Jaroslav Halák

Jaroslav Halak
Halak with the New York Islanders in January 2015
Born	(1985-05-13) 13 May 1985 (age 31) Bratislava, Czechoslovakia
Height	5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight	181 lb (82 kg; 12 st 13 lb)
Position	Goaltender
Catches	Left
NHL team (P) Cur. team Former teams	New York Islanders Bridgeport Sound Tigers (AHL) Montreal Canadiens St. Louis Blues Washington Capitals
National team	Slovakia
NHL Draft	271st overall, 2003 Montreal Canadiens
Playing career	2005–present

Halak in 2010 with the Slovakia men's national ice hockey team
Medal record
Men's ice hockey
Representing  Slovakia
World U18 Championships
	2003 Russia

Jaroslav Halák (Slovak pronunciation: [ˈjaroslav ˈɦalaːk]; born 13 May 1985) is a Slovak professional ice hockey goaltender who is currently playing with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers in the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the New York Islanders in the National Hockey League (NHL). Halák was the 271st overall pick by the Montreal Canadiens in the ninth and final round of the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.

Halák first played for the Canadiens during the 2006–07 season, and remained with the team until being traded to the St. Louis Blues after the 2009–10 season. He played for the Blues until the 2013–14 season when he was traded to the Buffalo Sabres. Before playing a game with the Sabres, he was traded to the Washington Capitals, whom he only played for in 12 games before his rights were once again traded, this time to the Islanders. He signed a four-year contract with the Islanders in May 2014.

Halák played for the American Hockey League's (AHL) Hamilton Bulldogs during the 2006–07 season before being called up to their National Hockey League (NHL) parent team, the Montreal Canadiens on 15 February 2007, after an injury to the Canadiens' starting goaltender, Cristobal Huet. At the time of his call-up, Halák had a 2.00 goals against average (GAA) with the Bulldogs, the lowest in the AHL. He played his first NHL game on 18 February 2007, stopping 31 shots in a 3–2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Halák earned his first career NHL shutout on 20 March 2007, making thirty saves to keep the Canadiens' rival Boston Bruins off the board with a 1–0 victory.