Andrej Podkonický

Andrej Podkonický ( born May 9, 1978 in Zvolen, Czechoslovakia) is a Slovak ice hockey player who is under contract with HC Kometa Brno in the Czech Extraliga since 2011.

Career

Andrej Podkonický first played in the junior department of the HKm Zvolen and came at the age of 16 years to the first missions in the first second-rate league. In the NHL Entry Draft in 1996 it chose the St. Louis Blues in the eighth round of 196 on site. Subsequently, the Slovak joined the Western Hockey League with the Portland Winter Hawks. In his second year he celebrated with his team's many successes and also Podkonický himself received several awards. On the side of his compatriot and later NHL All-Stars Marián Hossa he first reached the first place after the regular season and was also the play-offs will successfully challenge. As a President's Cup winner, the Winter Hawks qualified for the final tournament for the Memorial Cup. Again, Podkonickýs team prevailed and won the most important junior championship in North America. As top scorer of the tournament was awarded the Ed Chynoweth Trophy Slovak and was elected to the All- Star team.

Then he changed into the professional seniors Hockey. First, the St. Louis Blues Podkonický sent to the American Hockey League for their farm team, the Worcester IceCats. There he brought solid performances, but to inserts in the best league in the world, it was not enough. After two and a half years, the Blues transferred to the left-handed shooters in December 2000 in exchange for Eric Boguniecki to the Florida Panthers. Finally, after 41 games for the Louisville Panthers he returned to his debut in the National Hockey League. In six games Podkonický recorded a hit. For the season 2001 /02 he moved back to Europe and signed a contract with HIFK Helsinki in the Finnish SM- liiga. After half a year he joined the HC Slovan Bratislava where he played the remainder of the season. 2002 he moved to the German Hockey League to the Iserlohn Roosters. With the sour countries he missed the play-offs only just. Subsequently, he again sought his chance in the NHL and signed as a free agent with the Washington Capitals. But this time he has spent most of the season only in the AHL with the Portland Pirates and came only two appearances in the capital.

Therefore, in 2004 he joined the White Tigers Liberec in the Czech Extraliga. Here the Slovak reached in three consecutive years with his team in first place after the regular season. In the play-offs his team failed, however, always in the quarter - and semi-finals. The 2007/08 season he played in the Russian Super League at Vityaz Chekhov. Shortly before the end of the season Podkonický returned to Liberec, where he was also active in the next year. After the ninth place in the regular season of links Sagittarius failed with his team already in the pre- playoffs. For the 2011/12 season he moved within the Czech Extraliga for HC Kometa Brno.

Awards and achievements

Career Stats

Internationally

Represented Slovakia at:

• Junior B World Cup 1995
• A World Cup 2007
• A World Cup 2008

( Key to Career statistics: Sp or GP = Games Played, T or G = goals scored, V or A = achieved assists; Pts or Pts = scored points scorer, SM or PIM = received penalty minutes, / - = Plus / Minus balance sheet; PP = scored majority gates; SH = scored shorthanded goals, GW = achieved victory gates; Play-downs/Relegation 1 )