being selected for three
NHL All-Star Game
The National Hockey League All-Star Game (french: Match des Étoiles de la Ligue Nationale de Hockey, links=no) is an exhibition ice hockey game that is traditionally held during the regular season of the National Hockey League (NHL), with many o ...
s and winning the
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy
The Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, formerly known as the Lady Byng Trophy, is presented each year to the National Hockey League "player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of ...
in 2000. He scored at least 30 goals three times and 90 points once while with the Blues. During the
2004–05 NHL lockout
The 2004–05 NHL lockout was a labor lockout that resulted in the cancellation of the National Hockey League (NHL) season, which would have been its 88th season of play.
The main dispute was the league's desire to implement a salary cap to ...
, Demitra returned to HC Dukla Trenčín for, and upon returning to the NHL the following year, he signed as a free agent with the
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference and was founded on June 5, 1967, after Jack Kent ...
. After one season with Los Angeles, he was traded to the
Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The Wild competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference and play their home games at the Xcel Ener ...
, where he played for two further seasons before signing with the
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference, and play their home games at Rogers Arena. Bruce ...
, and spent his last two NHL seasons with the team. In 2010 Demitra signed with
Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the KHL, playing one season there before dying in the
2011 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl plane crash
On 7 September 2011, YAK-Service Flight 9633, a Yakovlev Yak-42 charter flight operated by YAK-Service carrying players and coaching staff of the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl professional ice hockey team, crashed on take-off near Yaroslavl, Yaroslavl Ob ...
that involved most of the team prior to the
2011–12 KHL season.
Internationally, Demitra played in junior tournaments with the
Czechoslovakian national junior team. He won a gold medal at the
1992 IIHF European U18 Championship and a bronze medal at the
1993 IIHF World U20 Championship. After the
country split in 1993, Demitra began competing for
Slovakia
Slovakia (; sk, Slovensko ), officially the Slovak Republic ( sk, Slovenská republika, links=no ), is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the ...
. Beginning in
1996
File:1996 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: A bomb explodes at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, set off by a radical anti-abortionist; The center fuel tank explodes on TWA Flight 800, causing the plane to crash and killing everyone o ...
, he played in six
IIHF World Championships, winning a bronze medal in
2003
File:2003 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The crew of STS-107 perished when the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated during reentry into Earth's atmosphere; SARS became an epidemic in China, and was a precursor to SARS-CoV-2; A ...
and captaining his country in
2011
File:2011 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: a protester partaking in Occupy Wall Street heralds the beginning of the Occupy movement; protests against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed that October; a young man celebrates ...
. He also played in the
1996
File:1996 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: A bomb explodes at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, set off by a radical anti-abortionist; The center fuel tank explodes on TWA Flight 800, causing the plane to crash and killing everyone o ...
and
2004 World Cup of Hockey
The 2004 World Cup of Hockey was an international ice hockey tournament. It was the second installment of the National Hockey League (NHL)-sanctioned competition, eight years after the inaugural 1996 World Cup of Hockey. It was held from August 30 ...
. Demitra also played in three
Winter Olympics
The Winter Olympic Games (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques d'hiver) is a major international multi-sport event held once every four years for sports practiced on snow and ice. The first Winter Olympic Games, the 1924 Winter Olympics, were h ...
:
2002
File:2002 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 2002 Winter Olympics are held in Salt Lake City; Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and her daughter Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon die; East Timor gains East Timor independence, indepe ...
,
2006
File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro votes to declare independence from Serbia; The 2006 ...
(where he was captain of the Slovak team), and
2010
File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...
, where he led all scorers in points and was named to the tournament's All-Star Team.
Playing career
Czechoslovakia
Initially a
soccer
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...
player, like his father (who played professionally), Demitra only began to focus on hockey when he was 15.
