Pavol Demitra (; 29 November 1974 – 7 September 2011) was a
Slovak professional
ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey in North America) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an Ice rink, ice skating rink with Ice hockey rink, lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. Tw ...
player. He played nineteen seasons of professional hockey, for teams in the
Czechoslovak First Ice Hockey League (CSL),
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...
(NHL),
Slovak Extraliga
The Slovak Extraliga, known as the Tipsport liga since the 2025–26 season for sponsorship reasons, is the highest-level ice hockey league in Slovakia. From 2018–19 to 2020–21, the league included one or two teams from Hungary.
Teams fro ...
(SVK), and
Kontinental Hockey League
The Kontinental Hockey League (KHL; ) is an international professional ice hockey league founded in 2008. It comprises member clubs based in Russia (20), Belarus (1), Kazakhstan (1), and China (1) for a total of 23 clubs.
It was considered in ...
(KHL). A skilled offensive player, Demitra was a
top-line forward throughout his career.
After a season with
HC Dukla Trenčín in the CSL, Demitra was selected 227th overall in the
1993 NHL Entry Draft by the
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators (), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. The Senators compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Di ...
. He subsequently left Slovakia to join the Senators organization, spending three seasons split between team and their
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America that serves as the primary developmental league of the National Hockey League (NHL). The league comprises 32 teams, with 26 in the United States and 6 in Cana ...
affiliate. A contract holdout at the start of the
1996–97 season saw Demitra traded to the
St. Louis Blues. Demitra had his most successful seasons with St. Louis, being selected for three
NHL All-Star Game
The National Hockey League All-Star Game () is an exhibition ice hockey tournament that is traditionally held during the regular season of the National Hockey League (NHL), with many of the League's star players playing against each other. The ga ...
s and winning the
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy
The Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, formerly known as the Lady Byng Trophy, is presented each year to the National Hockey League "player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard ...
in 2000. He scored at least 30 goals three times and 90 points once while with the Blues. During the
2004–05 NHL lockout
The 2004–05 NHL lockout was a labor lockout that resulted in the cancellation of the National Hockey League (NHL) season, which would have been its 88th season of play.
The main dispute was the league's desire to implement a salary cap to ...
, Demitra returned to HC Dukla Trenčín for, and upon returning to the NHL the following year, he signed as a free agent with the
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles. The Kings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. ...
. After one season with Los Angeles, he was traded to the
Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The Wild compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Confer ...
, where he played for two further seasons before signing with the
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. The Canucks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conferenc ...
, and spent his last two NHL seasons with the team. In 2010 Demitra signed with
Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the KHL, playing one season there before dying in the
2011 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl plane crash that involved most of the team prior to the
2011–12 KHL season.
Internationally, Demitra played in junior tournaments with the
Czechoslovak national junior team. He won a gold medal at the
1992 IIHF European U18 Championship The 1992 IIHF European U18 Championship was the twenty-fifth playing of the IIHF European Junior Championships.
Group A
Played April 5–12 in Lillehammer and Hamar, Norway
First round
;Group 1
;Group 2
Final round
;Championship round
;7th ...
and a bronze medal at the
1993 IIHF World U20 Championship. After the
country split in 1993, Demitra began competing for
Slovakia
Slovakia, officially the Slovak Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the west, and the Czech Republic to the northwest. Slovakia's m ...
. Beginning in
1996
1996 was designated as:
* International Year for the Eradication of Poverty
Events January
* January 8 – A Zairean cargo plane crashes into a crowded market in the center of the capital city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo ...
, he played in six
IIHF World Championships, winning a bronze medal in
2003
2003 was designated by the United Nations as the International Year of Fresh water, Freshwater.
In 2003, a Multi-National Force – Iraq, United States-led coalition 2003 invasion of Iraq, invaded Iraq, starting the Iraq War.
