Boris Valábik

Boris Valábik (born February 14, 1986) is a Slovak former professional ice hockey defenceman. Valábik was drafted in the first round, tenth overall, of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft by the Atlanta Thrashers and played 80 regular season games for the Thrashers.

Boris Valábik
Valábik with the Atlanta Thrashers in 2009
Born (1986-02-14) February 14, 1986
Nitra, Czechoslovakia
Height 6 ft 7 in (201 cm)
Weight 245 lb (111 kg; 17 st 7 lb)
Position Defence
Shot Left
Played for Atlanta Thrashers
National team  Slovakia
NHL Draft 10th overall, 2004
Atlanta Thrashers
Playing career 2006–2017

Junior hockey

Kitchener Rangers (2003–2006)

After playing the 2002–03 season with HC Nitra U-20 team in his hometown of Nitra, Valábik was drafted by the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) in the first round, 48th overall, in the 2003 CHL Import Draft.

Valábik played in his first career OHL game on September 19, 2003, as he was held pointless in a 10–4 victory over the Plymouth Whalers. He earned his first career OHL point on October 17, 2003, an assist in a 6–2 loss to the Owen Sound Attack. Valábik scored his first career OHL goal on November 7, 2003, against Josh Disher of the Erie Otters in an 8–1 win. He finished the 2003–04 season with 3 goals and 16 points in 68 games, as well as accumulating 118 penalty minutes, helping the Rangers make the playoffs. In the post-season, Valábik was held pointless in five games as Kitchener were eliminated by the Plymouth Whalers in the Western Conference quarter-finals. After the season, Valábik was named to the OHL All-Rookie Team.[1]

Valábik struggled offensively in the 2004–05 season, as he earned only 4 assists in 43 games during the season, as well as recording 231 penalty minutes. In 15 playoff games, Valábik was held off the scoresheet, as the Rangers eventually lost to the London Knights in the Western Conference finals.

Valábik returned to Kitchener for his final season in 2005–06, where in 52 games, he scored 1 goal and 10 points, as well as accumulated 216 penalty minutes, as Kitchener made the post-season once again. In the playoffs, Valábik recorded two assists in five games as the club lost to the Owen Sound Attack in the Western Conference quarter-finals.

Professional career

Atlanta Thrashers (2004–2011)

Valábik was drafted by the Atlanta Thrashers in the first round, tenth overall, of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. For the 2004–05 and the 2005–06 seasons, the Thrashers returned Valábik to the Kitchener Rangers. On March 30, 2006, he signed an entry-level contract with Atlanta to begin his professional career.

The Thrashers assigned Valábik to the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League (AHL) for the 2006–07 season. He played in his first career AHL game on October 7, 2006, also registering his first point (an assist), in a 5–0 win over the Peoria Rivermen. In his next game, on October 13, Valábik scored his first career AHL goal, against Karl Goehring of the Milwaukee Admirals in a 7–5 victory. He finished the season playing in 50 games with Chicago, scoring 2 goals and 9 points, helping the Wolves clinch a playoff spot. In the playoffs, Valábik had one assist in eight games as the Wolves lost to the Iowa Stars in the West Division finals.

Valábik began the 2007–08 season with the Wolves, where in 58 games, he had 1 goal and 8 points. On March 17, 2008, the Thrashers called Valábik up to Atlanta, and two days later, on March 19, Valábik appeared in his first career NHL game, going pointless in a 5–3 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes. He finished the 2007–08 season with Atlanta, registering no points in seven games. He was then sent back to the Wolves for their Calder Cup playoff run. On April 26, 2008, Valábik scored his first career AHL playoff goal, against Pekka Rinne of the Milwaukee Admirals in a 3–0 victory. Overall, Valábik appeared in 24 playoff games with Chicago, scoring 3 goals and 4 points as the Wolves ultimately won the Calder Cup.

Valábik began the 2008–09 season with the Wolves. In 11 games, he scored 1 goal and 3 points. In November, the Thrashers called Valábik up for the remainder of the season. He earned his first career NHL point on December 10, 2008, an assist in a 3–2 loss to the New York Rangers. He finished the season playing in 50 games with Atlanta, recording 5 assists and 132 penalty minutes. On July 20, 2009, he re-signed with the Thrashers.[2]

Valábik began the 2009–10 season with the Wolves. He suffered an ankle injury in a practice before the season, however, and missed the first six weeks of the season. Valábik returned to the lineup on November 20, 2009, and would play in six games with Chicago, earning no points, before being called up to Atlanta again. With the Thrashers, he appeared in 23 games, earning 2 assists. His 2009–10 season ended in early February after he tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).

On October 15, 2010, the Thrashers placed Valábik on waivers, which he cleared, allowing him to be sent back to the Wolves. In 49 games with Chicago, he had 9 assists. On February 18, 2011, the Thrashers traded Valábik and forward Rich Peverley to the Boston Bruins in exchange for forward Blake Wheeler and defenceman Mark Stuart.[3]

Boston Bruins (2010–2011)

Valábik finished the 2010–11 season with the Boston Bruins' AHL affiliate, the Providence Bruins. In ten games with Providence, he had two assists. After the season, Valábik became an unrestricted free agent.

