Peter Šťastný facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Peter Šťastný
Hockey Hall of Fame, 1998
Šťastný in 2011
Born	(1956-09-18) 18 September 1956 (age 68) Bratislava, Czechoslovakia
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
National team	Czechoslovakia,  Canada and  Slovakia
NHL Draft	Undrafted
Playing career	1975–1995

Peter Šťastný (born 18 September 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.

Šťastný was one of the best scorers in the 1980s, second only to Wayne Gretzky. While playing for the Quebec Nordiques, he became a Canadian citizen. After his hockey career, he also became a politician. He 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 ranked 34th all-time in NHL points. In 2017, Šťastný was named one of the '100 Greatest NHL Players' in history. His son, Paul Stastny, also became a professional hockey player.

Peter's NHL Career

Peter Šťastný was a fantastic scorer in the NHL during the 1980s. He began his NHL journey with the Quebec Nordiques in 1980. Later, in 1990, he was traded to the New Jersey Devils.

The city of Quebec mostly spoke French. Peter learned French to connect with the fans. He later learned English too. He finished his playing career with the St. Louis Blues in 1995.

In 1980, Peter and his brother, Anton, made big news. They left their home country, Czechoslovakia, to play for the Quebec Nordiques in Canada. This was a huge moment in hockey history. They were among the first major stars from Eastern European countries to join the NHL.

The next year, their other brother, Marián, joined them. This made them the third group of three brothers to play on the same professional hockey team. Peter and Anton hold a special 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 six points against the Vancouver Canucks.

After Peter's move, many more players from Czechoslovakia and the Soviet Union followed. Peter said that leaving his home country was "the best decision I ever made." It gave his family chances they could only dream of. 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. This gave him a total of 1239 points in the regular season. After he stopped playing, he led the Slovak national team in many international games. He is still very popular in Slovakia.

In 1998, Peter was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. His former teammate, Michel Goulet, joined him. They were the first players mainly known for playing with the Nordiques to enter the Hall of Fame.

NHL Milestones and Records

Šťastný during an alumni game in 2010.

• 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 (1979–80). But he was not called a "rookie" because he played in another league before.
• He shares the NHL record for assists by a rookie (70) with Joé Juneau.
• 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 holds the NHL record for points in an away game with 8 points. This was also on February 22, 1981, against the Washington Capitals.
• He holds the NHL record for points in two games in a row with 14 points. This happened on February 20, 1981, against the Vancouver Canucks (6 points) and February 22, 1981, against the Washington Capitals (8 points).
• He holds the Nordiques/Avalanche team record for scoring three goals in one game (called a hat trick) with 16.

Peter's Family Life

Peter Šťastný was born in Bratislava. He was the fourth son of Stanislav and Frantiska Šťastný. His two older brothers, Vladimir and Bohumil, were born in a different village. The family moved to Bratislava before Peter and his younger siblings, Marián, Anton, and Eva, were born.

Peter's father, Stanislav, worked for a company that built hydro-electric dams. His mother, Frantiska, stayed home to raise the children. Peter's brother, Vladimir, became an assistant coach for the Slovak national ice hockey team. He is the only coach to win all three types of medals in Slovak hockey history.

Peter is the father of two sons, Yan Stastny and Paul Stastny. Both of his sons also became professional hockey players. Paul started his career with the Colorado Avalanche in 2006–07. 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 father. He retired from playing in 2023.

Yan made his NHL debut in 2005–06 with the Edmonton Oilers. He last played professionally in 2018. Yan was born in Quebec City but grew up in St. Louis. He played for Team USA in international games. Paul also played for Team USA in the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics.

The Šťastný family is the first hockey family known to have played for four different countries in international games. These countries are Czechoslovakia, Canada, Slovakia, and the United States. Paul broke a record for scoring in a rookie season in the NHL. He was also a finalist for an award called the Calder Memorial Trophy in 2006–07. His father, Peter, won this same award in 1980–81.

Peter's Career in Politics

Peter Šťastný was always against the Communist government in Czechoslovakia. He joined a political party called SDKÚ-DS. He wanted to work in the European Parliament because he speaks English and French very well. He was chosen to lead his party's list of candidates for the 2004 European Parliament election.

In the June 2009 election, he was re-elected. He was one of two members of his party to win a seat. 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 a document called the Prague Declaration on European Conscience and Communism.

International Play

Medal record
Representing Czechoslovakia
Ice hockey
World Championships
Gold	1976 Poland
Gold	1977 Austria
Silver	1978 Czechoslovakia
Silver	1979 Soviet Union
Representing Canada
Canada Cup
Gold	1984 Canada Cup

Peter Šťastný was the first player in ice hockey history to play for three different countries in international tournaments.

Awards and Honors

• Calder Memorial Trophy – 1981 (This award is for 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. (He later left this Hall of Fame in protest.)
• Inducted into Czech Ice Hockey Hall of Fame - 2010.

Career Statistics

Regular Season and Playoffs

International Play Statistics

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