# Michal Krištof

Michal Krištof (born October 11, 1993) is a Slovak professional ice hockey center playing for the SCL Tigers in Switzerland's National League (NL).
Krištof made his Liiga debut with Vaasan Sport during the 2014–15 season, playing two games for the team. He also played in the Slovak Extraliga for HK Nitra and the Czech Extraliga with HC Kometa Brno.

## Playing career
### Early years

About four years old, Michal Krištof first stepped on the ice when his parents took him to an ice rink near his home in Nitra in Slovakia. He later started playing and practicing together with his three-year older cousin. Kristof played minor hockey in the local club HK Nitra.
Krištof's childhood idol was Steve Yzerman, "I do not really know why exactly him. I liked his playing style and took example of him".

### Junior

As a 17-year-old, Krištof received a phone call from his agent about an opportunity to go to Vaasa, Finland where Sport's junior A team held a ten-day-long tryout camp during the summer. The young Slovak convinced the coaches and was added to the team's roster. During his first season in the junior's SM-liiga (2011–2012), Krištof scored 37 points over 42 games. During the 2012–2013 season, Krištof was among the top three points scorers for a long time but ended up in sixth place after being injured.

### Professional

The 2013–14 season was Krištof's first on the senior level, playing for Sport in Mestis. Krištof had a good start to the season, but coach Pasi Räsänen eventually moved him to the junior A team after 37 games.
After Jokerit's decision to move to the KHL for the 2014–2015 season, Sport was added to the SM-liiga. Krištof signed a one-year-long contract with the now SM-liiga team. After starting the season on a loan to Peliitat in Mestis, where he scored three goals and made eight assists in six games, Krištof was called back to Sport. On October 3, 2014, Michal Krištof made his debut in the SM-liiga in a 3–2 away loss against Pelicans, where Krištof played right wing alongside centre Lassi Kokkala and left wing Teemu Henritius. Krištof recorded 11 minutes and 43 seconds of time on the ice, had one shot on goal, a zero plus-minus and zero penalty minutes in his first SM-liiga game.
Krištof spent the 2021–22 season in the Czech Extraliga with HC Kometa Brno, leaving as a free agent at the conclusion of his contract to sign a one-year contract in the KHL with Russian club, Admiral Vladivostok, on July 21, 2022.
On 1 May 2023, Krištof left Admiral as a free agent however continued his tenure in the KHL by agreeing to a two-year contract with HC Sochi.
Early in the 2024-25 season, Krištof became dissatisfied with his ice time and role on the Sochi team. On 18 October 2024, it was reported that Krištof had signed a contract to play in Switzerland's National League for the SCL Tigers. However, Sochi claimed that he had not been released from his KHL contract. As the KHL was no longer affiliated with the Russian Ice Hockey Federation, the IIHF refused to intervene on Sochi's behalf and the transfer to Switzerland was approved. Sochi threatened legal action.

## Career statistics
### Regular season and playoffs

Bold indicates led league
| | | | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs |
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 2008–09 | HK Ardo Nitra | SVK U18 | 13 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2009–10 | HC K´CERO Nitra | SVK U18 | 32 | 17 | 29 | 46 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2010–11 | HK Nitra | SVK U18 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 17 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
| 2010–11 | HK Nitra | SVK U20 | 36 | 12 | 26 | 38 | 34 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
| 2011–12 | Sport | Jr. A | 42 | 18 | 19 | 37 | 37 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2012–13 | Sport | Jr. A | 38 | 14 | 32 | 46 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 |
| 2013–14 | Sport | Jr. A | 8 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2013–14 | Sport | Mestis | 50 | 2 | 29 | 31 | 20 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2014–15 | Sport | Liiga | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2014–15 | Peliitat Heinola | Mestis | 41 | 9 | 17 | 26 | 34 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2015–16 | Hokki | Mestis | 49 | 11 | 29 | 40 | 6 | 17 | 0 | 13 | 13 | 0 |
| 2016–17 | HK Nitra | Slovak | 56 | 15 | 27 | 42 | 22 | 13 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 4 |
| 2017–18 | HK Nitra | Slovak | 52 | 17 | 40 | 57 | 14 | 8 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 2 |
| 2018–19 | Kärpät | Liiga | 58 | 9 | 30 | 39 | 10 | 17 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 0 |
| 2019–20 | Kärpät | Liiga | 50 | 9 | 11 | 20 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2020–21 | Kärpät | Liiga | 57 | 10 | 14 | 24 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 2021–22 | HC Kometa Brno | ELH | 42 | 8 | 22 | 30 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 2022–23 | Admiral Vladivostok | KHL | 46 | 7 | 23 | 30 | 12 | 12 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 |
| 2023–24 | HC Sochi | KHL | 54 | 9 | 23 | 32 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Liiga totals | Liiga totals | Liiga totals | 167 | 28 | 55 | 83 | 20 | 22 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 0 |
| Slovak totals | Slovak totals | Slovak totals | 108 | 32 | 67 | 99 | 36 | 21 | 4 | 9 | 13 | 6 |

### International

| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 2018 | Slovakia | OG | 11th | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2018 | Slovakia | WC | 9th | 7 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 2 |
| 2019 | Slovakia | WC | 9th | 7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| 2021 | Slovakia | WC | 8th | 8 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 2022 | Slovakia | OG | | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2022 | Slovakia | WC | 8th | 8 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 0 |
| Senior totals | Senior totals | Senior totals | Senior totals | 41 | 7 | 11 | 18 | 2 |

## Awards and honours

| Honours | Year |
| Jr. A SM-Liiga All-Star Team | 2012–13 |

## Criticism

Krištof is one of very few European players that signed contract with KHL team after start of Russian invasion and genocide in Ukraine in February 2022. As a player of Admiral Vladivostok he takes part in propaganda activities to support Russian army and its aggression in Ukraine, such as wearing army jersey in the match the day before first anniversary of Russian invasion in Ukraine.