Jim Hrivnak

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Jim Hrivnak
Born (1968-05-28) May 28, 1968 (age 56)
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Height 6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight 185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb)
Position Goaltender
Caught Left
Played for Washington Capitals
Winnipeg Jets
St. Louis Blues
NHL draft 61st overall, 1986
Washington Capitals
Playing career 19892001
2003–2004

Jim Hrivnak (born May 28, 1968) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. Selected by the Washington Capitals in the 1986 NHL Draft, Hrivnak played parts of four seasons with the Capitals before joining the Winnipeg Jets and later, the St. Louis Blues.

Contents

Playing career

Hrivnak played for Merrimack College from 1985 to 1989. His freshman year he would go 12-6. This would lead to him being named ECAC east rookie of the year his freshman year. Hrivnak would have a great sophomore year as he would play every game for the warriors going 27-7 overall. Leading Merrimack to their first ECAC East championship. He would have a shutout in the championship game leading to him being named finals MVP. [1] The accolades would keep coming as Hrivnak would also be named 1987 ECAC East league MVP as well being honored as an all American. [2] [3] During his junior year during the 1987-88 season he would have a program record 31 wins as he and Merrimack would win another ECAC East championship. This would result in Merrimack making their first ever appearance in the DI NCAA tournament. Hrivnak would be between the pipes as Merrimack pulled off a huge first round upset of hockey east champions Northeastern. Before eventually falling in the quarterfinals. He would once again be named an all American at the end of the season. His senior year he would go 18-4. He would finish his time at Merrimack with a 88-23-2 record. He still holds numerous records at Merrimack such as most shutouts in a season, most overall shutouts [4] and most wins.

Following his graduation, Hrivnak played with the Capitals American Hockey League affiliate, the Baltimore Skipjacks, to conclude their 1988–89 season.

Hrivnak made his NHL debut on December 6, 1989, against the Pittsburgh Penguins and stopped one shot. [5] [6] From 1989 to 1992 he would play in 32 games for the capitals going 15-10-1 during this stretch. During the 1992-93 season he would see more action playing in 27 game for the capitals and going 13-9-2. On March 22, 1993, Hrivnak was traded from the Capitals to the Winnipeg Jets for Rick Tabaracci. [7] He would start 3 games for the jets going 2-1. On July 29, 1993, Hrivnak was traded to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for a 7th round draft pick. [8] He would play 23 games with the Blues going 4-10 overall.

While playing with the St. Louis Blues during the 1993–94 season, he set a new record for most saves by a Blues goaltender against the Boston Bruins with 46. [9]

This would turn out to be his final year in the NHL as he would finish with an overall record of 34-30-3.

He would then go to milwaukee admirals of the International Hockey League playing in 28 games and going 17-10-1. After bouncing around a couple of teams in the IHL and AHL. He would sign with the Las Vegas Thunder in 1995 playing in 13 games going 10-1-1. This would be his final season in America. As In 1996 he sign with Kölner Haie of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga playing in 21 games. He would then sign with Manchester Storm of the Ice Hockey Superleague. Playing in 21 games. Then the year after in 1998 he would join Hamburg Crocodiles of Germany2. Playing 35 games going 11-14-2. Hrivnak joined Ässät in the Finnish league Liiga to compete in their 1999–2000 season. He played 34 games in two seasons with Ässät. [10] On October 28, 2003, Hrivnak joined the Granby Prédateurs of the Quebec Senior Major Hockey League. [11] He would then retire after the 2003-04 season.

