Jan Mursak
Encyclopedia
Jan Muršak is a professional Slovenian ice hockey
forward currently playing for the Detroit Red Wings
of the National Hockey League
(NHL). Muršak first played hockey in Slovenia
as a member of HDK Maribor
before he left to spend one season in the Czech junior league
. He was then selected by the Detroit Red Wings
in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft
and moved to the major junior Ontario Hockey League
(OHL) and played for two teams, the Saginaw Spirit
and Belleville Bulls
. After finishing his junior career Muršak then joined the Red Wings American Hockey League
(AHL) affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins
in 2008.
where he played until the age of 17. He then transferred to Czech
club HC Ceské Budejovice
for which he played for a season in CZE-U20
youth development league.
In 2006
he was selected by the Detroit Red Wings
as the 182nd overall draft pick (6th round). During the same year Muršak was drafted by the Saginaw Spirit
in 1st Round of the 2006 CHL
Import Draft, 33rd overall. He had a successful first season for Saginaw which earned him a playoff call up for the Grand Rapids Griffins
, AHL
affiliate to the Detroit Red Wings. In his second OHL season, Muršak was traded from the Saginaw Spirit, to the Belleville Bulls
where he stayed until the end of the season, before moving on to play regularly for Grand Rapids in the AHL.
in April 2007. Since his draft in 2006 he has made appearances for the Red Wings during training camps. On December 26, 2010 it was announced by Detroit that Muršak was called up to the team to fill in after an ankle injury of Danny Cleary. He made his NHL career debut on December 28, 2010 in a game against the Colorado Avalanche
, thus becoming the second Slovenian, after Anže Kopitar
of the Los Angeles Kings
, to play in the NHL. Muršak scored his first NHL goal on January 10, 2011, also in a game against the Avalanche against Peter Budaj
. On 17 February, 2011, Muršak signed a new two year contract with the Red Wings.
(Division I
) in Latvia
, where he scored one goal and two assists and was named the best forward of the tournament. He made his debut for the Slovenian senior team at the 2010 Division I Championships
, held in the Slovenian capital, Ljubljana
.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
forward currently playing for the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
of the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL). Muršak first played hockey in Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
as a member of HDK Maribor
HDK Maribor
HDK Stavbar Maribor is an ice hockey club from Maribor, Slovenia. The club was founded in 1993. Their home games are played at Ledna dvorana Tabor.-NHL alumni:Since its foundation the HDK Maribor have graduated one player who have played in the NHL....
before he left to spend one season in the Czech junior league
Czech Extraliga
The Czech Extraliga is the highest-level ice hockey league in the Czech Republic. As of 2009, it is ranked by the IIHF as the third strongest league in Europe....
. He was then selected by the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft
2006 NHL Entry Draft
The 2006 NHL Entry Draft was the 44th NHL Entry Draft. It was held at General Motors Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on June 24, 2006.The draft order for the first 14 picks was decided during a lottery held on April 20, 2006....
and moved to the major junior Ontario Hockey League
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada....
(OHL) and played for two teams, the Saginaw Spirit
Saginaw Spirit
The Saginaw Spirit is a major junior ice hockey team based in Saginaw, Michigan. They are members of the West Division of the Western Conference of the Ontario Hockey League , one of the Major Junior leagues of the Canadian Hockey League ....
and Belleville Bulls
Belleville Bulls
The Belleville Bulls are a junior ice hockey team, founded in 1981 based in Belleville, Ontario, Canada. The team plays in the Eastern Division of the Eastern Conference of the Ontario Hockey League.-History:...
. After finishing his junior career Muršak then joined the Red Wings American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
(AHL) affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins
Grand Rapids Griffins
The Grand Rapids Griffins are a professional hockey team in the American Hockey League . They play in Grand Rapids, Michigan at the Van Andel Arena. They are the AHL affiliate to the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League....
in 2008.
European career and juniors
Muršak developed his skills in his hometown ice hockey club HDK MariborHDK Maribor
HDK Stavbar Maribor is an ice hockey club from Maribor, Slovenia. The club was founded in 1993. Their home games are played at Ledna dvorana Tabor.-NHL alumni:Since its foundation the HDK Maribor have graduated one player who have played in the NHL....
where he played until the age of 17. He then transferred to Czech
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
club HC Ceské Budejovice
HC Ceské Budejovice
HC Mountfield České Budějovice are a professional men's ice hockey club, based in České Budějovice in the Czech Republic. The club plays home games at Budvar Arena, and are members of the Czech Extraliga...
for which he played for a season in CZE-U20
Czech Extraliga
The Czech Extraliga is the highest-level ice hockey league in the Czech Republic. As of 2009, it is ranked by the IIHF as the third strongest league in Europe....
youth development league.