Demographic ...
and captaining his country in
2011
The year marked the start of a Arab Spring, series of protests and revolutions throughout the Arab world advocating for democracy, reform, and economic recovery, later leading to the depositions of world leaders in Tunisia, Egypt, and Yemen ...
. He also played in the
1996
1996 was designated as:
* International Year for the Eradication of Poverty
Events January
* January 8 – A Zairean cargo plane crashes into a crowded market in the center of the capital city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo ...
and
2004 World Cup of Hockey. Demitra also played in three
Winter Olympics
The Winter Olympic Games (), also known as the Winter Olympics, is a major international multi-sport event held once every four years for sports practiced on snow and ice. The first Winter Olympic Games, the 1924 Winter Olympics, were held i ...
:
2002
The effects of the September 11 attacks of the previous year had a significant impact on the affairs of 2002. The war on terror was a major political focus. Without settled international law, several nations engaged in anti-terror operation ...
,
2006
2006 was designated as the International Year of Deserts and Desertification.
Events
January
* January 1– 4 – Russia temporarily cuts shipment of natural gas to Ukraine during a price dispute.
* January 12 – A stampede during t ...
(where he was captain of the Slovak team), and
2010
The year saw a multitude of natural and environmental disasters such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the 2010 Chile earthquake. The 2009 swine flu pandemic, swine flu pandemic which began the previous year ...
, where he led all scorers in points and was named to the tournament's All-Star Team.
Playing career
Czechoslovakia
Initially a
soccer
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football), ball around a rectangular f ...
player, like his father (who played professionally), Demitra only began to focus on hockey when he was 15.
Demitra began playing at the senior level with
ZŤS Dubnica in Czechoslovakia's second-tier league; he recorded 23 points (13 goals and 10 assists) over 28 games. The following season, Demitra joined
HC Dukla Trenčín of the premier
Czechoslovak Extraliga in 1992–93, where he scored 11 goals and 28 points in 46 games. After the season, Demitra was drafted by the
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators (), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. The Senators compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Di ...
in the ninth round, 227th overall in the
1993 NHL Entry Draft. He came to be considered one of the best draft steals in NHL history.
Ottawa Senators
Demitra began the
1993–94 season with the
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators (), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. The Senators compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Di ...
, and in his first
NHL
The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...
game on 9 October 1993, Demitra scored on
St. Louis Blues goaltender
Curtis Joseph for his first NHL goal and point. He played in 12 games for Ottawa during the season, scoring a goal and two points. Demitra mainly spent the
season
A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's axial tilt, tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperat ...
with Ottawa's
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America that serves as the primary developmental league of the National Hockey League (NHL). The league comprises 32 teams, with 26 in the United States and 6 in Cana ...
affiliate, the
Prince Edward Island Senators. In 41 AHL games Demitra recorded 41 points, sixth on the team. He spent most of the following
season
A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's axial tilt, tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperat ...
in the AHL, scoring 74 points in 61 games.
Demitra also spent time with Ottawa, as he scored four goals and seven points in 16 games. He began the
1995–96 season in the AHL, but after scoring 81 points in 48 games was recalled to Ottawa permanently.
With Ottawa, Demitra had seven goals and 17 points in 31 games.
To start the
1996–97 season, Demtira was a contract hold-out with Ottawa. He played a game with
HC Dukla Trenčín of the
Slovak Extraliga
The Slovak Extraliga, known as the Tipsport liga since the 2025–26 season for sponsorship reasons, is the highest-level ice hockey league in Slovakia. From 2018–19 to 2020–21, the league included one or two teams from Hungary.
Teams fro ...
, getting a goal and two points, before joining the
Las Vegas Thunder of the
IHL. With the Thunder, Demitra had eight goals and 21 points in 22 games. On 27 November 1996, the Senators parted ways with Demitra, as Ottawa traded him to the
St. Louis Blues for
Christer Olsson.
