Hasek, Dominik, << HAH shehk, DOH muh nihk >> (1965-…), ranks among the greatest goalies in hockey history. He became known as “the Dominator” for his skill at stopping opponents’ shots. Hasek began his career playing in Czechoslovakia (now divided into the Czech Republic and Slovakia), where he was born. He led his country to a gold medal in the 1998 Winter Olympic Games. While playing in North America in the National Hockey League (NHL), Hasek won the Hart Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s Most Valuable Player for the 1996-1997 and 1997-1998 seasons, a rare achievement for a goalie. Hasek also won the Vezina Trophy as the league’s best goalie six times.
Hasek was born on Jan. 29, 1965, in Pardubice in what is now the Czech Republic. He was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks of the NHL in 1983. Hasek played in Czechoslovakia from 1981 to 1990, when he joined the Blackhawks. He was named to the NHL all-rookie team for the 1991-1992 season. Chicago traded him to the Buffalo Sabres in 1992. Buffalo traded him to the Detroit Red Wings in 2001. Hasek announced his retirement following the 2001-2002 season, after helping the Red Wings win the Stanley Cup. That same season, Hasek set an NHL record of six shutouts during a single season’s play-offs. The following season, Martin Brodeur broke Hasek’s record. Hasek ended his retirement and rejoined the Red Wings a few months before the start of the 2003-2004 season. After the 2004-2005 NHL season was cancelled due to a labor dispute, Hasek played with the Ottawa Senators during the 2005-2006 season. He rejoined Detroit in 2006. Hasek retired after the end of the 2007-2008 season. He was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2014.
