Richard Lintner
A skilled Slovak defenseman who brought a hard shot and veteran presence to teams across the NHL and European leagues.
Born 1977 (age 49)·Slovak ice hockey player·Birthday: November 15·Generation X
Biography
Richard Lintner's hockey journey is a map of professional persistence. A product of the Slovak hockey system, he made his name as an offensive-minded defenseman with a powerful shot. His path to the NHL was via the draft, where the New York Islanders selected him, though his North American debut came later with the Nashville Predators. Lintner's NHL stint was a tour of opportunity, seeing him suit up for the Predators, Penguins, and Rangers. While he never became a full-time NHL staple, he was a respected player whose game was perhaps better suited to the wider European ice. He enjoyed a long and successful career back in Europe, becoming a mainstay in the Slovak Extraliga and a key figure for the Slovak national team in multiple World Championships and Olympics. After hanging up his skates, he smoothly transitioned into a television broadcasting role in Slovakia.
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.
Richard 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 Richard Was Born
The biggest hits of 1977
#1 Movie
Star Wars
Best Picture
Annie Hall
#1 TV Show
Happy Days
Richard'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
- Represented Slovakia in ice hockey at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.
- Played 99 regular-season games in the NHL across three different franchises.
- Won a Slovak Extraliga championship with HC Slovan Bratislava in the 2011-12 season.
Did You Know?
He was originally drafted by the New York Islanders in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft but never played for them.
Lintner served as the captain of HC Slovan Bratislava during his time with the club.
After retirement, he became a popular ice hockey analyst and commentator for Slovak television.
“You have to be ready when your number is called, no matter where you are.”
