Marek Malik

Marek Malík (born June 24, 1975) is a Czech professional ice hockey defenceman who is currently playing for HC Vítkovice Steel of the Czech Extraliga. Malík played in the National Hockey League from 1998 to 2009. He is best known for a highlight reel shootout goal while with the New York Rangers.
==Playing career==
After playing with TJ Vitkovice Jr. in the Czech junior league, Malík was drafted 72nd overall by the Hartford Whalers in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft. He played one season for HC Vítkovice of the Czech Extraliga before joining the Whalers' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Springfield Falcons, in 1994–95. He played the better part of two seasons with the Falcons before earning a roster spot with the Whalers.
While the Whalers' franchise relocated to Raleigh, North Carolina in 1997–98 to become the Carolina Hurricanes, Malík played in the Swedish Elitserien with the Malmö Redhawks. He returned to the NHL the following season with the Hurricanes. In 2001–02, Malík recorded a career-high 23 points. The following season, his ninth with the Whalers/Hurricanes franchise, Malík was traded to the Vancouver Canucks along with Darren Langdon in exchange for Jan Hlaváč and Harold Druken. He completed his second season with the Canucks, in 2003–04, as co-recipient of the NHL Plus/Minus Award (shared with Martin St. Louis of the Tampa Bay Lightning) with a +35 rating.
During the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Malík returned to the Czech Extraliga to play for HC Vítkovice. With NHL play set to resume the following season, he signed a three-year deal with the New York Rangers.
On November 26, 2005, Malík scored on Washington Capitals netminder Olaf Kölzig to finish the longest shootout in NHL history. The goal was described as a "circus shot" as Malík drew the puck towards the center of the net, put his stick between his legs, and shot high on Kölzig's stick side.
With goalies Henrik Lundqvist and Kölzig dominant in net, the shootout went to 15 rounds. The teams had selected so many players to shoot that they were being forced to send out their weaker defencemen. Bryan Muir of the Caps scored in round 14, and Jason Strudwick answered for the Rangers to tie the score again. The next Caps shooter was stopped, which set the stage for Malík. He skated in on Kölzig, deked to his glove, pulled the puck back, put his stick through his legs, and flipped it in over Kölzig's blocker to score and win the game. He had not scored a goal during the season at the time. After the shot, he raised his arm and shrugged to the fans before being mobbed by his teammates. Former Rangers commentator John Davidson said, "Now I've seen it all! First Strudwick scores, then Malík wins a shootout with a shot between the legs. Oh Baby!" The goal was ranked as the play of the year by TSN's SportsCentre.
During his time with New York, Malík was criticized for his lack of physical play, despite his size, as well as his risky decision-making with the puck. These criticisms have been applied to Malík as early as his minor league days in Springfield. 
On January 24, 2008, he was not at the game on Brian Leetch Night, even though it was team policy for players to be present at games. He also did not attend practice and his locker was empty for the game after he refused to shake hands with head coach Tom Renney after a victory in the Rangers' previous game.
On October 14, 2008, Malík signed a one-year contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
On November 23, 2009, Malik signed a one-year contract with the Genève-Servette HC from the Swiss National League A.
==Awards==
*Awarded the Plus/Minus Award in 2004 (co-recipient with Martin St. Louis)
*Bronze medal with the Czech Republic at the 2006 Winter Olympics
==Personal life==
Malík has a wife and two sons. While Malík was with the Rangers, his teammates and coaches called him "Harry" because he looks like the title character from Harry and the Hendersons.
==Career statistics==
  	  	 	 	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
1993–94	HC Vítkovice 	Czech 	 	41 	3 	4 	7 	0 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1994–95	Hartford Whalers 	NHL 	 	1 	0 	1 	1 	0 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1994–95	Springfield Falcons	AHL 	 	58 	11 	30 	41 	91 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1995–96	Springfield Falcons	AHL 	 	68 	8 	14 	22 	135 	 	8 	1 	3 	4 	20
1995–96	Hartford Whalers 	NHL 	 	7 	0 	0 	0 	4 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1996–97	Springfield Falcons	AHL 	 	3 	0 	3 	3 	4 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1996–97	Hartford Whalers 	NHL 	 	47 	1 	5 	6 	50 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1997–98	Malmö Redhawks 	SEL 	 	37 	1 	5 	6 	21 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1998–99	Beast of New Haven 	AHL 	 	21 	2 	8 	10 	28 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1998–99	HC Vítkovice 	Czech 	 	1 	1 	0 	1 	6 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1998–99	Carolina Hurricanes	NHL 	 	52 	2 	9 	11 	36 	 	4 	0 	0 	0 	4
1999–00	Carolina Hurricanes	NHL 	 	57 	4 	10 	14 	63 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2000–01	Carolina Hurricanes	NHL 	 	61 	6 	14 	20 	34 	 	3 	0 	0 	0 	6
2001–02	Carolina Hurricanes	NHL 	 	82 	4 	19 	23 	88 	 	23 	0 	3 	3 	18
2002–03	Carolina Hurricanes	NHL 	 	10 	0 	2 	2 	16 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2002–03	Vancouver Canucks 	NHL 	 	69 	7 	11 	18 	52 	 	14 	1 	1 	2 	10
2003–04	Vancouver Canucks 	NHL 	 	78 	3 	16 	19 	45 	 	7 	0 	0 	0 	10
2004–05	HC Vítkovice Steel 	Czech 	 	42 	1 	9 	10 	50 	 	7 	0 	0 	0 	37
2005–06	New York Rangers 	NHL 	 	74 	2 	16 	18 	78 	 	4 	0 	1 	1 	6
2006–07	New York Rangers 	NHL 	 	69 	2 	19 	21 	70 	 	10 	1 	3 	4 	10
2007–08	New York Rangers 	NHL 	 	42 	2 	8 	10 	48 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2008–09	Tampa Bay Lightning	NHL 	 	42 	0 	5 	5 	36 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
 	NHL totals 	 	 	691 	33 	135 	168 	620 	 	65 	2 	8 	10 	64
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
==International play==
Malík has played for the Czech Republic in the following competitions:
*1993 European Junior Championships
*1994 World Junior Championships
*1995 World Junior Championships
*2004 World Cup
*2006 Winter Olympics
==See also==
*List of Carolina Hurricanes players
*List of New York Rangers players
==References==
==External links==
*
*Marek Malik's "Circus Shot" on YouTube
Category:Born in 1975
Category:Beast of New Haven players
Category:Carolina Hurricanes players
Category:Czech ice hockey players
Category:Czech ice hockey players
Category:Genève-Servette HC players
Category:Hartford Whalers draft picks
Category:Hartford Whalers players
Category:HC Vítkovice players
Category:2006 Olympian
Category:Malmö Redhawks players
Category:New York Rangers players
Category:Olympic ice hockey players of the Czech Republic
Category:Springfield Falcons players
Category:Vancouver Canucks players