Since the death of the legendary Slovakian striker Pavol Demitra, a little more than five years have passed. His gentlemanly game is still remembered by many hockey fans. Over the 19 years of his sports career, he has been able to achieve worldwide recognition.
short biography
Pavol Demitra is a hockey player from Slovakia, a world-famous striker. He was born in the city of Dubnica nad Wag on November 29, 1974. His father played football, so the boy was sent to the section for this sport. In parallel, Pavol attended hockey training. He liked to skate. And at the age of fourteen, he made the choice in favor of hockey.
The athlete is 1 m 83 cm tall and weighs 88 kg. His playing style was not aggressive, for his restraint and “beautiful, clean” hockey Pavol Demitra was nicknamed “gentleman” and “pan professor”. In training and matches, the defender was always very serious, although in everyday life he loved jokes and fun. He played under number 38.
The promising start of Pavol Demitra
The first four years of his sports career, the Slovak hockey player could not achieve high successes. He several times fell into the junior team of Czechoslovakia, and in 1992 became the gold medalist at the European Championship. At the age of 18 he was a player of HC “Dukla” from the city of Trencin, in which he spent one season in the national league.
At the 1993 NHL Draft in Quebec, Demitra was appointed to its team by the Canadian Ottawa Senators. In the ninth round he was chosen under the general number 227. The first season, the Slovak central striker played more games for the Senators reserve team - Prince Edward Island Senators. As, however, in the next two years. From 1993 to 1996, Pavol Demitra at the Prince Edward Island Farm Club in the American Hockey League played 150 matches, scored 72 goals and scored 196 points. But for the “Ottawa” in the NHL spent only 59 games, scored 12 goals and scored 26 points.
In 1993, the defender became a member of the national youth team of Czechoslovakia and represented the country's main team at the World Cup. Then his state took a bronze medal with him, losing gold and silver to countries such as Canada and Sweden.
The best years in an athlete's career
In 1996, the contract between Pavol and the Ottawa Senators expired, and the hockey player returned to his home team, Dukla. This season he spent with a Slovak club, took part in one game in his country's extra-league. During this period, he received an offer from the American HC St. Louis Blues, performing in the NHL.
Pavol Demitra has been in the Missouri team for eight years. This time was the best year in the career of a hockey player. The Slovakian striker for St. Louis Blues spent 494 games in the NHL, scored 204 goals against opponents and earned 493 points. In 2004, a period of lockout began in hockey, so Demitra participated in the Slovak extra-league with HC Dukla. The following season, he returned to the NHL as part of the Los Angeles Kings American team, in which he managed to play 58 matches, score 62 points and score 25 goals. In 2006, the athlete was transferred to the Minnesota Wild club. A year later, Pavol was the captain of the team for one month.
Transition to Lokomotiv
In 2008, the Slovak hockey player signed a contract with the Canadian club Vancouver Canucks. In the first season, the athlete managed to hold 69 games and collect 53 points, but the second was not very successful for him. The defender was undergoing rehabilitation after an injury, so he missed most of the matches.
By 2010, Pavol Demitra completely restored his physical form and signed a one-year contract with the Russian HC Lokomotiv. In parallel, he received an offer from the American team “New York Rangers”, but the hockey player rejected it. For the first season at Lokomotiv HC, Demitra showed one of the best results among hockey players, he managed to score 81 points in 72 games. Then the Russian team extended the contract with the Slovakian for another year.
Striker Achievements
Pavol Demitra, at the age of 22, first played for the Slovak national team at the World Cup and the World Cup. The athlete three times became a participant in the NHL All-Star Game as part of the World Stars team as a right-handed striker. In 1999, in the United States, he was able to bring his team 3 goals, in 2000 in Canada - 7. In 2002, the Slovak athlete failed to score the puck.
In 2000, Pavol Demitra received the “Lady Bing Trophy” prize as a “pure” player with gentlemanly behavior on ice and a hockey player with a high level of skill. The Slovak athlete was a recognized pro in the execution of free throws in his style, which he often demonstrated on the field.
Pavol Demitra appeared at the World Championships in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007 and 2011 (in 2003 he became a bronze medalist). The hockey player of the national team of Slovakia three times became a participant in the Olympic Games - in 2002 they took thirteenth place, and in 2006 - fifth. In 2010, Demitra was recognized as the top scorer of the Olympics, the athlete scored 3 goals, made 7 assists, scored 10 points in 7 games. At the competitions in Vancouver, the Slovak team reached the semifinals, but lost third place to Finland, losing the match with a score of 5: 3.
In 2011, while at Lokomotiv HC, Pavol played at the 3rd Continental Hockey League championship. The team became a bronze medalist, and the Slovak athlete became the best striker for the month of January.
Tragic death
Pavol Demitre's career ended abruptly. September 7, 2011 the unexpected happened. A terrible plane crash at the Yaroslavl airport, on board of which the Lokomotiv team was on board, cut short the life of a Slovak hockey player at the age of 36.
Demitra did not live two months before his birthday. After tragedy No. 38, the Slovak team was forever withdrawn from circulation. The main team of the country of Pavol in 2012 won silver. Players of the national team dedicated their medals to the memory of Demiter and donned T-shirts with number 38 at the award ceremony.
Pavol was married, twice became a dad. He loved to listen to rock music, especially before matches, but after the game he enjoyed films in the comedy genre.