St. Louis Blues
The
St. Louis Blues assigned Demitra to the
Grand Rapids Griffins
The Grand Rapids Griffins are a professional ice hockey team based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. They compete in the American Hockey League (AHL), playing their home games at Van Andel Arena. They are the AHL affiliate to the Detroit Red Wings of t ...
of the
IHL, where in 42 games, Demitra had 20 goals and 50 points. He was called up to the Blues, and played his first game with the club on 17 March 1997, getting no points in a 3–2 loss to the
Phoenix Coyotes
The Arizona Coyotes are an inactive professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. They competed in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division (1996–1998, 2021–2024) and ...
. Demitra scored his first two goals with St. Louis on 3 April 1997, scoring twice against
Tommy Salo in a 5–5 tie with the
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders (colloquially known as the Isles) are a professional ice hockey team based in Elmont, New York. The Islanders compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (N ...
. He finished the season appearing in eight games with St. Louis, scoring three goals. Demitra made his NHL playoff debut on 16 April 1997, recording his first playoff point, an assist, in the Blues 2–0 win over the
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings (colloquially referred to as the Wings) are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit. The Red Wings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the East ...
. On 22 April 1997, Demitra scored his first playoff goal, beating Red Wings goaltender
Mike Vernon, and added two assists in a 4–0 win over Detroit. Overall, Demitra had a goal and four points in six playoff games.
Demitra made the NHL full-time in
1997–98, as he played in 61 games with St. Louis, scoring 22 goals and 52 points to finish fifth in team scoring. In 10 playoff games, Demitra had three goals and six points.
The
1998–99 was a break-out season for Demitra, as he finished tenth in NHL scoring with 89 points, as he scored 37 goals and added 52 assists in 82 games. Demitra appeared in the
1999 NHL All-Star Game held in
Tampa, Florida
Tampa ( ) is a city on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. Tampa's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and t ...
, scoring a goal for the World team in an 8–6 loss to North America. In the playoffs, Demitra added five goals and nine points in 13 games.
Demitra continued his success in
1999–2000, as he scored 27 goals and 75 points in 71 games to lead the Blues in scoring once again. Demitra played in the
2000 NHL All-Star Game held in
Toronto, Ontario
Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
, where he scored two goals in a 9–4 World victory over North America. Demitra also scored his first career
hat trick, scoring three goals against the
Mighty Ducks of Anaheim
Mighty may refer to:
Businesses
*Mighty Audio, an American company known for its product ''Mighty'', a portable audio player
*Mighty Animation, an animation studio based in Guadalajara, Mexico
Films
*''The Mighty'', a 1998 comedy–drama
* ''The ...
on 12 February 2000 in a 6–3 Blues victory. Demitra suffered a season-ending injury on 24 March 2000, and missed the playoffs. After the season, he was awarded the
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy
The Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, formerly known as the Lady Byng Trophy, is presented each year to the National Hockey League "player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard ...
after he accumulated only eight penalty minutes throughout the season.
Injuries cut short Demitra's season in
2000–01 when he appeared in only 44 games with St. Louis. He scored 20 goals and 45 points to finish fifth in team scoring. He scored a hat trick and added two assists for a five-point game against the
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in New York City. The Rangers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The team plays ...
on 20 December 2000 in a 6–3 win. Less than a week later, on 26 December 2000, Demitra had another high scoring game, scoring two goals and four points against the
Columbus Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets (often simply referred to as the Jackets) are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio. The Blue Jackets compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern C ...
in a 5–0 victory. On 30 December 2000, Demitra suffered an injury, however, he came back with the team late in the season, and appeared in 15 playoff games, scoring two goals and six points.
In
2001–02, Demitra was healthy, as he appeared in all 82 games for St. Louis, scoring 35 goals and 78 points to lead the team in scoring and finish seventh in the league scoring race. Demitra had a league high ten game-winning goals. He had a four-point night against his former team, the
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators (), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. The Senators compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Di ...
