Samuel Hlavaj

Samuel Hlavaj
Hlavaj with HC Škoda Plzeň in 2024
Born	(2001-05-29) 29 May 2001 (age 23) Martin, Slovakia
Height	6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Weight	218 lb (99 kg; 15 st 8 lb)
Position	Goaltender
Catches	Left
NHL team (P) Cur. team Former teams	Minnesota Wild Iowa Wild  (AHL) HC Slovan Bratislava HC Škoda Plzeň
National team	Slovakia
NHL draft	Undrafted
Playing career	2017–present

Samuel Hlavaj (born 29 May 2001, in Martin, Slovakia) is a Slovak professional ice hockey goaltender for the Iowa Wild in the American Hockey League (AHL) as a prospect to the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League (NHL). Hlavaj has played for his country in the IIHF World Championships of 2023 and 2024.

Playing career

Junior

Hlavaj signed for Lincoln Stars of the United States Hockey League (USHL) during the 2018–19 season. ^[1] The following season, 2019–20, Hlavaj played for Canadian side Sherbrooke Phoenix, during which time he won the Jacques Plante Memorial Trophy. ^[2]

Professional

Back in Europe, he played for Slovak team HC Slovan Bratislava for two seasons, before joining Czech side HC Škoda Plzeň in May 2023, signing a two-year contract. ^[3]

On 5 April 2024, after completing his first season with Plzeň, Hlavaj enacted his NHL out clause after agreeing to terms with the Minnesota Wild on a two-year, entry-level contract starting with the 2024–25 NHL season. ^[4]

International play

Hlavaj played for the Slovakia men's national junior ice hockey team at the 2019 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. ^[1] Hlavaj started three games for Slovakia at the 2023 IIHF World Championship. At the 2024 IIHF World Championship he didn't play in Slovakia's opening game, ^[5] but made five appearances, including a 4–0 win against Poland in which he completed a shutout. ^[6] At the tournament Hlavaj wore a mask with an image of Juraj Jánošík on it. ^[5]

In August 2024 he was included in the Slovakia squad for the qualification tournament for the 2026 Winter Olympics, ^[7] in which he played, and resulted in Slovakia, as well as Denmark and Latvia, qualifying. ^[8]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season										Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	W	L	OT	MIN	GA	SO	GAA	SV%		GP	W	L	MIN	GA	SO	GAA	SV%
2017–18	MHA Martin	Slovak.20		8	3	5	0	419	22	0	3.15	.917		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2017–18	HK Orange 20	Slovak		1	0	0	1	14	2	0	8.67	.714		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2017–18	HK Orange 20	Slovak.1		5	1	3	1	283	17	0	3.61	.877		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2018–19	HK Orange 20	Slovak		4	0	3	1	212	21	0	5.95	.861		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2018–19	HK Orange 20	Slovak.1		3	2	0	1	119	2	1	1.01	.957		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2018–19	Lincoln Stars	USHL		22	3	18	1	1178	90	0	4.58	.862		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2019–20	Sherbrooke Phoenix	QMJHL		39	33	3	2	2295	86	3	2.25	.915		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2020–21	Sherbrooke Phoenix	QMJHL		20	7	11	2	1175	62	1	3.17	.895		3	0	3	176	15	0	5.10	.857
2021–22	HC Slovan Bratislava	Slovak		9	5	3	1	476	19	2	2.39	.908		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2021–22	HC Modré Krídla Slovan	Slovak.1		15	6	7	2	913	49	2	3.22	.909		8	3	5	476	21	0	2.65	.920
2022–23	HC Slovan Bratislava	Slovak		18	9	6	3	1060	45	1	2.55	.916		1	0	1	58	3	0	3.10	.900
2022–23	HC Modré Krídla Slovan	Slovak.1		6	4	1	1	370	20	1	3.25	.913		1	1	0	61	3	0	2.96	.923
2023–24	HC Plzeň	ELH		28	8	20	0	1511	78	0	3.10	.903		2	0	2	118	8	0	4.07	.877
2024–25	Iowa Wild	AHL		36	14	14	3	1958	93	1	2.85	.904		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
2024–25	Iowa Heartlanders	ECHL		5	2	2	1	297	15	0	3.02	.885		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
ELH totals				28	8	20	0	1,511	78	0	3.10	.903		2	0	2	118	8	0	4.07	.877

International

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	W	L	OT	MIN	GA	SO	GAA	SV%
2018	Slovakia	U18	7th		1	0	1	0	58	4	0	4.11	.889
2019	Slovakia	WJC	8th		4	1	2	0	188	12	0	3.83	.872
2019	Slovakia	U18	10th		4	0	4	0	201	15	0	4.49	.894
2020	Slovakia	WJC	8th		5	1	3	0	201	18	0	5.37	.851
2021	Slovakia	WJC	8th		2	0	2	0	119	8	0	4.03	.889
2023	Slovakia	WC	9th		3	0	3	0	189	7	0	2.22	.932
2024	Slovakia	WC	7th		5	3	2	0	307	13	1	2.54	.925
2024	Slovakia	OGQ	Q		3	3	0	0	180	5	0	1.67	.929
Junior totals					16	2	12	0	767	57	0	4.46	.886
Senior totals					11	6	5	0	676	25	1	2.22	.929

References

1. "Hlavaj poputuje do zámorskej USHL, dohodol sa s Lincoln Stars". sme.sk (in Slovak). 30 December 2018. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
2. "Slovenský brankár Hlavaj s Trofejou Jacquesa Plantea". teraz.sk (in Slovak). 28 March 2020. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
3. "Hokejová Plzeň podepsala nového brankáře, do klubu přichází Slovák Hlavaj" [Plzeň hockey signed a new goaltender, Slovak Hlavaj comes to the club]. idnes.cz (in Czech). 1 May 2023. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
4. "Minnesota Wild Signs Goalie Samuel Hlavaj to Entry-Level Contract". NHL.com (Press release). 5 April 2024. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
5. "Hlavaj spomína na kazašské nájazdy: Šiel som na párky a utieral si z úst kečup aj horčicu". sme.sk (in Slovak). 11 May 2024. Retrieved 2 April 2025.
6. "Hlavaj po výhře nad outsiderem: Cítil jsem se hůř než proti Americe" [Hlavaj after victory against outsider: I felt worse than against America]. idnes.cz (in Czech). 16 May 2024. Retrieved 2 April 2025.
7. "Slováci berou hráče z KHL. Šatan vyjel na novináře: Jsme apolitická instituce" [Slovaks take players from the KHL. Šatan attacks journalists: We are an apolitical institution]. idnes.cz (in Czech). 19 August 2024. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
8. "Hokejisté Slovenska, Lotyšska a Dánska postoupili na ZOH 2026". Czech News Agency (in Czech). 1 September 2024. Retrieved 2 April 2025.

External links

• Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com , or  Eliteprospects.com , or  Eurohockey.com , or  The Internet Hockey Database