Demitra began playing at the senior level with
ZŤS Dubnica in Czechoslovakia's second-tier league; he recorded 23 points (13 goals and 10 assists) over 28 games. The following season, Demitra joined
HC Dukla Trenčín of the premier
Czechoslovak Extraliga
The Czechoslovak First Ice Hockey League was the elite ice hockey league in Czechoslovakia from 1936 until 1993, when the country split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The Slovak Extraliga and Czech Extraliga formed from the split.
Histo ...
in 1992–93, where he scored 11 goals and 28 points in 46 games. After the season, Demitra was drafted by the
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators (french: Sénateurs d'Ottawa), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member ...
in the ninth round, 227th overall in the
1993 NHL Entry Draft
The 1993 NHL Entry Draft was the 31st NHL Entry Draft. It took place on June 26, 1993, at the Colisée de Québec in Quebec City, Quebec.
First overall pick Alexandre Daigle is widely regarded today as one of the all-time greatest draft bust ...
. He came to be considered one of the best draft steals in NHL history.
Ottawa Senators
Demitra began the
1993–94 season with the
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators (french: Sénateurs d'Ottawa), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member ...
, and in his first
NHL game on 9 October 1993, Demitra scored on
St. Louis Blues
The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis. The Blues compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the ...
goaltender
Curtis Joseph
Curtis Shayne Joseph (né Munro; born April 29, 1967) is a Canadian ice hockey coach and former professional player. Nicknamed "Cujo", Joseph was immediately recognizable on the ice for his masks featuring a snarling dog, drawing inspiration fro ...
for his first NHL goal and point. He played in 12 games for Ottawa during the season, scoring a goal and two points. Demitra mainly spent the
season
A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and ...
with Ottawa's
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 season, every team in the lea ...
affiliate, the
Prince Edward Island Senators. In 41 AHL games Demitra recorded 41 points, sixth on the team. He spent most of the following
season
A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and ...
in the AHL, scoring 74 points in 61 games.
Demitra also spent time with Ottawa, as he scored four goals and seven points in 16 games. He began the
1995–96 season in the AHL, but after scoring 81 points in 48 games was recalled to Ottawa permanently.
With Ottawa, Demitra had seven goals and 17 points in 31 games.
To start the
1996–97 season, Demtira was a contract hold-out with Ottawa. He played a game with
HC Dukla Trenčín of the
Slovak Extraliga, getting a goal and two points, before joining the
Las Vegas Thunder of the
IHL. With the Thunder, Demitra had eight goals and 21 points in 22 games. On 27 November 1996, the Senators parted ways with Demitra, as Ottawa traded him to the
St. Louis Blues
The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis. The Blues compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the ...
for
Christer Olsson.
St. Louis Blues
The
St. Louis Blues
The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis. The Blues compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the ...
assigned Demitra to the
Grand Rapids Griffins
The Grand Rapids Griffins are a professional hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL) based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and play home games at Van Andel Arena. They are the AHL affiliate to the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey Leag ...
of the
IHL, where in 42 games, Demitra had 20 goals and 50 points. He was called up to the Blues, and played his first game with the club on 17 March 1997, getting no points in a 3–2 loss to the
Phoenix Coyotes
The Arizona Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Coyotes compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference and currently play at the Mull ...
. Demitra scored his first two goals with St. Louis on 3 April 1997, scoring twice against
Tommy Salo
Tommy Mikael Salo (born February 1, 1971) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey goaltender and the current general manager of Leksands IF of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). He previously played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the N ...
in a 5–5 tie with the
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders (colloquially known as the Isles) are a professional ice hockey team based in Elmont, New York. The Islanders compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conferenc ...
. He finished the season appearing in eight games with St. Louis, scoring three goals. Demitra made his NHL playoff debut on 16 April 1997, recording his first playoff point, an assist, in the Blues 2–0 win over the
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings (colloquially referred to as the Wings) are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit. The Red Wings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference, and are ...
. On 22 April 1997, Demitra scored his first playoff goal, beating Red Wings goaltender
Mike Vernon, and added two assists in a 4–0 win over Detroit. Overall, Demitra had a goal and four points in six playoff games.
