Branislav Mezei

Branislav Mezei (born October 8, 1980 in Nitra, Czechoslovakia) is a Slovak professional ice hockey player. Mezei is a defenceman currently with HK Nitra of the Slovak Extraliga. Mezei has previous played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the New York Islanders and Florida Panthers. Mezei also played for Barys Astana and HC Plzen of the KHL, and Espoo Blues of the SM-liiga. Mezei was a first-round pick of the Islanders in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft, tenth overall.

Branislav Mezei
Born (1980-10-08) October 8, 1980
Nitra, Czechoslovakia
Height 6 ft 5 in (196 cm)
Weight 236 lb (107 kg; 16 st 12 lb)
Position Defence
Shoots Left
Slovak team
Former teams
HK Nitra
New York Islanders
Florida Panthers
HC Oceláři Třinec
HK Dukla Trenčín
Barys Astana
HC Plzen
Espoo Blues
HC Pardubice
Lev Poprad
Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg
HC Vityaz Podolsk
KHL Medveščak Zagreb
National team  Slovakia
NHL Draft 10th overall, 1999
New York Islanders
Playing career 2000present

Playing career

Mezei moved to Canada to play junior hockey with the Belleville Bulls of the Ontario Hockey League. Mezei played three seasons with the Bulls from 1997 until 2000. After his second season, he was drafted tenth-overall by the New York Islanders. He joined the Islanders organization in 2000. Mezei played two seasons in the Islanders organization, including 66 games with the Islanders, before being traded to the Florida Panthers in July 2002. He was a member of the Panthers from 2002 until 2008, playing a further 178 games.

During the 2004–05 lockout, Mezei played for Trinec Ocelari HC and HK Dukla Trenčín. In 2008, Mezei moved to Europe to play with Barys Astana of the KHL. He has since played for Espoo Blues, HC Plzen, HC Pardubice and Lev Poprad.

On August 31, 2014, Mezei remained in the KHL, signing with his fourth club, in Croatian based KHL Medveščak Zagreb on a one-year deal.[1] After just 8 games with the Croatian club, Mezei was released mutually from his contract in order to return to his native Slovakia with HK Nitra on October 24, 2014.

International play

He has also played with the Slovak national ice hockey team in Ice Hockey World Championships in 2001, 2004 and 2008.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1995–96 AC/HC Nitra SVK U20 455101586
1996–97 AC/HC Nitra SVK U20 5272229114
1997–98 Belleville Bulls OHL 5335858 80228
1998–99 Belleville Bulls OHL 605182390 1804429
1999–2000 Belleville Bulls OHL 587212899 603310
2000–01 New York Islanders NHL 4214553
2000–01 Lowell Lock Monsters AHL 2003328
2001–02 Bridgeport Sound Tigers AHL 591910137 2001148
2001–02 New York Islanders NHL 2402212
2002–03 Florida Panthers NHL 1120210
2002–03 San Antonio Rampage AHL 10000 30000
2003–04 Florida Panthers NHL 4507780
2004–05 HC Oceláři Třinec ELH 4112368
2004–05 HK Dukla Trenčín SVK 1011216 1212338
2005–06 Florida Panthers NHL 1601137
2006–07 Florida Panthers NHL 4503355
2007–08 Florida Panthers NHL 5722464
2008–09 Barys Astana KHL 565510151 30116
2009–10 HC Plzeň 1929 ELH 1900061
2009–10 Espoo Blues SM-l 38044120 31234
2010–11 HC Eaton Pardubice ELH 516915118 901116
2011–12 HC Lev Poprad KHL 5331114117
2012–13 Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg KHL 518132189
2013–14 HC Vityaz KHL 47448108
2014–15 KHL Medveščak Zagreb KHL 800014
2014–15 HK Nitra SVK 404101465 1202227
2015–16 HK Nitra SVK 43471154 1621337
2016–17 HK Nitra SVK 565253083 1334737
2017–18 HK Nitra SVK 5152328112 8371014
2018–19 HK Nitra SVK 571121377 1813426
2019–20 HK Nitra SVK 55391268
NHL totals 24051924311
KHL totals 215 20 33 53 479 3 0 1 1 6
SVK totals 312 23 87 110 475 79 10 19 29 179

International

Medal record
Representing  Slovakia
Ice hockey
World Junior Championships
1999 Manitoba
Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
1999 Slovakia WJC 6 0 0 0 8
2000 Slovakia WJC 9th 7 1 0 1 6
2001 Slovakia WC 7th 6 0 0 0 2
2004 Slovakia WCH 7th 2 0 0 0 0
2004 Slovakia WC 4th 9 0 0 0 6
2008 Slovakia WC 13th 5 0 0 0 8
2013 Slovakia WC 8th 7 0 4 4 6
Junior totals 13 1 0 1 14
Senior totals 29 0 4 4 22

References

  1. "Slovakian defender Mezei signs instead of Belle" (in Croatian). KHL Medvescak Zagreb. 2014-08-31. Retrieved 2014-08-31.
Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Taylor Pyatt
New York Islanders first round draft pick
1999
Succeeded by
Kristian Kudroc


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