, on 27 November 2001, scoring two goals and two assists in a 4–2 victory. Demitra appeared in the
2002 NHL All-Star Game held in
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
, however, he was held off the scoresheet in an 8–5 World win over North America. In the playoffs, Demitra appeared in 10 games, scoring four goals and 11 points. He had a four-point night against the
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings (colloquially referred to as the Wings) are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit. The Red Wings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the East ...
on 7 May 2002, scoring a goal and three assists in the Blues 6–1 victory.
The
2002–03 was Demitra's most productive in the NHL, as he set a career high with 93 points, which placed him sixth in NHL scoring, as Demitra scored 36 goals and 57 assists in 78 games. He had a hat trick and a season high four points on 29 November 2002 in a 7–2 win over the
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary. The Flames compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The ...
. In the playoffs, Demitra had two goals and six points in seven games.
Demitra had a disappointing
2003–04 season, scoring 23 goals and 58 points, his lowest totals since his injury plagued 2000–01 season, in 68 games. In the playoffs, Demitra had a goal in five contests. This would be his final season with the Blues, as Demitra left the team fifth in franchise scoring with 493 points in 494 games.
HK Dukla Trenčin
With the
2004–05 NHL lockout
The 2004–05 NHL lockout was a labor lockout that resulted in the cancellation of the National Hockey League (NHL) season, which would have been its 88th season of play.
The main dispute was the league's desire to implement a salary cap to ...
cancelling the season, Demitra signed with
HK Dukla Trenčín of the
Slovak Extraliga
The Slovak Extraliga, known as the Tipsport liga since the 2025–26 season for sponsorship reasons, is the highest-level ice hockey league in Slovakia. From 2018–19 to 2020–21, the league included one or two teams from Hungary.
Teams fro ...
on 17 September 2004. Demitra led the league in scoring with 28 goals and 82 points in 54 games. Demitra scored four goals and 17 points in 12 playoff games with the team.
Los Angeles Kings
On 2 August 2005, Demitra signed a three-year, $13.5 million contract with the
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles. The Kings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. ...
.
On 5 October 2005, Demitra played his first game with the Kings, scoring an assist in a 5–4 loss to the
Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas. The Stars compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The Stars ...
. The next night, on 6 October 2005, Demitra scored his first goal with his new team, scoring against
David LeNeveu of the
Phoenix Coyotes
The Arizona Coyotes are an inactive professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. They competed in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division (1996–1998, 2021–2024) and ...
in a 3–2 win. Demitra had three four-point games during the season, including one on 22 November 2005 against his former team, the
St. Louis Blues in a 6–3 Los Angeles win. Demitra missed 24 games with injuries, including an eye problem, during the season. In 58 games during the
season
A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's axial tilt, tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperat ...
, Demitra had 25 goals and 62 points to finish third in team scoring. On 24 June 2006, Los Angeles traded Demitra to the
Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The Wild compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Confer ...
for
Patrick O'Sullivan and a first round draft pick in the
2006 NHL Entry Draft.
Minnesota Wild
Demitra joined the Wild and fellow Slovak
Marián Gáborík for the
2006–07 season. Demitra played his first game with the Wild on 5 October 2006, recording two assists in a 3–2 win over the
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche (colloquially known as the Avs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver. The Avalanche compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Con ...
. In his next game on 7 October 2006, Demitra scored his first goal with Minnesota, scoring against
Tomáš Vokoun of the
Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators (colloquially referred to as the Preds) are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. The Predators compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Divisio ...
in a 6–5 victory. Demitra finished the season tied for first in team scoring, as he had 25 goals and 64 points in 71 games. The 64 points were the highest by Demitra since 2002–03. Demitra played in his first playoff game with Minnesota on 11 April 2007, scoring a goal against
Ilya Bryzgalov of the
Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California. The Ducks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Confere ...
in a 2–1 loss. Demitra appeared in five playoff games, scoring a goal and four points.