Pittsburgh Penguins (2011–2012)

On July 3, 2011, Valábik signed a one-year contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins. On October 3, he suffered a knee injury at a Penguins practice, and on November 2, the Penguins placed Valábik on waivers. He cleared waivers and was assigned to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, the Penguins' AHL affiliate. He would only play in three games for the club in the 2011–12 season, earning no points. After the season, Valábik once again became a free agent.

Kometa Brno (2012–2013)

On August 14, 2012, as a free agent, Valábik signed with Kometa Brno of the Czech Extraliga. In 29 games, he had 1 goal and 3 points. In early January 2013, Valábik asked to be released from his contract with the club.

Portland Pirates (2012–2013)

On January 11, 2013, Valábik returned to North America to sign with the AHL's Portland Pirates. In 24 games with Portland, he had 2 goals and 6 points, helping the team reach the playoffs. He appeared in one playoff game, being held off the scoresheet, while earning 17 penalty minutes, as the Pirates lost to the Syracuse Crunch in the Eastern Conference quarter-finals.

Coventry Blaze

Valábik signed for the Coventry Blaze at the start of the 2015–16 season.[4] He was subsequently named an alternate captain .

Awards and achievements

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs
    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2002–03 MHC Nitra SVK U20 46 2 12 14 145 — — — — —
2003–04 Kitchener Rangers OHL 68 3 12 15 278 5 0 0 0 8
2004–05 Kitchener Rangers OHL 43 0 4 4 231 15 0 0 0 56
2005–06 Kitchener Rangers OHL 36 1 5 6 138 — — — — —
2006–07 Chicago Wolves AHL 50 2 7 9 184 8 0 1 1 37
2007–08 Chicago Wolves AHL 58 1 7 8 229 24 3 1 4 71
2007–08 Atlanta Thrashers NHL 7 0 0 0 42 — — — — —
2008–09 Chicago Wolves AHL 11 1 2 3 21 — — — — —
2008–09 Atlanta Thrashers NHL 50 0 5 5 132 — — — — —
2009–10 Atlanta Thrashers NHL 23 0 2 2 36 — — — — —
2009–10 Chicago Wolves AHL 6 0 0 0 10 — — — — —
2010–11 Chicago Wolves AHL 49 0 9 9 165 — — — — —
2010–11 Providence Bruins AHL 10 0 2 2 24 — — — — —
2011–12 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL 3 0 0 0 7 — — — — —
2012–13 HC Kometa Brno ELH 29 1 2 3 106 — — — — —
2012–13 Portland Pirates AHL 24 2 4 6 92 1 0 0 0 17
2013–14 ŠHK 37 Piešťany SVK 18 1 4 5 50 — — — — —
2014–15 Arystan Temirtau KAZ 10 1 1 2 18 — — — — —
2014–15 Arlan Kokshetau KAZ 25 3 16 19 102 8 0 1 1 36
2015–16 Coventry Blaze GBR 42 1 7 8 339 4 0 0 0 10
2016–17 EHC Lustenau AlpsHL 20 1 3 4 54 — — — — —
AHL totals 211 6 31 37 732 33 3 2 5 125
NHL totals 80 0 7 7 210 — — — — —

International
Medal record
Representing  Slovakia
World Junior U18 Championships
2003 YaroslavlIce hockey
Year Team Event   GP G A Pts PIM
2003 Slovakia WJC18 7 1 0 1 34
2004 Slovakia WJC18 6 0 3 3 26
2005 Slovakia WJC 6 0 1 1 20
2006 Slovakia WJC 6 1 5 6 32
2009 Slovakia WC 6 0 0 0 16
Junior totals 25 2 9 11 112
Senior totals 6 0 0 0 16
gollark: Really? Hm.
gollark: I might be heav, but 22.7% of the time at most, if I remember right.
gollark: Anyway, heav might be Lyricly, but they're just an alt of esobot.
gollark: Or neither.
gollark: No, that's heav.

References
  1. "Valabik & Lashoff Named To OHL's All Rookie Team". kitchenerrangers.com. April 22, 2014. Retrieved May 30, 2018.
  2. "Thrashers Re-Sign Boris Valabik". kitchenerrangers.com. July 20, 2009. Retrieved May 30, 2018.
  3. "Bruins Trade Blake Wheeler, Mark Stuart to Atlanta for Rich Peverley, Boris Valabik". nesn.com. February 18, 2011. Retrieved May 30, 2018.
  4. http://www.coventryblaze.co.uk/index.php/news/latest-news/1561-tower-of-power-valabik-signs-up-as-new-guardian-of-the-skydome
Preceded by
Braydon Coburn		 Atlanta Thrashers first round draft pick
2004		 Succeeded by
Alex Bourret
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