Dominik Hasek reflects on a hall-of-fame career
By Robert Bondy –
Remembered by most Red Wings and hockey fans as the “Dominator” or as the guy who had a slinky for spine, Dominik Hasek will now also be remembered as a Hockey Hall of Famer.
The Hockey Hall of Fame announced its Class of 2014 on Monday, with Hasek as one of the six to be inducted into the select fraternity. Hasek won’t officially be welcomed to the Hockey Hall of Fame until later this year, but was already thankful on Monday of reaching this career milestone.
“It’s a great honor for me to be inducted,” Hasek said. “I’ve played a longtime hockey in Czech Republic and came to North America to play in the NHL, (and) what a fantastic time I spent over there with so many great players. I’m very thankful today to say that I played hockey for such a long time and with such great players. Thank you to all of these guys and thank you for inducting me into the Hockey Hall of Fame.”
Hasek’s final stats in the NHL rank as some of the best, with 389 career wins, a .922 save percentage and a 2.20 goals-against average. Hasek also captured plenty of individual hardware throughout his career, winning six Vezina Trophies as the league’s best goaltender and two Hart Trophies as league MVP in 1997 and 1998. He was the first goaltender to win the Hart Trophy since 1962.
Hasek’s career ranges from his early playing days back in his home country of Czech Republic to winning a pair of Stanley Cups with the Detroit Red Wings. After playing nine seasons professionally in Czech Republic, Hasek came to North America where he made a name for himself after he was traded from the Chicago Blackhawks to the Buffalo Sabres. Hasek said he remembered his early struggles away from his native country, but was finally given a chance by the Sabres, eventually blossoming into an award-winning goaltender.
“In 1992 I was thinking about going back to Europe because I was in the minors and I was starting to give up on myself,” Hasek said. “However I stayed and in 1992 I was traded to Buffalo, (and) actually was probably the best thing that happened for me because in Buffalo I got a chance to play (and) prove I can play at the highest level.
“For goalies it’s always a little bit more difficult because if you are a skater you can start on the third line, second line and the first line, so the goalie you have to wait until you get a chance and I got a chance in Buffalo and I was ready. Thank you to Buffalo because without getting chances at Buffalo I probably, maybe wouldn’t be here today and going into the Hockey Hall of Fame.”
Hasek played for Buffalo from 1992-2001 where he won all six of his Vezina Trophies and his back-to-back Hart Trophies. He also won an Olympic gold medal in 1998 with Czech Republic during such span.
However, it wasn’t until Hasek joined the Red Wings before the 2001-2002 season that he was able to hoist Lord Stanley’s Cup. Hasek was in net for all 16 of Detroit’s playoff wins and posted an impressive 1.86 goals-against average en route to his first career Stanley Cup Championship in 2002.
“It was one of my best years I ever played hockey,” Hasek said. “…The goal from day one was to win the cup and nothing else. I remember to play with so many great guys (like) I never played before. There’s already 7 players in the Hall of Fame (from that team) and in the future I believe there will be even more. … Never played with so many great players in my life then I did in 2002.”
Hasek would go on to win one more cup with the Red Wings in 2008 in his final season in the NHL. He continued to play a couple more years back in Europe before finally hanging up the pads in 2011, ending a long-lasted career that began in 1981. Hasek played 16 seasons in the NHL, with four different teams and finished with 854 career games played.
Outside of racking up plenty of awards and wins, Hasek was most recognized for his unique style of play between the posts that sometimes resembled a fish out of water. Hasek credited his unique playing style to his impressive flexibility on ice.
“I always say the same thing, every player is different, every goalie is different and (if) it worked out for one player, doesn’t have to exactly work for the other players,” Hasek said. “So I did my style because I was really flexible, had more flexibility.”
Hasek, along with Peter Forsberg, Rob Blake, other former Detroit Red Wing Mike Modano will be inducted as players, while Pat Burns (Builders’ Category) and Bill McCreary (Referee Category) will be also be officially inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame during the induction weekend ceremonies that run from Nov. 14 to Nov. 17.