Demitra made the NHL full-time in
1997–98, as he played in 61 games with St. Louis, scoring 22 goals and 52 points to finish fifth in team scoring. In 10 playoff games, Demitra had three goals and six points.
The
1998–99 was a break-out season for Demitra, as he finished tenth in NHL scoring with 89 points, as he scored 37 goals and added 52 assists in 82 games. Demitra appeared in the
1999 NHL All-Star Game
The 1999 National Hockey League All-Star Game took place on January 24, 1999, at Ice Palace in Tampa, home to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
"North America" and the World
The major criticism of the North America versus World format was that Canadians ...
held in
Tampa, Florida
Tampa () is a city on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The city's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and the seat of Hillsborough ...
, scoring a goal for the World team in an 8–6 loss to North America. In the playoffs, Demitra added five goals and nine points in 13 games.
Demitra continued his success in
1999–2000, as he scored 27 goals and 75 points in 71 games to lead the Blues in scoring once again. Demitra played in the
2000 NHL All-Star Game
The 2000 NHL All-Star Game was the 50th National Hockey League All-Star Game, All-Star Game in the National Hockey League. It took place on February 6, 2000, at Air Canada Centre in Toronto, home to the Toronto Maple Leafs. The 1st National Hockey ...
held in
Toronto, Ontario
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the ancho ...
, where he scored two goals in a 9–4 World victory over North America. Demitra also scored his first career
hat trick
A hat is a head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorporate mecha ...
, scoring three goals against the
Mighty Ducks of Anaheim on 12 February 2000 in a 6–3 Blues victory. Demitra suffered a season-ending injury on 24 March 2000, and missed the playoffs. After the season, he was awarded the
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy
The Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, formerly known as the Lady Byng Trophy, is presented each year to the National Hockey League "player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of ...
after he accumulated only eight penalty minutes throughout the season.
Injuries cut short Demitra's season in
2000–01 when he appeared in only 44 games with St. Louis. He scored 20 goals and 45 points to finish fifth in team scoring. He scored a hat trick and added two assists for a five-point game against the
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its ho ...
on 20 December 2000 in a 6–3 win. Less than a week later, on 26 December 2000, Demitra had another high scoring game, scoring two goals and four points against the
Columbus Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets (often simply referred to as the Jackets) are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference ...
in a 5–0 victory. On 30 December 2000, Demitra suffered an injury, however, he came back with the team late in the season, and appeared in 15 playoff games, scoring two goals and six points.
In
2001–02, Demitra was healthy, as he appeared in all 82 games for St. Louis, scoring 35 goals and 78 points to lead the team in scoring and finish seventh in the league scoring race. Demitra had a league high ten game-winning goals. He had a four-point night against his former team, the
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators (french: Sénateurs d'Ottawa), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member ...
, on 27 November 2001, scoring two goals and two assists in a 4–2 victory. Demitra appeared in the
2002 NHL All-Star Game
The 2002 National Hockey League All-Star Game took place on February 2, 2002, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The final score was World 8, North America 5. This was the last NHL All-Star Game to have the North America vs. World All-Star for ...
held in
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...
, however, he was held off the scoresheet in an 8–5 World win over North America. In the playoffs, Demitra appeared in 10 games, scoring four goals and 11 points. He had a four-point night against the
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings (colloquially referred to as the Wings) are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit. The Red Wings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference, and are ...
on 7 May 2002, scoring a goal and three assists in the Blues 6–1 victory.
The
2002–03 was Demitra's most productive in the NHL, as he set a career high with 93 points, which placed him sixth in NHL scoring, as Demitra scored 36 goals and 57 assists in 78 games. He had a hat trick and a season high four points on 29 November 2002 in a 7–2 win over the
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary. The Flames compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference, and are the third major professional ice hockey te ...
. In the playoffs, Demitra had two goals and six points in seven games.
