Marek Židlický
An offensive defenseman with a cannon of a shot, he carved out a long NHL career after being a late-round draft pick.
Born 1977 (age 49)·Czech ice hockey player·Birthday: February 3·Generation X
Biography
Marek Židlický proved that draft position is just a number. Selected deep in the sixth round, the Czech defenseman arrived in the NHL with a clear mandate: to quarterback the power play. With a low, hard slap shot that became his signature and keen offensive instincts, he immediately made an impact for the Nashville Predators. His game was a blend of European skill and a willingness to engage physically, making him a valuable asset on the blue line for five different teams over 13 seasons. Židlický's consistency was remarkable; he was a near lock for 30-40 points from the back end, a reliable source of offense in an era that prized mobile defensemen. His career stands as a blueprint for how specialized skill, relentlessly honed, can forge a lasting path in the world's best league.
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.
Marek was born in 1977, 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 Marek Was Born
The biggest hits of 1977
#1 Movie
Star Wars
Best Picture
Annie Hall
#1 TV Show
Happy Days
Marek's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1977Born
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1982Started school
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1990Became a teenager
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1993Could drive
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1995Could vote
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
1998Turned 21
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2007Turned 30
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 40
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 49 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Played over 800 regular-season games in the NHL for teams including the Nashville Predators, Minnesota Wild, and New Jersey Devils.
- Represented the Czech Republic in international competition, including at the 2010 Winter Olympics.
- Recorded 50 or more points in a season twice, a high mark for a defenseman.
- Won a bronze medal with the Czech Republic at the 2006 IIHF World Championship.
Did You Know?
He won the Czech Extraliga championship with HC Zlín in 2004 before coming to the NHL.
Židlický led all NHL defensemen in power-play points during the 2003-2004 season.
He was traded three times in a span of just over two years between 2012 and 2014.
“A sixth-round pick just needs one shot to prove he belongs.”
