Mário Bližňák

Mário Bližňák (born 6 March 1987) is a Slovak former professional ice hockey center. He previously played for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League (NHL). After playing in the Slovak Extraliga, Bližňák was selected by the Canucks in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, and moved to North America, joining the Vancouver Giants of the major junior Western Hockey League (WHL) in 2005. Bližňák played three seasons with the Giants, helping them win the Memorial Cup, the national championship for major junior hockey in Canada, in 2007, before joining the Moose in 2008. He is best known as a defensive forward.[1]

Mário Bližňák
Bližňák with the Vancouver Giants in 2007
Born (1987-03-06) 6 March 1987
Trenčín, Czechoslovakia
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 196 lb (89 kg; 14 st 0 lb)
Position Centre
Shot Left
Played for Vancouver Canucks
HK Dubnica
HC Sparta Praha
HC Slovan Bratislava
HC Plzeň
HC Bílí Tygři Liberec
HK Dukla Trenčín
National team  Slovakia
NHL Draft 205th overall, 2005
Vancouver Canucks
Playing career 20082019

Playing career

Bližňák began playing junior hockey in his native Slovakia with Dubnica Spartak HC's under-18 and junior teams. After appearing in 19 games with Dubnica's senior team of the Slovak Extraliga as a seventeen-year-old in 2004–05, he was drafted by the Vancouver Canucks in the seventh round, 205th overall, in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. Bližňák was also drafted that off-season 27th overall by the Vancouver Giants of the Western Hockey League in the 2005 CHL Import Draft.[2] He subsequently moved to North America to continue to play junior for the Giants.

In three seasons with the Giants, Bližňák helped the club to a WHL championship as part of a 21-point rookie campaign in 2005–06 and a Memorial Cup championship in 2007. Following his Memorial Cup victory with the Giants, he signed his first NHL contract with the Canucks.[3] Bližňák returned to the Giants the following season and posted a WHL career-high 51 points in 67 games.

Graduating from junior, he was assigned by the Canucks to their AHL affiliate, the Manitoba Moose, for the 2008–09 season. Playing alongside linemate and veteran team captain Mike Keane most of the season, he recorded 7 goals and 16 points in 64 games, second among team rookies.[1] Bližňák and the Moose made it to the Calder Cup finals that season, but lost to the Hershey Bears in six games. Bližňák scored the lone goal for the Moose in the decisive game six.[1] Bližňák earned his first NHL call-up with the Canucks the following season in 2009–10 on 30 October 2009, after an injury to fellow Moose call-up Alexandre Bolduc.[4] He played two games with the Canucks before being sent back to rejoin the Moose,[5] where he recorded 13 goals and 28 points over 76 games. His +7 rating ranked first on the Moose.[6] He also added three points in six post-season games as the Moose were eliminated in the first round by the Hamilton Bulldogs.

After becoming a restricted free agent in the off-season, he re-signed with the Canucks to a one-year contract on 4 August 2010.[7] He started the 2010–11 season with the Moose, appearing in thirteen games and scoring four points, before the Canucks recalled him on 10 November 2010.[8] One day after the call up to the Canucks, Bližňák scored his first NHL career goal against Ottawa Senators goaltender Pascal Leclaire on a one-timer pass from winger Tanner Glass. The Canucks won the game 6–2.[9] He played in four games with the Canucks before being returned to the AHL, where he finished the regular season with 11 goals and 27 points over 74 games. During the 2011 playoffs, he added a goal and an assist over 14 games, helping the Moose to the second round, where they were eliminated by the Hamilton Bulldogs. The Canucks chose not to renew his contract in the off-season as he was not given a qualifying offer.[10]

International play

Bližňák played for Slovakia in the 2007 World Junior Championships. He tallied 1 goal in 6 games as Slovakia failed to advance from the preliminaries.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GPGAPtsPIM GPGAPtsPIM
2003–04 Dubnica SVK U18 4525265162
2003–04 Dubnica SVK Jr 21012
2004–05 Dubnica SVK U18 14581345
2004–05 Dubnica SVK Jr 3622173938
2004–05 Dubnica Spartak HC SVK 1900014
2005–06 Vancouver Giants WHL 699122129 1841514
2006–07 Vancouver Giants WHL 478142220 22661214
2007–08 Vancouver Giants WHL 6719325136 103582
2008–09 Manitoba Moose AHL 64791624 213258
2009–10 Vancouver Canucks NHL 20000
2009–10 Manitoba Moose AHL 7613152840 62132
2010–11 Manitoba Moose AHL 7411162722 141128
2010–11 Vancouver Canucks NHL 41010
2011–12 Sparta Prague Czech 5211182936 53254
2012–13 Slovan Bratislava KHL 519112020 42020
2013–14 Slovan Bratislava KHL 4554928
2014–15 Slovan Bratislava KHL 280226
2014–15 Plzeň Czech 22641010 41122
2015–16 Plzeň Czech 501292120 61014
2016–17 Bílí Tygři Liberec Czech 38661222 1605510
2017–18 Bílí Tygři Liberec Czech 242248
2017–18 Benátky nad Jizerou Czech-2 10000
2018–19 Dukla Trenčín SVK 2346106
Czech totals 18637397696 31581320
KHL totals 12414173154 42020
NHL totals 61010

International statistics

Year Team Event GP G A Pts PIM
2005 Slovakia U18 61010
2007 Slovakia WJC 61014
2012 Slovakia WC 100332
2013 Slovakia WC 81126
2015 Slovakia WC 70002
2017 Slovakia WC 71120
Junior totals 122024
Senior totals 3225710

References

  1. "The most pleasant surprise". Vancouver Canucks. 21 July 2009. Archived from the original on 24 July 2009. Retrieved 21 July 2009.
  2. "Prospect Mario Bližňák's Profile". HockeysFuture.com. 1 September 2008. Retrieved 15 October 2008.
  3. "Bliznak signs with Vancouver Canucks". Western Hockey League. 30 May 2007. Retrieved 15 October 2008.
  4. "Bliznak recalled by Canucks". Winnipeg Sun. 30 October 2009. Retrieved 30 October 2009.
  5. Vancouver Canucks (4 November 2009). "Canucks re-assign Mario Bliznak". Canucks.com. Retrieved 5 November 2009.
  6. "2009-10 Manitoba Moose [AHL]". Hockeydb. 5 August 2010. Retrieved 5 August 2010.
  7. "Canucks sign Mario Bliznak & Sean Zimmerman". Vancouver Canucks. 4 August 2010. Retrieved 4 August 2010.
  8. Vancouver Canucks (10 November 2010). "Canucks recall centre Mario Bliznak". Canucks.com.
  9. "Canucks 6, Senators 2". National Hockey League. Associated Press. 11 November 2010. Retrieved 30 January 2011.
  10. Pap, Elliott (28 June 2011). "Canucks give up on re-signing Christian Ehrhoff, trade rights to Islanders". The Vancouver Sun. Postmedia News. Retrieved 28 June 2011.

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

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