In 2006
2006 NHL Entry Draft
The 2006 NHL Entry Draft was the 44th NHL Entry Draft. It was held at General Motors Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on June 24, 2006.The draft order for the first 14 picks was decided during a lottery held on April 20, 2006....
he was selected by the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
as the 182nd overall draft pick (6th round). During the same year Muršak was drafted by the Saginaw Spirit
Saginaw Spirit
The Saginaw Spirit is a major junior ice hockey team based in Saginaw, Michigan. They are members of the West Division of the Western Conference of the Ontario Hockey League , one of the Major Junior leagues of the Canadian Hockey League ....
in 1st Round of the 2006 CHL
Canadian Hockey League
The Canadian Hockey League is an umbrella organization that represents the three Canadian-based major junior ice hockey leagues for players 16 to 20 years of age. The CHL was founded in 1975 as the Canadian Major Junior Hockey League, and is composed of its three member leagues, the Western Hockey...
Import Draft, 33rd overall. He had a successful first season for Saginaw which earned him a playoff call up for the Grand Rapids Griffins
Grand Rapids Griffins
The Grand Rapids Griffins are a professional hockey team in the American Hockey League . They play in Grand Rapids, Michigan at the Van Andel Arena. They are the AHL affiliate to the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League....
, AHL
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
affiliate to the Detroit Red Wings. In his second OHL season, Muršak was traded from the Saginaw Spirit, to the Belleville Bulls
Belleville Bulls
The Belleville Bulls are a junior ice hockey team, founded in 1981 based in Belleville, Ontario, Canada. The team plays in the Eastern Division of the Eastern Conference of the Ontario Hockey League.-History:...
where he stayed until the end of the season, before moving on to play regularly for Grand Rapids in the AHL.
Detroit Red Wings
Muršak signed a contract with the Detroit Red WingsDetroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
in April 2007. Since his draft in 2006 he has made appearances for the Red Wings during training camps. On December 26, 2010 it was announced by Detroit that Muršak was called up to the team to fill in after an ankle injury of Danny Cleary. He made his NHL career debut on December 28, 2010 in a game against the Colorado Avalanche
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Avalanche have won the Stanley Cup twice, in 1995–96 and 2000–01. The franchise...
, thus becoming the second Slovenian, after Anže Kopitar
Anže Kopitar
Anže Kopitar is a Slovene professional ice hockey player and alternate captain of the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League . The first Slovenian to play in the NHL, Kopitar played junior hockey for his hometown team HK Acroni Jesenice and led his native country before he moved to Sweden...
of the Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
, to play in the NHL. Muršak scored his first NHL goal on January 10, 2011, also in a game against the Avalanche against Peter Budaj
Peter Budaj
Peter Budaj is a Slovak professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
. On 17 February, 2011, Muršak signed a new two year contract with the Red Wings.
International play
Muršak was chosen to compete on the Slovenia national junior team in the 2008 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships2008 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
The 2008 IIHF World U20 Championship, or, as it is commonly referred to in Canada as the 2008 World Juniors and the United States, the 2008 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships is the 2008 edition of the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships...
(Division I
2008 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships - Division I
The following teams took part in the Division I tournament, that was held from December 9, through December 18, 2007. Group A was played at Bad Tolz, Germany.- Group A :----All times local...
) in Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
, where he scored one goal and two assists and was named the best forward of the tournament. He made his debut for the Slovenian senior team at the 2010 Division I Championships
2010 IIHF World Championship Division I
The 2010 IIHF World Championship Division I was an international Ice Hockey tournament run by the International Ice Hockey Federation. The tournament was contested from April 17–25, 2010. Participants in this tournament were separated into two separate tournament groups. The Group A...
, held in the Slovenian capital, Ljubljana
Ljubljana
Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia and its largest city. It is the centre of the City Municipality of Ljubljana. It is located in the centre of the country in the Ljubljana Basin, and is a mid-sized city of some 270,000 inhabitants...