Demitra was named the
captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...
of the Wild for the month of October 2007 as part of the Wild's rotating captaincy to begin the
2007–08 season. Demitra had a tough season, scoring only 15 goals, his lowest total since 1996–97, and 54 points through 68 games as he finished fourth in team scoring. In the playoffs, Demitra had a goal and three points in six games. At the end of the season, he became an unrestricted free agent.
Vancouver Canucks
On 10 July 2008, Demitra signed a two-year, $8 million contract with the
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. The Canucks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conferenc ...
.
He played in his first game as a Canuck on 9 October 2008, getting no points in a 6–0 win over the
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary. The Flames compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The ...
. In his next game, also against Calgary, Demitra scored his first goal with Vancouver, the game winning overtime goal against
Miikka Kiprusoff in a 5–4 win. He finished the season with 20 goals and 53 points in 69 games, finishing fourth in team scoring. Demitra appeared in his first playoff game with Vancouver on 15 April 2009, recording an assist in a 2–1 win over the
St. Louis Blues. Demitra scored his first playoff goal with the Canucks on 30 April 2009, scoring against
Nikolai Khabibulin
Nikolai Alexandrovich Khabibulin (; rus, Николай Александрович Хабибулин, p=xəbʲɪˈbulʲɪn, born January 13, 1973) is a Russian former professional ice hockey goaltender. Known by the nickname "The Bulin Wall", h ...
of the
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks (spelled Black Hawks until 1986, and known colloquially as the Hawks) are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago. The Blackhawks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (N ...
in a 5–3 victory. On 2 May 2009, Demitra suffered a shoulder injury against the Blackhawks that would end his season. In six playoff games, Demitra had a goal and three points.
The
2009–10 would be a tough season on Demitra, as he missed most of the regular season with the shoulder injury that occurred in the 2009 playoffs. In 28 games, Demitra had three goals and 16 points, his lowest totals since 1996–97. In the playoffs, Demitra had a three-point game against the
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles. The Kings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. ...
on 23 April 2010, helping Vancouver to a 7–2 win. Overall, Demitra appeared in 11 playoff games, scoring two goals and six points. After the season, he became an unrestricted free agent. This would mark the end of Demitra's NHL career. Demitra played in 847 career games, and scored 304 goals with 464 assists for 768 points.
Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
Demitra joined
Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the
KHL
The Kontinental Hockey League (KHL; ) is an international professional ice hockey league founded in 2008. It comprises member clubs based in Russia (20), Belarus (1), Kazakhstan (1), and China (1) for a total of 23 clubs.
It was considered in ...
on 15 July 2010. In his first season with Lokomotiv, Demitra scored 18 goals and 60 points in 54 games to finish fifth in league scoring. He was named Forward of the Month in January 2011. In 18 playoff games with Yaroslavl, Demitra had six goals and 15 assists for 21 points which placed him second in KHL playoff scoring.
Demitra returned to the team for the
2011–12 season; however, on 7 September 2011, he was killed in the
2011 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl plane crash along with the entirety of the team roster and most of the flight crew.
International play

Demitra was named to
Team Slovakia for the
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XXI Olympic Winter Games () and also known as Vancouver 2010 (), were an international winter multi-sport event held from February 12 to 28, 2010 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with ...
in his NHL hometown
Vancouver
Vancouver is a major city in Western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the cit ...
. On 18 February 2010, he scored in the seventh round of a shootout to help Slovakia beat
Russia
Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
in the round robin. In the semi-finals against hosts Canada, Slovakia trailed 3–0 after two periods but rallied with 2 goals in the third period, and Demitra nearly scored with 9 seconds remaining in regulation but his shot was stopped by Canucks teammate
Roberto Luongo, and the save was dubbed the "Glove from Above". In the bronze medal game against
Finland
Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It borders Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the south, ...
, Demitra assisted twice and scored once in the second period to help his team to a 3–1 lead, though they could not hold on as Finland scored four times (including an empty-net goal) in the third period to claim bronze. Slovakia was ranked in fourth place, as Demitra led the tournament in points with 10 and tied for the lead in assists with seven. His play in the tournament led him to a selection to the all-star team.
