Minnesota Wild fans have witnessed their fair share of undrafted goalies. From the early days of Dwayne Roloson followed by the elite stretch of Niklas Backstrom. These goalies are a prime example as to why finding a promising goaltender prospect with upside is possible. It’s not easy by any means, but it is possible.
The latest undrafted goaltender signed by the Minnesota Wild was Slovakian native Samuel Hlavaj (pronounced “huh-LAH-vai”). The Wild inked the 23-year-old netminder to a two-year, two-way contact on April 5, 2024. The signing came after Minnesota’s amateur scouts had seen enough at the 2023 IIHF World Championships and asked Minnesota goaltending coach Frederic Chabot and Iowa goaltending coach Richard Bachman to start watching his games. Hlavaj turned some heads with his play, prompting attention from Minnesota and a few other NHL clubs.
“Sam started to have success in Europe,” explained Iowa’s Goaltending Development coach Richard Bachman, who made 48 NHL appearances over his career. “It was then where you really saw what he could do playing against professionals at the World Championships.
Scouts identified him and then Freddy (Chabot) and I started watching his games. You could see a lot of raw ability in him and what you think his ceiling could be. Fortunately for us, we were able to sign him. It worked out in our favor, and we think we found someone that’s going to be a real good goalie down the road.”
Sam has always been a goalie. When he was a dual-sport kid growing up in Martin, Slovakia he found himself in a crease, it didn’t matter if he was on a soccer field or on the ice. The position has called his name since day one.
“I was always connected to the net,” said Hlavaj. “In soccer, I was a goalie, and I was pretty good at it. Then I became a hockey goalie, and I was pretty good at it.
“I think goalies are like the individual within the team sport,” explained the Sam Hlavaj. “I would say especially true in hockey, where you fall under a microscope. I like to have that responsibility on me because if a forward makes a mistake, there’s still D. If the D makes a mistake, there is still a goalie.
“But if I make a mistake, it’s going to be in the net. There is that sense of responsibility of being the last line. I like to have the pressure on my shoulders.”
Hlavaj’s competitive fire, ownership of the crease and top-notch athletic ability are one of the many reasons Minnesota is excited about him. His natural ability is second to none as far as his athleticism. He gets some of that from his mother Marcela, who played volleyball for the Slovakian national team.
Both parents provided some height as well. Marcela is over 5-foot-7, and Sam’s dad Martin is nearly 6-foot-4. Like his father, Samuel also stands 6-foot-4 and weighs in at 240 pounds. He has a unique combination of immense size and agility in the crease, something he takes advantage of.
“You cannot teach size,” he says with a smile. “When somebody’s a small goalie, there will be always space. If you are tall, you got a better chance to stop it. I’m not saying it’s 100% of the time, but you get more chances to stop it.”
When you watch Hlavaj play, his size is the first thing that stands out, followed by a display of flexibility at the highest level of goaltending. To see a person of that stature perform some of the acrobatic saves and seemingly groin-ripping splits, then hop back up quickly, is truly impressive. His flexibility is something he has practiced for a long time.
“I wasn’t always flexible,” explained Sam. “When I was 16 or 17, I was not stretching and was just stiff, almost like wood. My coach got me into stretching every after practice. That helped me because, I couldn’t do the splits. I stretch all the time. Now it’s super easy. Stretching is the key.”
Getting to the NHL may have seemed like an impossible stretch for the young goaltender at times.
At 17 years of age, Sam left his hometown of Martin, Slovakia with the dream of playing in the NHL. He played one season in the USHL with Lincoln and went undrafted after the 2019 season. Hlavaj then spent two years in the QMJHL with Sherbrooke (19-21). Unsigned, his best option was to began his pro career back home in the Slovak league.
Eventually, his opportunity to shine came in the form of the 2023 IIHF World Championships. Despite an 0-3-0 record, he was remarkable with a 2.22 GAA and a .932 save percentage for the Slovakian National Team. Hlavaj showed why he should be on an NHL team’s radar.
“Sometimes, especially in goal, you have some players that might slip through and not be found quite yet. He’s a bit of a late bloomer”, said Bachman.
“We have multiple sets of eyes on the goalie specific position,” explained Iowa General Manager Matt Hendricks. “These individuals not only know the position well but have built a large book over the years and know what to look for and what to avoid.”
His first AHL season has been a bit of a “roller coaster” for him, as he spent an early portion of the season in the ECHL with the Iowa Heartlanders. Upon his return, he became comfortable, and the results were becoming clear between the posts.
In his first 21 games, the Slovakian is 7-11-0 with a 3.18 GAA and a .890 save percentage. He recorded his first AHL shutout with 34 saves in a 5-0 win at Ontario on Jan. 10.
