Shoots Right Playing career Weight 92 kg | Height 1.91 m Position Defenseman | |
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NHL team (P)Cur. team Tampa Bay LightningErie Otters (OHL) NHL Draft 43rd overall, 2015Los Angeles Kings Similar Radovan Bondra, Christián Jaroš, Dylan Strome, Thomas Chabot, Anže Kopitar | ||
Erik Černák (born 28 May 1997) is a Slovak ice hockey defenseman currently playing for the Erie Otters in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) as a prospect to the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the 2nd round, 43rd overall, in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.
Playing career
Černák started his youth career with HC Košice before playing one season in the junior youth hockey team within the HC Slovan Bratislava system before returning to HC Košice's youth team on 11 June 2013. Černák made his senior professional debut with HC Košice in the 2013–14 season. He split the season between Košice and HK Orange 20, the Slovakian national junior under-20 team.
After his second year with Košice, in which he registered 5 goals and 13 points in 43 games from the blueline, Černák's promising potential was recognised as he was ranked just outside the top 10 European prospect skaters eligible for the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. He and goaltender Matej Tomek were only Slovakian prospects to partake in the NHL draft combine in Buffalo, New York prior to the draft. On July 14, 2015, Černák signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Los Angeles Kings.
After attending the Kings 2016 training camp, Černák was re-assigned to AHL affilaite, the Ontario Reign, training camp. Despite an impressive showing at the AHL level, Černák was returned to junior to play a second season with the Otters in the 2016–17 season. On February 26, 2017, the Kings traded Černák's along with Peter Budaj and a 2017 7th-round pick to the Tampa Bay Lightning exchange for goaltender Ben Bishop and a 2017 5th-round pick.