Demitra had a disappointing
2003–04 season, scoring 23 goals and 58 points, his lowest totals since his injury plagued 2000–01 season, in 68 games. In the playoffs, Demitra had a goal in five contests. This would be his final season with the Blues, as Demitra left the team fifth in franchise scoring with 493 points in 494 games.
HK Dukla Trenčin
With the
2004–05 NHL lockout
The 2004–05 NHL lockout was a labor lockout that resulted in the cancellation of the National Hockey League (NHL) season, which would have been its 88th season of play.
The main dispute was the league's desire to implement a salary cap to ...
cancelling the season, Demitra signed with
HK Dukla Trenčín
Hokejový Klub Dukla Trenčín is a professional Slovak ice hockey club based in Trenčín, playing in the Slovak Extraliga. The club has won three Slovak league championships (1994, 1997, 2004) and one Czechoslovak league championship (1992). T ...
of the
Slovak Extraliga on 17 September 2004. Demitra led the league in scoring with 28 goals and 82 points in 54 games. Demitra scored four goals and 17 points in 12 playoff games with the team.
Los Angeles Kings
On 2 August 2005, Demitra signed a three-year, $13.5 million contract with the
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference and was founded on June 5, 1967, after Jack Kent ...
.
On 5 October 2005, Demitra played his first game with the Kings, scoring an assist in a 5–4 loss to the
Dallas Stars. The next night, on 6 October 2005, Demitra scored his first goal with his new team, scoring against
David LeNeveu
David LeNeveu (born May 23, 1983) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He has previously played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Phoenix Coyotes and the Columbus Blue Jackets. LeNeveu was rostered for the 2014 Stan ...
of the
Phoenix Coyotes
The Arizona Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Coyotes compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference and currently play at the Mull ...
in a 3–2 win. Demitra had three four-point games during the season, including one on 22 November 2005 against his former team, the
St. Louis Blues
The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis. The Blues compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the ...
in a 6–3 Los Angeles win. Demitra missed 24 games with injuries, including an eye problem, during the season. In 58 games during the
season
A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and ...
, Demitra had 25 goals and 62 points to finish third in team scoring. On 24 June 2006, Los Angeles traded Demitra to the
Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The Wild competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference and play their home games at the Xcel Ener ...
for
Patrick O'Sullivan
Patrick O'Sullivan (born February 1, 1985) is a Canadian-born American former professional ice hockey forward who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Los Angeles Kings, Edmonton Oilers, Carolina Hurricanes, Minnesota Wild and Pho ...
and a first round draft pick in the
2006 NHL Entry Draft.
Minnesota Wild
Demitra joined the Wild and fellow Slovak
Marián Gáborík for the
2006–07 season. Demitra played his first game with the Wild on 5 October 2006, recording two assists in a 3–2 win over the
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche (colloquially known as the Avs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (N ...
. In his next game on 7 October 2006, Demitra scored his first goal with Minnesota, scoring against
Tomáš Vokoun of the
Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators (commonly referred to as the Preds) are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference, and ha ...
in a 6–5 victory. Demitra finished the season tied for first in team scoring, as he had 25 goals and 64 points in 71 games. The 64 points were the highest by Demitra since 2002–03. Demitra played in his first playoff game with Minnesota on 11 April 2007, scoring a goal against
Ilya Bryzgalov of the
Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California. The Ducks compete in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division, and play their home games at Honda Center ...
in a 2–1 loss. Demitra appeared in five playoff games, scoring a goal and four points.
Demitra was named the
captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
of the Wild for the month of October 2007 as part of the Wild's rotating captaincy to begin the
2007–08 season. Demitra had a tough season, scoring only 15 goals, his lowest total since 1996–97, and 54 points through 68 games as he finished fourth in team scoring. In the playoffs, Demitra had a goal and three points in six games. At the end of the season, he became an unrestricted free agent.
Vancouver Canucks
On 10 July 2008, Demitra signed a two-year, $8 million contract with the
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference, and play their home games at Rogers Arena. Bruce ...
.
