Samuel Hlavaj

Samuel Hlavaj (born May 29, 2001, in Martin, Slovakia) is a Slovak professional ice hockey goaltender for the Iowa Wild in the American Hockey League (AHL) as a prospect to the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League (NHL). Hlavaj has played for his country in the IIHF World Championships of 2023 and 2024.

Playing career

Junior

Hlavaj signed for Lincoln Stars of the United States Hockey League (USHL) during the 2018–19 season. The following season, 2019–20, Hlavaj played for Canadian side Sherbrooke Phoenix, during which time he won the Jacques Plante Memorial Trophy.

Professional

Back in Europe, he played for Slovak team HC Slovan Bratislava for two seasons, before joining Czech side HC Škoda Plzeň in May 2023, signing a two-year contract.

On April 5, 2024, after completing his first season with Plzeň, Hlavaj enacted his NHL out clause after agreeing to terms with the Minnesota Wild on a two-year, entry-level contract starting with the 2024–25 NHL season.

International play

Hlavaj played for the Slovakia men's national junior ice hockey team at the 2019 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. Hlavaj started three games for Slovakia at the 2023 IIHF World Championship. At the 2024 IIHF World Championship he didn't play in Slovakia's opening game, but made five appearances, including a 4–0 win against Poland in which he completed a shutout. At the tournament Hlavaj wore a mask with an image of Juraj Jánošík on it.

In August 2024 he was included in the Slovakia squad for the qualification tournament for the 2026 Winter Olympics, in which he played, and resulted in Slovakia, as well as Denmark and Latvia, qualifying.