Demitra played for
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia ( ; Czech language, Czech and , ''Česko-Slovensko'') was a landlocked country in Central Europe, created in 1918, when it declared its independence from Austria-Hungary. In 1938, after the Munich Agreement, the Sudetenland beca ...
in the following competitions:
*1992
European Junior Championships
*
1993 World Junior Championships (bronze medal)
Demitra played for
Slovakia
Slovakia, officially the Slovak Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east, Hungary to the south, Austria to the west, and the Czech Republic to the northwest. Slovakia's m ...
in the following competitions:
*
1996 World Championships
*
1996 World Cup
*1999 Ball Hockey World Championships - 1999 (gold medal)
*
2002 Winter Olympics
The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games and commonly known as Salt Lake 2002 (; Gosiute dialect, Gosiute Shoshoni: ''Tit'-so-pi 2002''; ; Shoshoni language, Shoshoni: ''Soónkahni 2002''), were an international wi ...
in
Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City, often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC, is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. It is the county seat of Salt Lake County, the most populous county in the state. The city is the core of the Salt Lake Ci ...
*
2003 World Championships (bronze medal)
*
2004 World Championship
*
2004 World Cup
*
2005 World Championships
*
2006 Winter Olympics
The 2006 Winter Olympics (), officially the XX Olympic Winter Games () and also known as Torino 2006, were a winter multi-sport event held from 10 to 26 February in Turin, Italy. This marked the second time Italy had hosted the Winter O ...
in
Turin
Turin ( , ; ; , then ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital from 1861 to 1865. The city is main ...
(captain)
*
2007 World Championships
*
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XXI Olympic Winter Games () and also known as Vancouver 2010 (), were an international winter multi-sport event held from February 12 to 28, 2010 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with ...
in
Vancouver
Vancouver is a major city in Western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the cit ...
*
2011 World Championships (captain)
Awards and achievements
*Awarded the
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy
The Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, formerly known as the Lady Byng Trophy, is presented each year to the National Hockey League "player adjudged to have exhibited the best type of sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct combined with a high standard ...
in
2000
2000 was designated as the International Year for the Culture of Peace and the World Mathematics, Mathematical Year.
Popular culture holds the year 2000 as the first year of the 21st century and the 3rd millennium, because of a tende ...
.
*Played in the
NHL All-Star Game
The National Hockey League All-Star Game () is an exhibition ice hockey tournament that is traditionally held during the regular season of the National Hockey League (NHL), with many of the League's star players playing against each other. The ga ...
in
1999
1999 was designated as the International Year of Older Persons.
Events January
* January 1 – The euro currency is established and the European Central Bank assumes its full powers.
* January 3 – The Mars Polar Lander is launc ...
,
2000
2000 was designated as the International Year for the Culture of Peace and the World Mathematics, Mathematical Year.
Popular culture holds the year 2000 as the first year of the 21st century and the 3rd millennium, because of a tende ...
and
2002
The effects of the September 11 attacks of the previous year had a significant impact on the affairs of 2002. The war on terror was a major political focus. Without settled international law, several nations engaged in anti-terror operation ...
.
*
Olympic All-Star team and leading scorer of the
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XXI Olympic Winter Games () and also known as Vancouver 2010 (), were an international winter multi-sport event held from February 12 to 28, 2010 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with ...
*Fifth on
St. Louis Blues' all-time scoring list – 204 goals, 289 assists, 493 points in 494 games
*
Team Slovakia retired Demitra's no. 38 jersey on 11 September 2011.
*
HC Dukla Trenčín retired Demitra's no. 38 jersey on 16 September 2011. Former teammate and close friend
Marián Hossa
Marián Hossa (; born 12 January 1979) is a Slovak former professional ice hockey winger (ice hockey), right winger. Hossa was drafted by the Ottawa Senators in the first round, 12th overall, of the 1997 NHL Entry Draft. After spending his first ...
hoisted his number to the rafters.
