Samuel Kňažko

Samuel Kňažko
Kňažko with the Cleveland Monsters in 2023
Born (2002-08-07) 7 August 2002
Trenčín, Slovakia
Height 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight 190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb)
Position Defence
Shoots Left
ELH team
Former teams		 HC Vítkovice
TPS
Columbus Blue Jackets
National team  Slovakia
NHL draft 78th overall, 2020
Columbus Blue Jackets
Playing career 2021–present

Samuel Kňažko (born 7 August 2002) is a Slovak professional ice hockey defenceman who is currently playing for HC Vítkovice in the Czech Extraliga (ELH).

Playing career

Kňažko was selected 78th overall by the Blue Jackets in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft.[1]

After his selection by the Blue Jackets, Kňažko was signed to a three-year, entry-level contract with Blue Jackets on June 9, 2021.[2]

Following three seasons within the Blue Jackets organization, Kňažko left as a free agent and returned to Europe in agreeing to a two-year contract with Czech club, HC Vítkovice of the ELH, on 16 July 2025.[3]

International play

Medal record
Representing  Slovakia
Ice hockey
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Beijing

Kňažko served as Slovakia's captain in the 2021 and 2022 editions of the IIHF World Junior Championship.[4]

He was selected to make his full IIHF international debut, participating for Slovakia in the 2021 IIHF World Championship.[5]

Kňažko was selected for the 2022 Olympics in Beijing.[4]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2015–16 HK Dukla Trenčín SVK U18 4 1 2 3 0 — — — — —
2016–17 HK Dukla Trenčín SVK U18 43 7 16 23 8 8 0 3 3 4
2017–18 HK Dukla Trenčín SVK U18 24 4 18 22 10 5 0 5 5 6
2017–18 HK Dukla Trenčín SVK U20 21 4 6 10 8 17 1 5 6 4
2018–19 TPS FIN U18 5 1 1 2 0 1 1 0 1 0
2018–19 TPS FIN U20 49 2 15 17 8 — — — — —
2019–20 TPS FIN U20 48 7 21 28 6 3 1 0 1 0
2020–21 TPS FIN U20 23 5 10 15 22 2 0 2 2 2
2021–22 TPS FIN U20 15 4 10 14 4 — — — — —
2021–22 TPS Liiga 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
2021–22 Seattle Thunderbirds WHL 27 5 15 20 12 25 1 5 6 2
2022–23 Cleveland Monsters AHL 50 1 20 21 17 — — — — —
2022–23 Columbus Blue Jackets NHL 2 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
2023–24 Cleveland Monsters AHL 44 2 10 12 12 2 0 1 1 2
2024–25 Cleveland Monsters AHL 55 4 12 16 14 3 0 2 2 0
Liiga totals 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
NHL totals 2 0 0 0 0 — — — — —

International

Year Team Event GP G A Pts PIM
2018 Slovakia U18 5 2 1 3 0
2018 Slovakia HG18 4 0 2 2 4
2019 Slovakia U18 7 0 0 0 4
2019 Slovakia HG18 4 0 0 0 2
2020 Slovakia WJC 5 0 1 1 4
2021 Slovakia WJC 4 0 1 1 14
2021 Slovakia WC 8 0 0 0 0
2021 Slovakia OGQ 3 0 0 0 0
2022 Slovakia WJC 2 0 1 1 0
2022 Slovakia OG 7 0 1 1 2
2023 Slovakia WC 7 0 3 3 2
2024 Slovakia OGQ 3 0 2 2 2
2025 Slovakia WC 6 0 2 2 2
Junior totals 31 2 6 8 26
Senior totals 34 0 8 8 8

References

  1. ^ "Samuel Kňažko prvým draftovaným Slovákom: Columbus mal veľký záujem, draft ešte nič neznamená". sport.aktuality.sk. 7 October 2020. Retrieved October 7, 2020.
  2. ^ "CBJ sign 2020 pick Samuel Knazko to three-year ELC". nhl.com/bluejackets. Columbus Blue Jackets. June 9, 2021. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
  3. ^ "Olympic medalist Samuel Kňažko will strengthen the ranks of HC Vítkovice" (in Czech). HC Vítkovice. 16 July 2025. Retrieved 16 July 2025.
  4. ^ a b "IIHF - Slovakia looks to teen trio". IIHF International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved 2022-02-11.
  5. ^ "MS 2021: SR do Rigy s historicky najmladším tímom, nedostali sa doň Koch, Regenda a Hrehorčák". Hockey Slovakia (in Slovak). May 15, 2021.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.