Žigmund Pálffy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Žigmund Pálffy |
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Pálffy with HK Skalica in 2010
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| Born | 5 May 1972 Skalica, Czechoslovakia |
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| Height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) | ||
| Weight | 180 lb (82 kg; 12 st 12 lb) | ||
| Position | Right Wing | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for | HK Nitra Dukla Trenčín New York Islanders HK Skalica Los Angeles Kings Slavia Praha Pittsburgh Penguins |
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| National team |  Czechoslovakia and Slovakia |
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| NHL Draft | 26th overall, 1991 New York Islanders |
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| Playing career | 1990–2013 | ||
Žigmund Pálffy (born May 5, 1972) is a famous former professional ice hockey player from Slovakia. People often called him "Ziggy" in English or "Žigo" in Slovak. He was known as one of the most talented wingers in hockey.
Pálffy played in the NHL for 12 years. He played for teams like the New York Islanders, Los Angeles Kings, and Pittsburgh Penguins. His career in the NHL lasted from 1993 to 2006. After retiring, he made a comeback in 2007 to play for his hometown club, HK 36 Skalica. He officially retired from hockey in July 2013. In 2019, Pálffy was honored by being added to the IIHF Hall of Fame.
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Pálffy's Hockey Journey
Žigmund Pálffy had an amazing career in ice hockey. He played for many teams and represented his country. Let's look at his journey through the leagues.
Starting with the New York Islanders
Pálffy showed great skill early in his career in Czechoslovakia. He played well for the national team in 1991. Because of his talent, the New York Islanders picked him in the 1991 NHL Draft. He was the 26th player chosen overall.
After playing two more years in Slovakia, Pálffy came to North America in 1993. He played most of his first season with the Salt Lake Golden Eagles. He also played five games with the Islanders, which was his NHL debut. In the 1994-95 season, he split his time between the Islanders and the Denver Grizzlies.
Becoming an NHL Star Player
The 1995-96 season was a big one for Pálffy. He became a top scorer for the Islanders. In his first game, he scored two goals to help his team win. He ended that season with 87 points in 81 games. He quickly became a star player for the Islanders. He continued to score many points in the next two seasons. In the 1998-99 season, he played 50 games and scored 50 points.
Moving to the Los Angeles Kings
After the 1998-99 season, the Islanders traded Pálffy to the Los Angeles Kings. He moved with another player, Bryan Smolinski. In return, the Islanders received several players and a draft pick.
With the Kings, Pálffy kept playing strongly. He often played alongside his fellow Slovak player Jozef Stümpel. He also played with Canadian star Luc Robitaille. However, Pálffy started to have injuries, especially with his shoulder. These injuries limited how much he could play. In the 2003-04 season, his shoulder injury kept him out for most of the year.
Time with the Pittsburgh Penguins and First Retirement
After the 2003-04 season, Pálffy decided to join the Pittsburgh Penguins. He signed a three-year contract with them. He played 42 games with the Penguins during the 2005-06 season.
Then, on January 18, 2006, Pálffy suddenly announced his retirement. He said he was retiring because of his ongoing shoulder injury. He finished his NHL career with 329 goals and 384 assists. This gave him a total of 713 points in 684 games.
Playing for HK 36 Skalica and Final Retirement
In the summer of 2007, Pálffy decided to return to hockey. He signed a contract to play for his hometown team, HK 36 Skalica. He became the top scorer in the Slovak Extraliga for four seasons.
In July 2013, Pálffy officially announced his retirement from professional hockey for good. He said he felt old enough and didn't want to travel with the team anymore. He also mentioned how much he would miss the game he had lived for almost 40 years.
Playing for His Country
Pálffy proudly represented both Slovakia and Czechoslovakia in international games. He won several medals for his country.
- He won a bronze medal with Czechoslovakia at the 1991 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.
- With Slovakia, he won a gold medal at the 2002 IIHF World Championship. He helped Peter Bondra score the winning goal in that game.
- He also won a bronze medal with Slovakia at the 2003 IIHF World Championship.
After the 2005 IIHF World Championship, Pálffy said he would no longer play for the Slovak national team. However, five years later, he changed his mind. He joined the Slovak team for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. He had three assists in seven games during that tournament.
Awards and Special Recognitions
Žigmund Pálffy received many awards throughout his hockey career. These awards show how skilled and important he was to his teams.
- In the Czechoslovak Extraliga, he was the leading scorer and most goals in 1992. He was also the leading scorer and most assists in 1993. He was named Rookie of the Year in 1991.
- In the NHL, he was chosen as an All-Star four times: in 1997, 1998, 2001, and 2002.
- In the Slovak Extraliga, he was on the All-Star Team multiple times (2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013). He was also the leading scorer in 2008, 2009, 2012, and 2013. He had the most goals in 2009 and most assists in 2012.
- For international play, he was the points leader at the 2003 IIHF World Championship. He also led in points and assists at the 1994 Winter Olympics.
- In 2019, he was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame.
- In 2020, he was named to the IIHF All-Time Slovakia Team.
Images for kids
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Pálffy with HK Skalica in 2010
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Pálffy at the 2010 Winter Olympics.
See also
- Slovaks in the NHL
