Michal Handzuš
Michal Handzuš ( born March 11, 1977 in Banská Bystrica, Czechoslovakia) is a Slovak ice hockey player who plays in the position of center for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League since April 2013.
- 2.1 International
- 3.1 International
Career
Handzuš began his career in his hometown at SK Banská Bystrica. His first in the men's team he had in the 1993/94 season in the sub-prime first league Slovakia. During the NHL Entry Draft in 1995, he was selected by the St. Louis Blues in the fourth round at 101st place, but remained in Slovakia and both played one more season for his hometown club, as well as another for the SKP Poprad PS.
In the summer of 1997, the Blues brought him into their farm team to Worcester to Worcester IceCats where he knew to convince. From the following season he played exclusively in the National Hockey League. In March 2001 he was discharged together with Ladislav Nagy, Jeff Taffe and two draft- choice rights to the Phoenix Coyotes, who transferred in return Keith Tkachuk to Blues. Handzuš ran for two seasons for the Coyotes and was transferred in June 2002 along with Robert Esche to the Philadelphia Flyers. The exchange properties of this trade were Brian Boucher and a draft pick.
During the lockout in the 2004/ 05 NHL season played Handzuš for HKm Zvolen, with whom he reached the playoff final of the Slovakian Extraliga. After the strike ended, he returned to Philadelphia and was issued a year later to the Chicago Blackhawks, which for Kyle Calder transferred to the Flyers. However, after eight games for Chicago Handzuš suffered a torn ACL, so he missed the rest of the season 2006/ 07. Since his contract with the Blackhawks in the summer of 2007, he signed a contract as a free agent with the Los Angeles Kings.
July 1, 2011 Handzuš signed a contract for two years with the San Jose Sharks. Beginning of April 2013 he transferred them to the Chicago Blackhawks.
Internationally
Handzuš represents since 1994 his home country at international championships. He received his first call-up to the European Junior Championships in the B group in 1995. During the following two years later took part in the U20 World Junior championships, as well as 2000, 2002, 2005 and 2009 at the World Men Championships. He won the silver medal with the Slovak national team in 2000 and was 2002 World Champion. Another highlight was the appointment to the cadre of the Slovak national team for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City and Vancouver 2010. For the World Cup of Hockey 2004, the Center was also nominated, but was injured in a preseason game against Sweden.
Awards and achievements
Internationally
Career Stats
Internationally
Represented Slovakia at:
- U18 European Junior Championships in the B group in 1995
- U20 World Junior Championships 1996
- U20 World Junior Championships 1997
- World Cup 2000
- 2002 Winter Olympics
- World Cup 2002
- World Cup of Hockey 2004
- World Championship 2005
- World Cup 2009
- 2010 Winter Olympics
- World Cup 2011
- World Cup 2012
( 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 )