In 2018, Hrivnak was inducted into the Merrimack College Athletics Hall of Fame. [4]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season TeamLeagueGPWLTMINGA SO GAA SV% GPWLMINGASOGAASV%
1983–84Montreal ConcordiaQMAAA156818976804.544222641403.18
1984–85Montreal ConcordiaQMAAA348221182218205.999364996207.45
1985–86 Merrimack College ECAC East 21126212307503.66.864
1986–87 Merrimack CollegeECAC East34277019508032.46
1987–88 Merrimack CollegeECAC East37316021198442.38
1988–89 Merrimack CollegeECAC East22184012955242.41
1988–89 Baltimore Skipjacks AHL 101805025506.57.834
1989–90 Washington Capitals NHL 115506093603.55.876
1989–90 Baltimore SkipjacksAHL4724192272213943.06.8856423601903.17
1990–91 Washington CapitalsNHL94214322603.61.885
1990–91 Baltimore SkipjacksAHL4220166248113413.24.8866233242103.89
1991–92 Washington CapitalsNHL126306053503.47.872
1991–92 Baltimore SkipjacksAHL22108313037303.36.893
1992–93 Washington CapitalsNHL27139214218303.50.877
1992–93 Winnipeg Jets NHL32101801304.34.865
1993–94 St. Louis Blues NHL2341009706904.27.877
1994–95 Milwaukee Admirals IHL 2817101163410603.89.879
1994–95 Kansas City Blades IHL103525503503.81.884202118703.55.870
1995–96 Carolina Monarchs AHL111414582703.54.898
1995–96 Las Vegas Thunder IHL1310117133402.86.897
1995–96Kansas City BladesIHL41101541104.29.863
1996–97 Kölner Haie DEL 2111455312.78.8992122703.45.887
1997–98 Manchester Storm BISL 241487622.50.913
1998–99 Hamburg Crocodiles GER-2 3511142191811943.72.899
1999–00 Ässät FIN 24612514107413.15.913
2000–01 ÄssätFIN100826084704.64.867
2003–04Granby PredateursQSMHL96.16.824
NHL totals8534303421726203.73.877

Awards and honors

AwardYear
College
Merrimack Rookie of the year1985-86 [12]
ECAC rookie of the year1985-86
ECAC East champion 1986-87
Merrimack team MVP1986-87
ECAC East finals MVP1986-87
ECAC East league MVP1986-87
ACHA All American1986-86
ECAC East champion 1987-88
ECAC East finals MVP1987-88
Merrimack Co team MVP1987-88
New England college D2 all star1987-88
ACHA All American1987-88
Post Retimerment
Merrimack athletics Hall of Fame2018

Records

Merrimack College

References

  1. Hrivnakw bio in his hall of fame introduction https://merrimackathletics.com/news/2018/10/27/merrimack-athletics-hall-of-fame-class-of-2018-inducted-friday.aspx?path=general
  2. "1986-1987 All-Americans". ahcahockey.com. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
  3. "1987-1988 All-Americans". ahcahockey.com. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
  4. 1 2 "Merrimack College Hall of Fame to induct 8". The Eagle-Tribune. October 11, 2018. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
  5. "Jim Hrivnak". bcgoaltendingmuseum.com. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
  6. Sell, Dave (December 7, 1989). "PENGUINS SHOW BOSS DISPATCH CAPITALS, 5-3". Washington Post. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
  7. "Trading deadline activity since 1979-80". NHL.com. February 17, 2009. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
  8. "29 Jim Hrivnak". goaliesarchive.com. Archived from the original on June 20, 2003. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
  9. Thomas, Jim (February 3, 2018). "New-look Allen looks strong in Blues return" . Retrieved December 31, 2018. Allen's 43 saves were the second-highest total of his NHL career and the most for a Blues goalie in Boston since Jim Hrivnak made 46 saves on Oct. 30, 1993 in the old Boston Garden.
  10. "Jim Hrivnak". eliteprospects.com. Retrieved December 23, 2018.
  11. "Ex-gardien de but de la LNH, Jim Hrivnak se joint aux Prédateurs". rds.ca. October 28, 2003. Retrieved December 31, 2018.
  12. Merrimack hockey yearly awards https://merrimackathletics.com/documents/2021/7/12/Men_s_Ice_Hockey_Record_Book_without_YBY.pdf