# Miroslav Zálešák

Miroslav Zálešák (born January 2, 1980) is a Slovak former professional ice hockey right winger who played in the National Hockey League for the San Jose Sharks. He is currently working as a European scout for the Colorado Avalanche.

## Playing career

Zálešák was drafted 104th overall by the San Jose Sharks in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft. He has played 12 career NHL games, scoring 1 goal and 2 assists for 3 points. His only NHL goal was scored on March 11, 2003 against Brent Johnson and the visiting St. Louis Blues.
After the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Zálešák was not tendered a qualifying offer, as San Jose felt they had no room for him. Wanting to play in the NHL, Zálešák signed a contract with the Washington Capitals. However, Zálešák had a clause in his deal that stated if he ever was sent down to the AHL, he had the option of nullifying the contract. After being sent down, Zálešák exercised his option and returned to Slovakia to sign for his hometown team HK 36 Skalica before moving to HC Litvínov in the Czech Extraliga. In 2005, Zálešák signed with Södertälje SK of the Swedish Elitserien and led the team in goals (16) and points (25). He returned to the Czech Republic with two seasons for HC Oceláři Třinec before returning to HK 36 Skalica.

## International play

Zálešák played for Slovakia at the 2006 and 2010 World Championships.

## Career statistics
### Regular season and playoffs

| | | | 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 |
| 1995–96 | HK Nitra U18 | SVK U18 | 49 | 53 | 29 | 82 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1996–97 | HK Nitra U18 | SVK U18 | 58 | 51 | 31 | 82 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1997–98 | HK Nitra U20 | SVK U20 | 27 | 32 | 29 | 61 | 30 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1997–98 | HK Nitra | SVK | 30 | 8 | 6 | 14 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1998–99 | Drummondville Voltigeurs | QMJHL | 45 | 24 | 27 | 51 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1998–99 | HK Nitra | SVK | 14 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1999–00 | Drummondville Voltigeurs | QMJHL | 60 | 50 | 61 | 111 | 40 | 16 | 7 | 11 | 18 | 4 |
| 2000–01 | Kentucky Thoroughblades | AHL | 60 | 14 | 11 | 25 | 26 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 2001–02 | Cleveland Barons | AHL | 74 | 22 | 20 | 42 | 44 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2002–03 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 10 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2002–03 | Cleveland Barons | AHL | 50 | 27 | 22 | 49 | 35 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2003–04 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2003–04 | Cleveland Barons | AHL | 72 | 35 | 40 | 75 | 80 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 14 |
| 2004–05 | HK 36 Skalica | SVK | 18 | 11 | 14 | 25 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2004–05 | HC Chemopetrol Litvínov | CZE | 30 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 26 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 2005–06 | Södertälje SK | SWE | 43 | 16 | 9 | 25 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2006–07 | HC Oceláři Třinec | CZE | 11 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 32 |
| 2007–08 | HC Oceláři Třinec | CZE | 25 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 55 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2007–08 | HK 36 Skalica | SVK | 21 | 13 | 16 | 29 | 20 | 10 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 31 |
| 2008–09 | HK 36 Skalica | SVK | 38 | 13 | 33 | 46 | 62 | 17 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 16 |
| 2009–10 | HK 36 Skalica | SVK | 47 | 26 | 14 | 40 | 76 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 |
| 2010–11 | HK 36 Skalica | SVK | 52 | 23 | 33 | 56 | 88 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2010–11 | HC Košice | SVK | 6 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 4 | 14 | 8 | 8 | 16 | 4 |
| 2011–12 | HC Košice | SVK | 54 | 15 | 32 | 47 | 36 | 16 | 7 | 5 | 12 | 18 |
| 2012–13 | Piráti Chomutov | CZE | 49 | 9 | 13 | 22 | 57 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2013–14 | Yertis Pavlodar | KAZ | 46 | 26 | 43 | 69 | 34 | 13 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 8 |
| 2014–15 | Yertis Pavlodar | KAZ | 21 | 5 | 15 | 20 | 30 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2014–15 | HK 36 Skalica | SVK | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2015–16 | Swindon Wildcats | EIHL | 7 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2015–16 | HK 36 Skalica | SVK | 21 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2015–16 | ŠHK 37 Piešťany | SVK | 8 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — |
| SVK totals | SVK totals | SVK totals | 315 | 122 | 160 | 282 | 328 | 72 | 23 | 33 | 56 | 79 |
| NHL totals | NHL totals | NHL totals | 12 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |

### International

| Year | Team | Event | | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1998 | Slovakia | EJC | | 6 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 2 |
| 1999 | Slovakia | WJC | | 5 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| 2000 | Slovakia | WJC | | 7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| 2006 | Slovakia | WC | | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 2010 | Slovakia | WC | | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Junior totals | Junior totals | Junior totals | Junior totals | 18 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 8 |
| Senior totals | Senior totals | Senior totals | Senior totals | 10 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |