Marek Svatoš
A swift and talented Slovak winger whose promising NHL career was marked by a dazzling rookie season and a relentless scoring touch.
1982–2016 (age 34)·Slovak ice hockey player·Birthday: June 17·Millennials
Biography
Marek Svatoš burst onto the NHL scene with the Colorado Avalanche in the 2005-06 season, immediately making his mark as a dynamic and opportunistic scorer. The Slovak winger possessed a quick release and a knack for finding open ice, thrilling fans with a 32-goal rookie campaign that announced him as a future star. His early years in Colorado were promising, but his career became a story of battling adversity. A series of significant injuries, including shoulder problems, repeatedly sidelined him and hampered the momentum of his promising trajectory. He showed flashes of his old form during stints with several teams, including Nashville and Ottawa, and played professionally in Europe before his retirement. Svatoš's hockey journey, which began and ended with HC Košice in his native Slovakia, is remembered for its brilliant, fleeting peak and the undeniable 'what-if' posed by his battle with injuries. His untimely passing in 2016 saddened the hockey world.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Marek was born in 1982, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Marek Was Born
The biggest hits of 1982
#1 Movie
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Best Picture
Gandhi
#1 TV Show
Dallas
Marek's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1982Born
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1987Started school
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1995Became a teenager
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1998Could drive
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2000Could vote
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2003Turned 21
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2012Turned 30
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2016Died at 34
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
Key Achievements
- Scored 32 goals in his rookie NHL season (2005-06) with the Colorado Avalanche.
- Represented Slovakia in multiple IIHF World Championships.
- Began and ended his professional career with HC Košice in the Slovak Extraliga.
Did You Know?
His jersey number 40 with the Avalanche was temporarily retired by the team's AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles, following his death.
He was drafted in the 7th round, 227th overall, by the Colorado Avalanche in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft, making his rookie success a surprise.
Svatoš scored a hat-trick in just his second NHL game.
“Scoring goals in the NHL was all I ever worked for as a kid.”
