Miroslav Zálešák (born January 2, 1980) is a Slovak former professional

ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey in North America) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an Ice rink, ice skating rink with Ice hockey rink, lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. Tw ...

right winger In the sport of association football, a midfielder takes an outfield position primarily in the middle of the pitch. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. ...

who played in the

National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...

for the

San Jose Sharks The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California. The Sharks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Con ...

. He is currently working as a European scout for the

Colorado Avalanche The Colorado Avalanche (colloquially known as the Avs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver. The Avalanche compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Con ...

Playing career

Zálešák was drafted 104th overall by the San Jose Sharks in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft. He has played 12 career NHL games, scoring 1 goal and 2 assists for 3 points. His only NHL goal was scored on March 11, 2003 against Brent Johnson and the visiting

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 (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. Th ...

. After 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 ...

, Zálešák was not tendered a qualifying offer, as San Jose felt they had no room for him. Wanting to play in the NHL, Zálešák signed a contract with the

Washington Capitals The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The Capitals compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NH ...

. However, Zálešák had a clause in his deal that stated if he ever was sent down to the AHL, he had the option of nullifying the contract. After being sent down, Zálešák exercised his option and returned to Slovakia to sign for his hometown team

HK 36 Skalica HK Skalica is a professional ice hockey team based in Skalica, Slovakia. It has been a member of the Slovak Extraliga since 1997–98 season, when the squad was promoted from the Slovak 1.Liga. Team is currently playing in the second highest lea ...

before moving to

HC Litvínov HC Litvínov, called HC VERVA Litvínov for sponsorship reasons, is an ice hockey team in the Czech Extraliga. Their home arena is Ivan Hlinka Stadion in Litvínov. Honours Domestic Czech Extraliga * Winners (1): 2014–15 * Runners-up (1) ...

in the

Czech Extraliga The Czech Extraliga () is the highest-level ice hockey league in the Czech Republic. It was created in 1993 following the peaceful dissolution of Czechoslovakia midway through the 1992–93 Czechoslovak Extraliga season (which all Slovak and ...

. In 2005, Zálešák signed with

Södertälje SK Södertälje Sportklubb, also known as Södertälje SK and often referred to as SSK, is a Swedish professional ice hockey club playing in HockeyAllsvenskan, the second highest level of pro hockey in Sweden. Södertälje were charter members of El ...

of the Swedish Elitserien and led the team in goals (16) and points (25). He returned to the

Czech Republic The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, and historically known as Bohemia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the south ...

with two seasons for HC Oceláři Třinec before returning to HK 36 Skalica.

International play

Zálešák played for

Slovakia Slovakia, officially the Slovak Republic, 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 west, and the Czech Republic to the northwest. Slovakia's m ...

at the

2006 2006 was designated as the International Year of Deserts and Desertification. Events January * January 1– 4 – Russia temporarily cuts shipment of natural gas to Ukraine during a price dispute. * January 12 – A stampede during t ...

and 2010 World Championships.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

International

References

External links

* 1980 births Living people Cleveland Barons (2001–2006) players Colorado Avalanche scouts Drummondville Voltigeurs players Kentucky Thoroughblades players HC Košice players HC Litvínov players HC Oceláři Třinec players Ice hockey people from Skalica Piráti Chomutov players ŠHK 37 Piešťany players San Jose Sharks draft picks San Jose Sharks players HK 36 Skalica players Slovak ice hockey right wingers Södertälje SK players Swindon Wildcats players Yertis Pavlodar players Expatriate ice hockey players in England Slovak expatriate ice hockey players in Kazakhstan Slovak expatriate ice hockey players in the United States Slovak expatriate ice hockey players in Canada Slovak expatriate ice hockey players in Sweden Slovak expatriate sportspeople in England Slovak expatriate ice hockey players in the Czech Republic 21st-century Slovak sportsmen {{Slovakia-icehockey-bio-stub