Jan Hlaváč
A skilled Czech winger who carved out a solid NHL career, known for his offensive touch and representing his country on the international stage.
Born 1976 (age 50)·Czech ice hockey player·Birthday: September 19·Generation X
Biography
Jan Hlaváč emerged from the fertile Czech hockey system in the late 1990s, part of a wave of talent that followed Jaromír Jágr to North America. Drafted by the New York Islanders, his NHL journey was one of consistent production and frequent movement. A smooth-skating winger with a reliable scoring touch, Hlaváč found his most productive seasons with the New York Rangers and Vancouver Canucks, where he was a dependable top-nine forward capable of 20-goal campaigns. His career was nomadic, seeing him wear the sweaters of seven NHL clubs, as well as several teams in Europe. He was a fixture for the Czech national team, earning a bronze medal at the 1998 World Championships. After his final NHL stint in 2007, Hlaváč returned to Europe, playing extensively in the Czech and Swiss leagues before retiring in his home country, a respected veteran of the game.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Jan was born in 1976, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Jan Was Born
The biggest hits of 1976
#1 Movie
Rocky
Best Picture
Rocky
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Jan's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1976Born
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1981Started school
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1989Became a teenager
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1992Could drive
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
1994Could vote
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1997Turned 21
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2006Turned 30
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 40
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 50
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Recorded a career-high 64 points (28 goals, 36 assists) in the 2000-01 season with the New York Rangers.
- Won a bronze medal with the Czech Republic at the 1998 IIHF World Championship.
- Played in 436 NHL regular season games, amassing 102 goals and 142 assists for 244 points.
- Represented the Czech Republic in multiple World Championships and the 2004 World Cup of Hockey.
Did You Know?
He was originally drafted by the New York Islanders in the 4th round, 82nd overall, in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft.
He played for HC Sparta Praha in the Czech Extraliga during the 2004-05 NHL lockout.
His last professional team was HC Stadion Vrchlabí in the Czech third league.
He shares a surname with former NHL player Dominik Hašek, but the spelling is different (Hlaváč vs. Hašek).
“A winger's job is simple: find the open ice and shoot.”