.
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... | A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... | Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... | PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2002–03 | HDK Maribor U18 HDK Maribor HDK Stavbar Maribor is an ice hockey club from Maribor, Slovenia. The club was founded in 1993. Their home games are played at Ledna dvorana Tabor.-NHL alumni:Since its foundation the HDK Maribor have graduated one player who have played in the NHL.... |
Slov-U18 | 13 | 27 | 18 | 45 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003–04 | HDK Maribor U18 | Slov-U18 | 22 | 27 | 17 | 44 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003–04 | HDK Marior Jr. HDK Maribor HDK Stavbar Maribor is an ice hockey club from Maribor, Slovenia. The club was founded in 1993. Their home games are played at Ledna dvorana Tabor.-NHL alumni:Since its foundation the HDK Maribor have graduated one player who have played in the NHL.... |
Slov Jr. | 19 | 8 | 8 | 16 | 37 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003–04 | HDK Maribor HDK Maribor HDK Stavbar Maribor is an ice hockey club from Maribor, Slovenia. The club was founded in 1993. Their home games are played at Ledna dvorana Tabor.-NHL alumni:Since its foundation the HDK Maribor have graduated one player who have played in the NHL.... |
Slov | 14 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2004–05 | HDK Maribor Jr. | Slov Jr. | 19 | 17 | 16 | 33 | 39 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2004–05 | HDK Maribor | Slov | 24 | 16 | 29 | 45 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | HC Ceské Budejovice HC Ceské Budejovice HC Mountfield České Budějovice are a professional men's ice hockey club, based in České Budějovice in the Czech Republic. The club plays home games at Budvar Arena, and are members of the Czech Extraliga... |
CZE-U20 Czech Extraliga The Czech Extraliga is the highest-level ice hockey league in the Czech Republic. As of 2009, it is ranked by the IIHF as the third strongest league in Europe.... |
43 | 15 | 15 | 30 | 32 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | ||
| 2006–07 | Saginaw Spirit Saginaw Spirit The Saginaw Spirit is a major junior ice hockey team based in Saginaw, Michigan. They are members of the West Division of the Western Conference of the Ontario Hockey League , one of the Major Junior leagues of the Canadian Hockey League .... |
OHL Ontario Hockey League The Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada.... |
62 | 27 | 53 | 80 | 50 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 10 | ||
| 2006–07 2006–07 AHL season The 2006–07 AHL season was the 71st season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-seven teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Hamilton Bulldogs won their first Calder Cup, defeating the defending champions, the Hershey Bears in the finals.... |
Grand Rapids Griffins Grand Rapids Griffins The Grand Rapids Griffins are a professional hockey team in the American Hockey League . They play in Grand Rapids, Michigan at the Van Andel Arena. They are the AHL affiliate to the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League.... |
AHL American Hockey League The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League... |
— | — | — | — | — | 7 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | ||
| 2007–08 2007–08 OHL season The 2007–08 OHL season was the 28th season of the Ontario Hockey League. Twenty teams played 68 games each during the schedule, that started on September 19, 2007, and concluded on March 16, 2008.... |
Saginaw Spirit | OHL | 26 | 6 | 20 | 26 | 15 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 | Belleville Bulls Belleville Bulls The Belleville Bulls are a junior ice hockey team, founded in 1981 based in Belleville, Ontario, Canada. The team plays in the Eastern Division of the Eastern Conference of the Ontario Hockey League.-History:... |
OHL | 31 | 11 | 27 | 38 | 8 | 21 | 9 | 15 | 24 | 10 | ||
| 2008-09 | Grand Rapids Griffins | AHL | 51 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 25 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2009-10 | Grand Rapids Griffins | AHL | 79 | 24 | 18 | 42 | 46 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010-11 | Grand Rapids Griffins | AHL | 54 | 13 | 22 | 35 | 35 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010-11 | Detroit Red Wings Detroit Red Wings The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York... |
NHL | 19 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| AHL totals | 184 | 39 | 47 | 86 | 106 | 13 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 | ||||
| NHL totals | 19 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
International
| Award | Year |
|---|---|
| Best Forward (IIHF U20 Championships Division IB) | 2008 |
OHL
| Award | Year |
|---|---|
| Second All-Rookie Team | 2006–07 |