Home > Dominik Hašek

Hašek was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in 1983, but didn't debut with them until the 1990-91 season. Hašek spent time as the backup to Ed Belfour, and only played 25 games over two seasons with the Blackhawks. During the summer of 1993, Hašek was traded to the Buffalo Sabres, where he blossomed into one of the NHL's top goaltenders. During his career, Hašek has won the Vezina Trophy for most outstanding goalie six times, and has won the Hart Memorial TrophyThe Hart Memorial Trophy is presented annually to the most valuable ice hockey player in the National Hockey League during the regular season. Voting is conducted by the members of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association. Presentation of the trophy o and Lester B. Pearson AwardThe Lester B. Pearson Award is awarded annually to the National Hockey League's outstanding player in the regular season, as judged by members of the NHL Players Association (NHLPA). The award is named in honour of Lester B. Pearson, Prime Minister of Can twice each. He led the NHL in save percentage six times, and has been named to the first team at the all star game five times.

At the 1998 Winter OlympicsThe XVIII Olympic Winter Games were held in 1998 in Nagano, Japan. Other candidate cities were Aosta, Italy; Jaca, Spain; Ostersund, Sweden; and Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. Highlights XC skier Bjorn Daehlie of Norway won three gold medals in Nordic skiing, Hašek led the Czech team to a gold medal, including a shutout of the Russian Federation team during the gold medal game. In 2001 Hašek, having won almost everything but a Stanley CupThe Stanley Cup originally titled the Dominion Hockey Challenge Cup is awarded each year by the National Hockey League to the champion of its playoff tournament. History The Stanley Cup, originally a decorative bowl purchased from a London silversmith wor, moved to the Detroit Red Wings, the odds-on favourites to win. Hašek's dreams were fulfilled and Detroit won both the Presidents' TrophyThe Presidents' Trophy is an award presented by the National Hockey League to the team which accumulated the most points at the end of the regular season. It was introduced in the 1985-86 NHL season by the NHL Board of Governors. The winning team is also and the Stanley Cup.

That summer Hašek retired, but after sitting out a year he returned to Detroit. In the meantime, Detroit had signed Curtis JosephCurtis Joseph (born April 29, 1967 in Keswick, Ontario, Canada), nicknamed " Cujo", is a National Hockey League goalie who currently plays for the Detroit Red Wings. From 1989 to 1995 he played for the St. Louis Blues, then was traded to the Edmonton Oile and thus found itself with two expensive goaltenders, and no other team was willing to accept Joseph's large salary, leading to tension among the Red Wings. The 2003-2004 season was problematic for Hašek, as he suffered a number of groin injuries. On January 9January 9 is the 9th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. There are 356 days remaining (357 in leap years). Events upto 19th century 1760 Afghans defeat Marathas in Battle of Barari Ghat. 1768 Philip Astley stages the first modern circus ( London)., 2004, he and the team agreed he should rest his injured groin for two to four weeks. At that time, he told general manager Ken Holland that he would not accept any pay while he was out injured. However, he did not make his refusal of pay public at that time. On February 10, he announced that he was not going to continue to play this season, a decision that surprised Red Wing management. Then, on March 12, after Holland discussed Hašek's refusal of pay with reporters, Hašek made the issue public. He eventually refused $3 million (US) of his $6 million salary.

Hašek, despite being on of the greatest goaltenders of his generation, is also known as a problem player. In the middle of the 1996 playoffs he announced he would not play another game with the Sabres if coach Ted Nolan was not fired. Hašek carried out his threat and sat in the stands and saw the Sabres lose in the next round. Nolan did not return the next year, upseting many other Buffalo players that liked him. After the 2001 playoffs he demanded a trade or else he threatend to retire. He got his wish and was moved to the Red Wings.

In April 2004, he underwent groin surgery in Prague, and returned to his hometown of Pardubice to recuperate. On June 17, he told a Czech sports daily that he would not play for the Red Wings in the 2004- 05 season (assuming the season is played, which is in doubt because of the current owner lockout of the players). In the interview, Hašek said that he wanted to be on a club that could contend for the Stanley Cup, and specifically named the Ottawa Senators as a possible destination. The Senators later signed Hašek to a multiyear deal.