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Martin Hanzal
Martin Hanzal2.jpg
Hanzal with the Phoenix Coyotes in 2014
Born (1987-02-20) 20 February 1987 (age 37)
Písek, Czechoslovakia
Height 6 ft 6 in (198 cm)
Weight 226 lb (103 kg; 16 st 2 lb)
Position Centre
Shot Left
Played for Arizona Coyotes
HC Motor České Budějovice
Minnesota Wild
Dallas Stars
National team Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Czech Republic
NHL Draft 17th overall, 2005
Phoenix Coyotes
Playing career 2007–2019

Martin Hanzal (Czech pronunciation: [ˈmarcɪn ˈɦanzal]; born 20 February 1987) is a Czech former professional ice hockey centre. He was drafted by the Phoenix Coyotes in the first round, 17th overall, of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.

Playing career

Amateur

As a youth, Hanzal played in the 2001 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a team from Chomutov.

Hanzal was the Phoenix Coyotes' first round draft pick, 17th overall, in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft from hometown team HC České Budějovice. He then moved to North America to play for the Omaha Lancers of the United States Hockey League (USHL) in the 2005–06 season. In 19 games played with Omaha, he scored 19 points, and in five playoff games, he had one goal.

Hanzal then played major junior hockey during the 2006–07 season with the Red Deer Rebels of the Western Hockey League (WHL) after being acquired from the Chilliwack Bruins before even playing a game with the latter. He led the Rebels in scoring with 85 points in 60 games.

Professional

Phoenix/Arizona Coyotes

Hanzal made his professional debut with the Coyotes in the 2007–08 season. He finished with eight goals and 35 points on the season, placing him sixth in team scoring. He also ranked ninth among NHL rookies in both points and assists. On 4 December 2008, Hanzal scored his first career hat-trick against the Toronto Maple Leafs in only 20:27 of play time, setting the record for the fastest hat-trick recorded in Coyotes history.

On 8 October 2011, Hanzal was named an alternate captain for the Coyotes.

On 12 April 2012, Hanzal scored the game-winning goal in overtime of Game 1 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals of the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs against the Chicago Blackhawks, giving the Coyotes a 3–2 victory and a 1–0 series lead. His goal came from a redirect of a shot from the blueline by teammate Adrian Aucoin past Blackhawks goaltender Corey Crawford.

On 14 November 2014, during the 2014–15 season, Hanzal scored his second career hat trick in a 5–0 rout against the Vancouver Canucks; two of the goals were scored only nine seconds apart. Hanzal's hat trick ended up being a natural hat trick, meaning all three of his goals were scored without the opposing team scoring.

Later in the season, on 15 February 2015, the Coyotes announced that Hanzal was to have season-ending back surgery. Prior to the announcement, he had not played for Arizona since January 29, against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Minnesota Wild

On 27 February 2017, in the midst of the 2016–17 season, his ninth season with the Coyotes and in the final year of his five-year contract, Hanzal collected 26 points in 51 games before his tenure came to an end with Arizona. He was dealt alongside Ryan White and a fourth-round pick in 2017, to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for a 1st-round pick in 2017, 2nd-round pick in 2018, conditional 4th-round pick in 2019, and Grayson Downing on 26 February 2017.

Martin Hanzal
Hanzal training with the Coyotes

Dallas Stars

On 1 July 2017, Hanzal as a first time free agent, signed a three-year, $14.25 million contract with the Dallas Stars. In his first season with the Stars in 2017–18, Hanzal missed the majority of training camp with the foot injury. He was then hampered by multiple injuries limiting his effectiveness in recording just 5 goals and 10 points in just 38 games. Approaching the final push for the post-season, on 9 March 2018, it was announced that Hanzal was ruled out for the remainder of the season to undergo a spinal fusion surgery to correct a persistent back injury with a recovery of six to seven months.

Return to Czech Republic

With his contract concluded with the Stars during the July pause in the 2019–20 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Hanzal having earlier returned to continue his rehabilitation in the Czech Republic, opted to continue his playing career by making a return with newly formed club, HC Samson České Budějovice at the Regional Hockey tier to begin the 2020–21 season. On 26 October 2020, Hanzal announced his retirement from the NHL after 12 seasons.

International play

In 2006 and 2007, Hanzal represented the Czech Republic at the IIHF World U20 Championship. He played his first senior game for the Czechs at the 2008 World Championships, and has played in four tournaments for the national team.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2003–04 HC České Budějovice Czech.18 2 0 2 2 2 2 1 0 1 4
2003–04 HC České Budějovice Czech.20 53 15 7 22 32
2004–05 HC České Budějovice Czech.20 37 22 22 44 80
2004–05 HC České Budějovice Czech.1 15 1 2 3 2 4 0 0 0 2
2005–06 HC České Budějovice Czech.20 7 3 5 8 20
2005–06 HC České Budějovice ELH 19 0 1 1 10
2005–06 BK Mladá Boleslav Czech.1 5 2 0 2 0
2005–06 Omaha Lancers USHL 19 4 15 19 30 5 1 0 1 4
2006–07 Red Deer Rebels WHL 60 26 59 85 94 6 2 7 9 19
2007–08 Phoenix Coyotes NHL 72 8 27 35 28
2008–09 Phoenix Coyotes NHL 74 11 20 31 40
2009–10 Phoenix Coyotes NHL 81 11 22 33 104 7 0 3 3 10
2010–11 Phoenix Coyotes NHL 61 16 10 26 54 4 1 2 3 8
2011–12 Phoenix Coyotes NHL 64 8 26 34 63 12 3 3 6 29
2012–13 HC Motor České Budějovice ELH 18 8 11 19 73
2012–13 Phoenix Coyotes NHL 39 11 12 23 24
2013–14 Phoenix Coyotes NHL 65 15 25 40 73
2014–15 Arizona Coyotes NHL 37 8 16 24 31
2015–16 Arizona Coyotes NHL 64 13 28 41 77
2016–17 Arizona Coyotes NHL 51 16 10 26 43
2016–17 Minnesota Wild NHL 20 4 9 13 10 5 1 0 1 0
2017–18 Dallas Stars NHL 38 5 5 10 23
2018–19 Dallas Stars NHL 7 1 1 2 4
NHL totals 673 127 211 338 574 28 5 8 13 47

International

Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2005 Czech Republic WJC18 4th 7 4 3 7 10
2006 Czech Republic WJC 6th 6 0 2 2 4
2007 Czech Republic WJC 5th 6 2 1 3 6
2008 Czech Republic WC 5th 6 0 3 3 8
2013 Czech Republic WC 7th 8 1 3 4 2
2014 Czech Republic OG 6th 4 0 1 1 4
2016 Czech Republic WCH 6th 3 1 1 2 2
Junior totals 19 6 6 12 20
Senior totals 21 2 8 10 16

Awards and honours

Award Year
WHL
East Second All-Star Team 2007
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