Tony Hrkac facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tony Hrkac |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
Hrkac in 2008
|
|||
| Born | July 7, 1966 Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada |
||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) | ||
| Weight | 170 lb (77 kg; 12 st 2 lb) | ||
| Position | Centre | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for | St. Louis Blues Quebec Nordiques San Jose Sharks Chicago Blackhawks Dallas Stars Edmonton Oilers New York Islanders Mighty Ducks of Anaheim Atlanta Thrashers |
||
| NHL Draft | 32nd overall, 1984 St. Louis Blues |
||
| Playing career | 1987–2005 2009–2010 |
||
| Website | http://www.hrkac.com | ||
Anthony John Hrkac (born July 7, 1966) is a Canadian ice hockey expert. He used to play and coach ice hockey, and now he works as an executive. He played professional hockey for eighteen seasons. Tony Hrkac has family roots from Croatia and Ukraine.
Contents
Playing Career
College Hockey Star
Tony Hrkac was chosen by the St. Louis Blues in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft. He was the 32nd player picked overall. Tony played college hockey at the University of North Dakota. He won the Hobey Baker Award in the 1986–87 season. This award goes to the best men's college hockey player.
His team was often called the "Hrkac Circus" because of his exciting play. He helped his team win a national championship. That season, he scored 116 points, which is still a record for college hockey.
NHL Journey
Tony Hrkac started his NHL career with the St. Louis Blues in 1987. He later played for many other NHL teams. These included the Quebec Nordiques, San Jose Sharks, Chicago Blackhawks, Dallas Stars, Edmonton Oilers, New York Islanders, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, and Atlanta Thrashers.
In his NHL career, Tony played 758 games. He scored 132 goals and made 239 assists. He also played in 41 playoff games. In one playoff game in 1988, he scored four goals against the Chicago Blackhawks. This set a record for the St. Louis Blues. Tony Hrkac was part of the Dallas Stars team that won the Stanley Cup in 1999.
Minor League Success
After his time in the NHL, Tony Hrkac played in the minor leagues. He was a key player for the Milwaukee Admirals in 2003–04. That team won the Calder Cup, which is a championship for the American Hockey League (AHL).
Tony retired from playing after the 2004–05 season. In 2008, the Milwaukee Admirals honored him by retiring his number 26 jersey. This means no other player on that team will wear his number.
Coming Out of Retirement
Tony Hrkac returned to play hockey in 2009 at 42 years old. He signed with the Houston Aeros in the AHL. He played for the Aeros after his coaching duties were finished for the season. He played again for the Aeros in the 2009–10 season before retiring for good.
Coaching Career
In 2006, Tony Hrkac became the first men's hockey coach for Concordia University Wisconsin. He coached there until 2012. Later, he joined the Madison Capitols in the USHL as an assistant coach for one season in 2014-15.
Executive Career
After coaching, Tony Hrkac worked as a professional scout for the Tampa Bay Lightning for nine seasons. In July 2024, he rejoined the Anaheim Ducks organization. He now works as their Director of Pro Scouting.
Awards and Honors
| Award | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| College | ||
| All-WCHA First Team | 1986–87 | |
| AHCA West First-Team All-American | 1986–87 | |
| All-NCAA All-Tournament Team | 1987 | |
| Hobey Baker Award | 1986–87 | |
| IHL | ||
| James Gatschene Memorial Trophy | 1992–93 | |
| Leo P. Lamoureux Memorial Trophy | 1992–93 | |
- Won the Stanley Cup with the 1998-99 Dallas Stars
