Dominik Hašek
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Dominik Hašek, (born January 29, 1965) is a professional ice hockey goaltender for the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League. He has also played for the Chicago Blackhawks, Buffalo Sabres, and the Ottawa Senators. When he was in Buffalo, he became one of the league's best goaltenders. He was nicknamed "The Dominator." His strong play has been said to have establish European goaltenders in a league dominated by North Americans.[1]
Hašek has been one of the league's most successful goaltenders of the 1990s and early 2000s. From 1993 to 2001, he won six Vezina Trophies, and in 1998 he became the first goaltender to win consecutive Hart Trophies.[2] During the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, he led the Czech national ice hockey team to its first and only Olympic gold medal. The feat made him a popular figure in his home country[3] and prompted hockey legend Wayne Gretzky to call him "the best player in the game."[4] While with the Red Wings in 2002, Hašek became the first European starting goaltender to win the Stanley Cup.[5] Doing that, he set a record for shutouts in a postseason year. He came in second in votes for the Conn Smythe Trophy for the playoff's Most Valuable Player.
Hašek is considered an unorthodox goaltender, with a specail style that has labeled him a "flopper."[6] He is best known for his concentration, foot speed, flexibility, and unconventional saves, such as covering the puck with his blocker rather than his trapper.[6]
Hašek is seen as a future Hall of Famer by those in the hockey world.[7] He is right now the oldest goalie in the NHL at 43, and also, the second oldest player in the league after Red Wings teammate Chris Chelios, who is 46.
[change] References
- ↑ Samuelson, Karl. "The return of the dominator: after taking a year off to charge his batteries, Dominik Hasek is back in goal for Detroit and ready to win another Cup", 'Hockey Digest', 2003-11-01. Retrieved on 2007-01-09.
- ↑ A to Z Encyclopedia of Ice Hockey. The Ice Hockey Annual. Retrieved on 9 January 2007.
- ↑ Q&A: Czech hockey goalie Dominik Hasek. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (2006-02-03). Retrieved on 7 August 2006.
- ↑ Wigge, Larry. "Passionate or passionless? It's a harbinger of spring - whether certain key players are playing with the passion and intensity needed for success in the Stanley Cup playoffs - NHL Insider - Column", 'The Sporting News', 1998-03-23. Retrieved on 2007-04-04.
- ↑ Lidstrom becomes first European to win Conn Smythe Trophy. IIHF (2002-06-14). Retrieved on 26 April 2007.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Dominik Hasek (1990–present). hockeygoalies.org (2007). Retrieved on 24 April 2007.
- ↑ "Dominik Hasek returns to Detroit", 'Canadian Press', 2006-07-31.
