Boris Valábik facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Boris Valábik
Valábik with the Atlanta Thrashers in 2009
Born	(1986-02-14) February 14, 1986 (age 39) Nitra, Czechoslovakia
Height	6 ft 7 in (201 cm)
Weight	245 lb (111 kg; 17 st 7 lb)
Position	Defence
Shot	Left
Played for	Atlanta Thrashers
National team	Slovakia
NHL Draft	10th overall, 2004 Atlanta Thrashers
Playing career	2006–2017

Boris Valábik, born on February 14, 1986, is a former professional ice hockey player from Slovakia. He played as a defence player. After his hockey career, he became a police officer. Today, he is a well-known pundit (someone who gives opinions), columnist (writes articles), and television presenter (hosts TV shows). He is also a popular television personality. The Atlanta Thrashers picked Valábik as the tenth player overall in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. He played 80 games for the Thrashers in the NHL.

Playing Hockey as a Junior

Starting with the Kitchener Rangers (2003–2006)

Before joining a major junior league, Boris Valábik played for the HC Nitra U-20 team in his hometown of Nitra. In 2003, the Kitchener Rangers chose him in the CHL Import Draft. This draft helps Canadian hockey teams pick talented players from other countries.

Valábik played his first game in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) on September 19, 2003. He got his first point, an assist, on October 17, 2003. His first OHL goal came on November 7, 2003. During the 2003–04 season, he scored 3 goals and 16 points in 68 games. He also had 118 penalty minutes. The Rangers made it to the playoffs that year. After the season, Valábik was named to the OHL All-Rookie Team. This means he was one of the best new players in the league.

In the 2004–05 season, Valábik focused more on defence. He had 4 assists in 43 games and spent a lot of time in the penalty box, with 231 penalty minutes. The Rangers reached the Western Conference finals in the playoffs.

Valábik played one more season with Kitchener in 2005–06. He scored 1 goal and 10 points in 52 games. He also had 216 penalty minutes. The team made the playoffs again, and Valábik recorded two assists in five playoff games.

Professional Hockey Career

Time with the Atlanta Thrashers (2004–2011)

The Atlanta Thrashers picked Boris Valábik in the first round of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. This was a big step towards playing in the NHL. For two more seasons, the Thrashers sent him back to play with the Kitchener Rangers to help him develop. On March 30, 2006, he signed his first professional contract with Atlanta.

Valábik started his professional career with the Chicago Wolves in the American Hockey League (AHL) for the 2006–07 season. He played his first AHL game on October 7, 2006, and got his first assist. In his next game, on October 13, he scored his first AHL goal. He played 50 games with the Wolves, scoring 2 goals and 9 points. The Wolves made the playoffs that year.

He continued with the Wolves for the 2007–08 season. He had 1 goal and 8 points in 58 games. On March 17, 2008, the Thrashers called Valábik up to play in the NHL. Two days later, on March 19, he played his first NHL game. He played seven games for Atlanta that season but did not score any points. He then returned to the Wolves for their playoff run. The Chicago Wolves won the Calder Cup that year, which is the championship trophy for the AHL. Valábik played in 24 playoff games and scored 3 goals.

Valábik started the 2008–09 season with the Wolves. In November, the Thrashers called him up to the NHL for the rest of the season. He earned his first NHL point, an assist, on December 10, 2008. He played 50 games with Atlanta, getting 5 assists and 132 penalty minutes. In July 2009, he signed a new contract with the Thrashers.

He began the 2009–10 season with the Wolves but missed the first six weeks due to an ankle injury. After returning, he played six games with Chicago before being called up to Atlanta again. He played 23 games with the Thrashers, getting 2 assists. His season ended early in February when he suffered a serious knee injury.

On October 15, 2010, Valábik was sent back to the Chicago Wolves. He played 49 games there and had 9 assists. On February 18, 2011, the Thrashers traded Valábik to the Boston Bruins.

Short Time with the Boston Bruins (2010–2011)

Valábik finished the 2010–11 season with the Providence Bruins, the AHL team linked to the Boston Bruins. He had two assists in ten games. After this season, Valábik became a free agent, meaning he could sign with any team.

Playing for the Pittsburgh Penguins (2011–2012)

On July 3, 2011, Valábik signed a one-year contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He got a knee injury during practice in October. In November, he was sent to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, the Penguins' AHL team. He only played three games for them in the 2011–12 season. After the season, he became a free agent again.

Playing in Europe (2012–2013)

On August 14, 2012, Valábik signed with HC Kometa Brno in the Czech Extraliga, a top league in the Czech Republic. He played 29 games, scoring 1 goal and 3 points. In January 2013, he asked to leave the team.

Back to North America with Portland Pirates (2012–2013)

On January 11, 2013, Valábik returned to North America and signed with the Portland Pirates in the AHL. He played 24 games, scoring 2 goals and 6 points. He helped the team reach the playoffs. He played one playoff game before the Pirates were eliminated.

Later Career (2015–2017)

Valábik later played for the Coventry Blaze in the UK during the 2015–16 season. He was named an alternate captain there. He also played for ŠHK 37 Piešťany in Slovakia, Arystan Temirtau and Arlan Kokshetau in Kazakhstan, and EHC Lustenau in Austria before ending his playing career in 2017.

Life After Hockey

After retiring from playing hockey, Boris Valábik became a well-known television personality. In 2023, he took part in the TV show "Let's Dance" in Slovakia. In September 2024, he became a sports news presenter for TV JOJ, a television channel. He has also appeared in many advertisements for different brands.

Awards and Achievements

• 2003–04 OHL First All-Rookie Team
• 2003–04 CHL All-Rookie Team
• 2003–04 CHL Top Prospects Game
• 2007–08 AHL Calder Cup (Chicago Wolves)

Career Statistics

This table shows Boris Valábik's performance in regular season games and playoffs throughout his career.

International Games

Boris Valábik also played for Slovakia in international hockey tournaments.

Medal record
Representing  Slovakia
World Junior U18 Championships
Silver	2003 Yaroslavl	Ice hockey