He played in his first game as a Canuck on 9 October 2008, getting no points in a 6–0 win over the
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary. The Flames compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference, and are the third major professional ice hockey te ...
. In his next game, also against Calgary, Demitra scored his first goal with Vancouver, the game winning overtime goal against
Miikka Kiprusoff in a 5–4 win. He finished the season with 20 goals and 53 points in 69 games, finishing fourth in team scoring. Demitra appeared in his first playoff game with Vancouver on 15 April 2009, recording an assist in a 2–1 win over the
St. Louis Blues
The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis. The Blues compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the ...
. Demitra scored his first playoff goal with the Canucks on 30 April 2009, scoring against
Nikolai Khabibulin of the
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks (spelled Black Hawks until 1986, and known colloquially as the Hawks) are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago. The Blackhawks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Divisio ...
in a 5–3 victory. On 2 May 2009, Demitra suffered a shoulder injury against the Blackhawks that would end his season. In six playoff games, Demitra had a goal and three points.
The
2009–10 would be a tough season on Demitra, as he missed most of the regular season with the shoulder injury that occurred in the 2009 playoffs. In 28 games, Demitra had three goals and 16 points, his lowest totals since 1996–97. In the playoffs, Demitra had a three-point game against the
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference and was founded on June 5, 1967, after Jack Kent ...
on 23 April 2010, helping Vancouver to a 7–2 win. Overall, Demitra appeared in 11 playoff games, scoring two goals and six points. After the season, he became an unrestricted free agent. This would mark the end of Demitra's NHL career. Demitra played in 847 career games, and scored 304 goals with 464 assists for 768 points.
Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
Demitra joined
Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the
KHL
The Kontinental Hockey League (KHL; russian: Континентальная хоккейная лига (КХЛ), Kontinental'naya khokkeynaya liga) is an international professional ice hockey league founded in 2008. It comprises member clubs b ...
on 15 July 2010. In his first season with Lokomotiv, Demitra scored 18 goals and 60 points in 54 games to finish fifth in league scoring. He was named Forward of the Month in January 2011. In 18 playoff games with Yaroslavl, Demitra had six goals and 15 assists for 21 points which placed him second in KHL playoff scoring.
Demitra returned to the team for the
2011–12 season; however, on 7 September 2011, he was killed in the
2011 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl plane crash
On 7 September 2011, YAK-Service Flight 9633, a Yakovlev Yak-42 charter flight operated by YAK-Service carrying players and coaching staff of the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl professional ice hockey team, crashed on take-off near Yaroslavl, Yaroslavl Ob ...
along with the entirety of the team roster and most of the flight crew.
International play
Demitra was named to
Team Slovakia for the
2010 Winter Olympics
)''
, nations = 82
, athletes = 2,626
, events = 86 in 7 sports (15 disciplines)
, opening = February 12, 2010
, closing = February 28, 2010
, opened_by = Governor General Michaëlle Jean
, cauldron = Catriona Le May DoanNancy Greene Wayne G ...
in his NHL hometown
Vancouver
Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the city, up from 631,486 in 2016. ...
. On 18 February 2010, he scored in the seventh round of a shootout to help Slovakia beat
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-ei ...
in the round robin. In the semi-finals against hosts Canada, Slovakia trailed 3–0 after two periods but rallied with 2 goals in the third period, and Demitra nearly scored with 9 seconds remaining in regulation but his shot was stopped by Canucks teammate
Roberto Luongo
Roberto Luongo (, , ; born April 4, 1979) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He played 19 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New York Islanders, Florida Panthers and the Vancouver Canucks. Luongo is a ...
, and the save was dubbed the "Glove from Above". In the bronze medal game against
Finland
Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bot ...
, Demitra assisted twice and scored once in the second period to help his team to a 3–1 lead, though they could not hold on as Finland scored four times (including an empty-net goal) in the third period to claim bronze. Slovakia was ranked in fourth place, as Demitra led the tournament in points with 10 and tied for the lead in assists with seven. His play in the tournament led him to a selection to the all-star team.
