- Marek Židlický
Infobox Ice Hockey Player
team =Minnesota Wild
former_teams =Nashville Predators
league = NHL
position = Defence
shoots = Right
height_ft = 5
height_in = 11
weight_lb = 190
nationality = CZE
birth_date = Birth date and age|1977|2|3|mf=y
birth_place = Most, CZE
draft = 176th overall
draft_year = 2001
draft_team =New York Rangers
career_start = 2003Marek Židlický IPA| ['marɛk 'ʒɪdlɪʦki:] (born
February 3 ,1977 , inMost ,Czechoslovakia ), is a professional ice hockey player.Playing career
Marek Židlický was selected 176th overall, in the 6th round of the
2001 NHL Entry Draft onJune 24 ,2001 . He was selected as the 6th choice of theNew York Rangers . He plays for theMinnesota Wild .Židlický had a very strong 2000–2001 season with
HIFK of the Finnish Elite League ranking 3rd on his team in assists (25) and tied for second on his team in points (37). He also led the league in points by a defenceman. This was enough for the Rangers to draft him in the NHL entry draft that next summer.However, Židlický and the Rangers could never agree to contract terms. The major sticking point was that Židlický wanted a one-way contract which would pay him the same amount of money regardless of whether he was playing in the NHL or the AHL. He wanted this contract because he was worried about the depth of the Rangers and did not want to spend too much time in the minor leagues. However, the Rangers would not agree to such a deal and only offered a two-way contract, one that would pay him at a lower rate if he played in the AHL. Because of these contract differences, Židlický opted to stay in Finland and continue playing for HIFK.
Židlický had two more very strong years for HIFK leading the team in points in 2001–2002 with 40 points. The next season he tied for the team lead in points with 47.
Realizing that Židlický would not come to the United States to play without a one-way contract and unwilling to give him one, the Rangers traded him, along with
Rem Murray andTomas Kloucek , forMike Dunham onDecember 12 ,2002 to theNashville Predators .Židlický joined the Predators in Nashville for the
2003–04 NHL season , which proved to be a very successful season for Židlický. He recorded his first NHL point in his NHL debut onOctober 10 ,2003 in a 3–1 win over theMighty Ducks of Anaheim . He scored his first NHL goal the next day in the second period of a 3–1 loss to theDallas Stars . He became the first Predator to play all 82 games in his first season in the league (he was not considered a rookie because of his age).Unfortunately for Židlický and Predators fans, he was injured when he was checked in the opening minutes of the first ever Nashville Predators playoff game against the
Detroit Red Wings . He suffered a concussion and was unable to return for any more games in the playoff series.During the
2004–05 NHL lockout Židlický returned to play for HIFK Helsinki.Židlický's name is pronounced (Zhid-lit-skee).
Židlický was selected to the bronze medal winning 2006 Czech Republic Olympic hockey squad.
On
May 8 ,2006 , it was announced that the Predators and Židlický had agreed on terms for a new contract. The length of the contract will be 4 years, worth approximately $13.5 millionOn July 1, 2008, Zidlicky was traded to the
Minnesota Wild for Ryan Jones and a 2nd round draft pick in the 2009 NHL draft.Records
*Nashville Predators franchise record for assists in a game (5).
*Nashville Predators franchise record for power play points in a season (35).International play
Played for the Czech Republic in:
International statistics
"This section may be incomplete."
External links
*hockeydb|50509
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