Death
On 7 September 2011, at 4:02 PM local time, a
Yakovlev Yak-42 passenger aircraft, carrying Demitra and his Lokomotiv Yaroslavl teammates, crashed near Yaroslavl, Russia, on its way to
Minsk
Minsk (, ; , ) is the capital and largest city of Belarus, located on the Svislach (Berezina), Svislach and the now subterranean Nyamiha, Niamiha rivers. As the capital, Minsk has a special administrative status in Belarus and is the administra ...
,
Belarus
Belarus, officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the east and northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Belarus spans an a ...
, to start the 2011–12 KHL season.
The airplane caught fire and crashed shortly after take-off, a mere four kilometers from the
Tunoshna airport
Yaroslavl (Tunoshna) International Airport (Tunoshna - also Tunoshnoye, or Tunoschna) () is an airport in Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia, located 18 km southeast of Yaroslavl. It is served by medium-sized airliners. The airport is situated next ...
. Preliminary reports said that 43 of the 45 passengers on board had been killed, including the entire roster and four youth players, and that the remaining one,
Alexander Galimov, was in critical condition. Galimov died a few days later.
Demitra was survived by his wife Maja and two children,
Lucas and Zara. He was predeceased by his infant son, Tobias.
Following his death, the elementary school in
Dubnica nad Váhom which he had attended, and the ice hockey stadium in
Trenčín
Trenčín (, also known by other #Names and etymology, alternative names) is a List of towns in Slovakia, city in western Slovakia of the central Váh River valley near the Czech Republic, Czech border, around from Bratislava. It has a populati ...
where he started his successful career together with famous Slovak ice hockey players
Zdeno Chára,
Marián Hossa
Marián Hossa (; born 12 January 1979) is a Slovak former professional ice hockey winger (ice hockey), right winger. Hossa was drafted by the Ottawa Senators in the first round, 12th overall, of the 1997 NHL Entry Draft. After spending his first ...
,
Marcel Hossa and
Marián Gáborík, were named after him.
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
Bold indicates led league
International
All-Star Games
Transactions
* 27 November 1996 – Traded to St. Louis by Ottawa for
Christer Olsson.
* 17 September 2004 – Signed as a free agent by Trenčín (Slovakia).
* 2 August 2005 – Signed as a free agent by the
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles. The Kings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. ...
.
* 24 June 2006 – Traded to the
Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The Wild compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Confer ...
by Los Angeles for
Patrick O'Sullivan and first round pick (
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. Th ...
' pick) in
2006 NHL Entry Draft (
Trevor Lewis).
* 10 July 2008 – Signed as a free agent by the
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. The Canucks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conferenc ...
.
Source:
See also
*
Slovaks in the NHL
*
List of ice hockey players who died during their playing career
References
External links
*
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Demitra, Pavol
1974 births
2011 deaths
HK Dubnica players
HK Dukla Trenčín players
Grand Rapids Griffins (IHL) players
Ice hockey players at the 2002 Winter Olympics
Ice hockey players at the 2006 Winter Olympics
Ice hockey players at the 2010 Winter Olympics
Ice hockey players with retired numbers
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy winners
Las Vegas Thunder players
Lokomotiv Yaroslavl players
Los Angeles Kings players
Minnesota Wild players
National Hockey League All-Stars
Olympic ice hockey players for Slovakia
Ottawa Senators draft picks
Ottawa Senators players
Sportspeople from Dubnica nad Váhom
Ice hockey people from the Trenčín Region
Prince Edward Island Senators players
St. Louis Blues players
Slovak expatriate ice hockey players in Russia
Slovak ice hockey centres
Vancouver Canucks players
Victims of the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl plane crash
Slovak expatriate ice hockey players in Canada
Slovak expatriate ice hockey players in the United States
Czechoslovak ice hockey centres
21st-century Slovak sportsmen