Peter Šťastný facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Peter Šťastný |
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| Hockey Hall of Fame, 1998 | |||
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Šťastný in 2011
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| Born | 18 September 1956 Bratislava, Czechoslovakia |
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| Height | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) | ||
| Weight | 200 lb (91 kg; 14 st 4 lb) | ||
| Position | Centre | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for | Slovan Bratislava Quebec Nordiques New Jersey Devils St. Louis Blues |
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| National team |  Czechoslovakia,.svg){kind=small} Canada and Slovakia |
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| NHL Draft | Undrafted | ||
| Playing career | 1975–1995 | ||
Peter Šťastný (born September 18, 1956) is a famous Slovak-Canadian former professional ice hockey player. People sometimes called him "Peter the Great" or "Stosh." He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1980 to 1995.
Peter Šťastný was one of the best scorers in the 1980s, right after Wayne Gretzky. He played for the Quebec Nordiques, New Jersey Devils, and St. Louis Blues. While playing in Quebec, he became a Canadian citizen. After his hockey career, he also served as a Member of the European Parliament for Slovakia from 2004 to 2014.
He was added to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1998. He is also the second-highest scoring player from Slovakia in NHL history. In 2017, he was named one of the '100 Greatest NHL Players' ever. Peter is also the father of former NHL player Paul Stastny.
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Playing in the NHL
Peter Šťastný was an amazing scorer in the NHL during the 1980s. He began his NHL journey with the Quebec Nordiques in 1980. He later joined the New Jersey Devils in 1990. Peter learned to speak French to connect with the fans in Quebec. He also learned English later on. He finished his playing career with the St. Louis Blues in 1995.
In 1980, Peter and his brother, Anton, made a big decision. They left their home country of Czechoslovakia to play for the Quebec Nordiques in Canada. This was a very important moment in hockey history. They were among the first big stars from Eastern Europe to join the NHL.
A year later, their other brother, Marián, also joined them. This made them the third group of three brothers to play on the same professional hockey team! Peter and Anton also share an NHL record for rookies. They both scored 8 points in one game against the Washington Capitals on February 22, 1981. Just two days before, they each scored 6 points against the Vancouver Canucks.
After Peter's brave move, many more hockey players from Czechoslovakia and the Soviet Union followed. Peter said that leaving Czechoslovakia "was the best decision I ever made." It gave his family opportunities they could only dream of behind the Iron Curtain. He added that playing with his two brothers was "like icing on the cake."
Peter was always a strong and reliable player. He scored 450 goals and made 789 assists, totaling 1239 points in the regular season. After he stopped playing, he became the captain of the Slovak national team. He is still very popular in Slovakia today.
Amazing NHL Records
Peter Šťastný holds several impressive NHL records:
- He was the first player in NHL history to get over 100 points in his first year (109 points). (Note: Wayne Gretzky had 137 points in his first NHL year, but he wasn't considered a "rookie" because he had played in another league before).
- He shares the NHL record for assists by a rookie with 70. Joé Juneau also achieved this.
- He holds the NHL record for points in a game by a rookie with 8 points. He scored four goals and four assists on February 22, 1981, against the Washington Capitals.
- He also holds the NHL record for points in an away game with 8, which happened in the same game mentioned above.
- He holds the NHL record for points in 2 games in a row with 14 points. This happened on February 20, 1981 (6 points) and February 22, 1981 (8 points).
His Family Life
Peter Šťastný was born in Bratislava, which is now in Slovakia. He was the fourth of six children. His older brothers, Vladimir and Bohumil, were born in a different village. The family moved to Bratislava before his other siblings, Marián, Peter, Anton, and Eva, were born. His father worked for a company that built power dams. His mother stayed home to raise the children. Vladimir, Peter's oldest brother, later became an assistant coach for the Slovak national ice hockey team. He is the only coach to win all three medals in Slovak ice hockey history.
Peter is the father of two sons who also played professional hockey: Yan Stastny and Paul Stastny. Paul started his career with the Colorado Avalanche. This is the same team that used to be the Quebec Nordiques, Peter's first NHL team! Paul also played for the St. Louis Blues, just like his dad. He later played for the Vegas Golden Knights, Winnipeg Jets, and Carolina Hurricanes before retiring in 2023. Yan made his NHL debut in 2005 and last played professionally in 2018.
Yan was born in Quebec City but grew up in St. Louis. He played for Team USA in the World Championships. Paul also represented Team USA in the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics. The Šťastný family is the first hockey family known to have represented four different countries in international games: Czechoslovakia, Canada, Slovakia, and the United States! Paul even broke a scoring streak record for a rookie in the NHL.
Life After Hockey: Politics
Peter Šťastný was always against the Communist government in Czechoslovakia. After his hockey career, he decided to get involved in politics. He joined a political party called SDKÚ-DS. He wanted to work in the European Parliament because he speaks both English and French very well. In 2004, he was chosen to lead his party's list of candidates for the European Parliament.
In the 2009 election, he was re-elected as one of his party's representatives. His campaign slogan was "With Courage and Determination for a Strong Slovakia." He served as a Member of the European Parliament until 2014.
He also signed the Prague Declaration on European Conscience and Communism. This declaration speaks out against past communist regimes.
International Play
| Medal record | ||
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Representing  Czechoslovakia |
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| Ice hockey | ||
| World Championships | ||
| Gold | 1976 Poland | |
| Gold | 1977 Austria | |
| Silver | 1978 Czechoslovakia | |
| Silver | 1979 Soviet Union | |
| Canada Cup | ||
| Silver | 1976 Canada Cup | |
Representing  Canada |
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| Canada Cup | ||
| Gold | 1984 Canada Cup | |
Peter Šťastný made history as the first player to represent three different countries in international hockey tournaments. He played for Czechoslovakia, Canada, and Slovakia.
Awards and Honors
Peter Šťastný received many awards and honors during and after his career:
- Calder Memorial Trophy – 1981 (This award is given to the best rookie player in the NHL).
- Played in 6 NHL All-Star Games – 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1988.
- World Championships Best Forward Award – 1995.
- Inducted into Hockey Hall of Fame – 1998.
- Ranked number 56 on The Hockey News' list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players in 1998. He was the highest-ranked player from Slovakia or Czechoslovakia.
- Inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame – 2000.
- Inducted into Slovak Hockey Hall of Fame – 2002.
- Inducted into Czech Ice Hockey Hall of Fame - 2010.
See also
In Spanish: Peter Šťastný para niños
- List of NHL statistical leaders
- Notable families in the NHL
- List of NHL players with 1,000 points