Demitra played for
Czechoslovakia
, rue, Чеськословеньско, , yi, טשעכאסלאוואקיי,
, common_name = Czechoslovakia
, life_span = 1918–19391945–1992
, p1 = Austria-Hungary
, image_p1 ...
in the following competitions:
*1992
European Junior Championships
*
1993 World Junior Championships (bronze medal)
Demitra played for
Slovakia
Slovakia (; sk, Slovensko ), officially the Slovak Republic ( sk, Slovenská republika, links=no ), is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the ...
in the following competitions:
*
1996 World Championships
*
1996 World Cup
*1999 Ball Hockey World Championships - 1999 (gold medal)
*
2002 Winter Olympics
The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games and commonly known as Salt Lake 2002 ( arp, Niico'ooowu' 2002; Gosiute Shoshoni: ''Tit'-so-pi 2002''; nv, Sooléí 2002; Shoshoni: ''Soónkahni 2002''), was an internationa ...
in
Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City (often shortened to Salt Lake and abbreviated as SLC) is the capital and most populous city of Utah, United States. It is the seat of Salt Lake County, the most populous county in Utah. With a population of 200,133 in 2020, th ...
*
2003 World Championships (bronze medal)
*
2004 World Championship
*
2004 World Cup
*
2005 World Championships
*
2006 Winter Olympics
The 2006 Winter Olympics, officially the XX Olympic Winter Games ( it, XX Giochi olimpici invernali) and also known as Torino 2006, were a winter multi-sport event held from 10 to 26 February 2006 in Turin, Italy. This marked the second ...
in
Turin
Turin ( , Piedmontese language, Piedmontese: ; it, Torino ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in Northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital ...
(captain)
*
2007 World Championships
*
2010 Winter Olympics
)''
, nations = 82
, athletes = 2,626
, events = 86 in 7 sports (15 disciplines)
, opening = February 12, 2010
, closing = February 28, 2010
, opened_by = Governor General Michaëlle Jean
, cauldron = Catriona Le May DoanNancy Greene Wayne G ...
in
Vancouver
Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the city, up from 631,486 in 2016. ...
*
2011 World Championships (captain)
Awards and achievements
*Awarded the
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy
The Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, formerly known as the Lady Byng Trophy, is presented each year to the National Hockey League "player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard of ...
in
2000
File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from S ...
.
*Played in the
NHL All-Star Game
The National Hockey League All-Star Game (french: Match des Étoiles de la Ligue Nationale de Hockey, links=no) is an exhibition ice hockey game that is traditionally held during the regular season of the National Hockey League (NHL), with many o ...
in
1999
File:1999 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The funeral procession of King Hussein of Jordan in Amman; the 1999 İzmit earthquake kills over 17,000 people in Turkey; the Columbine High School massacre, one of the first major school shoot ...
,
2000
File:2000 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Protests against Bush v. Gore after the 2000 United States presidential election; Heads of state meet for the Millennium Summit; The International Space Station in its infant form as seen from S ...
and
2002
File:2002 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 2002 Winter Olympics are held in Salt Lake City; Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and her daughter Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon die; East Timor gains East Timor independence, indepe ...
.
*All-star selection and leading scorer of the
2010 Winter Olympics
)''
, nations = 82
, athletes = 2,626
, events = 86 in 7 sports (15 disciplines)
, opening = February 12, 2010
, closing = February 28, 2010
, opened_by = Governor General Michaëlle Jean
, cauldron = Catriona Le May DoanNancy Greene Wayne G ...
*Fifth on
St. Louis Blues' all-time scoring list – 204 goals, 289 assists, 493 points in 494 games
*
Team Slovakia retired Demitra's no. 38 jersey on 11 September 2011.
*
HC Dukla Trenčín retired Demitra's no. 38 jersey on 16 September 2011. Former teammate and close friend
Marián Hossa hoisted his number to the rafters.
Death
On 7 September 2011, at 4:02 PM local time, a
Yakovlev Yak-42 passenger aircraft, carrying Demitra and his Lokomotiv Yaroslavl teammates, crashed near Yaroslavl, Russia, on its way to
Minsk
Minsk ( be, Мінск ; russian: Минск) is the capital and the largest city of Belarus, located on the Svislach (Berezina), Svislach and the now subterranean Nyamiha, Niamiha rivers. As the capital, Minsk has a special administrative stat ...
,
Belarus
Belarus,, , ; alternatively and formerly known as Byelorussia (from Russian ). officially the Republic of Belarus,; rus, Республика Беларусь, Respublika Belarus. is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by ...
, to start the 2011–12 KHL season.
The airplane caught fire and crashed shortly after take-off, a mere 4 kilometers from the
Tunoshna airport. Preliminary reports said that 43 of the 45 passengers on board had been killed, including the entire roster and 4 youth players, and that the remaining one,
Alexander Galimov
Alexander Saidgereyevich Galimov (russian: Александр Саидгереевич Галимов; 2 May 1985 – 12 September 2011) was a Russian professional ice hockey player. At the time of his death, he was a member of Lokomotiv Yar ...
, was in critical condition. However, Galimov died a few days later.
Demitra was survived by his wife Maja and two children,
Lucas and Zara. He was predeceased by his infant son, Tobias.
Following his death, the elementary school in
Dubnica nad Váhom which he had attended, and the ice hockey stadium in
Trenčín
Trenčín (, also known by other alternative names) is a city in western Slovakia of the central Váh River valley near the Czech border, around from Bratislava. It has a population of more than 55,000, which makes it the eighth largest muni ...
where he started his successful career together with famous Slovak ice hockey players
Zdeno Chára,
Marián Hossa,
Marcel Hossa and
Marián Gáborík, were named after him.
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
Bold indicates led league
International
All-Star Games
Transactions
* 27 November 1996 – Traded to St.Louis by Ottawa for
Christer Olsson .
* 17 September 2004 – Signed as a free agent by Trenčín (Slovakia).
* 2 August 2005 – Signed as a free agent by
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference and was founded on June 5, 1967, after Jack Kent ...
.
* 24 June 2006 – Traded to
Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The Wild competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference and play their home games at the Xcel Ener ...
by Los Angeles for
Patrick O'Sullivan
Patrick O'Sullivan (born February 1, 1985) is a Canadian-born American former professional ice hockey forward who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Los Angeles Kings, Edmonton Oilers, Carolina Hurricanes, Minnesota Wild and Pho ...
and first round pick (
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. They play their home games at Rogers Place, which ...
' pick) in
2006 NHL Entry Draft (
Trevor Lewis
Trevor ( Trefor in the Welsh language) is a common given name or surname of Welsh origin. It is an habitational name, deriving from the Welsh ''tre(f)'', meaning "homestead", or "settlement" and ''fawr'', meaning "large, big". The Cornish l ...
).
* 10 July 2008 – Signed as a free agent by
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference, and play their home games at Rogers Arena. Bruce ...
.
Source:
See also
*
Slovaks in the NHL
*
References
External links
*
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Demitra, Pavol
1974 births
2011 deaths
HK Dubnica players
HK Dukla Trenčín players
Grand Rapids Griffins (IHL) players
Ice hockey players at the 2002 Winter Olympics
Ice hockey players at the 2006 Winter Olympics
Ice hockey players at the 2010 Winter Olympics
Ice hockey players with retired numbers
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy winners
Las Vegas Thunder players
Lokomotiv Yaroslavl players
Los Angeles Kings players
Minnesota Wild players
National Hockey League All-Stars
Olympic ice hockey players of Slovakia
Ottawa Senators draft picks
Ottawa Senators players
People from Dubnica nad Váhom
Prince Edward Island Senators players
St. Louis Blues players
Slovak expatriates in Russia
Slovak ice hockey centres
Vancouver Canucks players
Victims of the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl plane crash