First Light - An Exclusive Q&A with Samuel Hlavaj

ST. PAUL, Minn. –Samuel Hlavaj signed an Entry Level Contract with Minnesota back in April, and even though he was born and raised in Slovakia, he is no stranger to the Midwest. The 6’4", 193 lbs. force between the pipes got his first taste of North American hockey with the USHL’s Lincoln Stars in Nebraska.

Wild.com caught up with Hlavaj at the end of Development Camp in July to learn more about the organization’s newest netminder.

Wild.com: What was it like playing hockey in Nebraska, both on and off the ice?

Hlavaj: “It was different than Slovakia. I was 16 or 17 years old at the time and I was there alone. No parents, they just threw me into the water I would say. For the first couple of weeks, it was pretty tough. Then I was like 'okay it's fine, not a big deal,' and I got right into it. After struggling for a little bit at first, but it was fine after that.”

Wild.com: Where are you from in Slovakia?

Hlavaj: “It’s a small city called Martin. It’s in the middle and northern part of the country. There are probably 60,000 people there. Recently, we moved to a smaller village outside of Martin.”

Wild.com: You’re an interesting Instagram follow! What are some of your hobbies outside of hockey?

Hlavaj: “Definitely hiking. I play a lot of sports like basketball and tennis. I love fishing, too. In Slovakia the fishing is not like what it is in Minnesota. I’m more of a carp guy. That’s a big thing in Europe, so that’s it.”

Wild.com: What was your time like in the QMJHL?

Hlavaj: “I played for the Sherbrooke Phoenix in Quebec. I would say that it was, so far, the happiest time for me in hockey. I had a great billet family, the people in the city were great, the team was great, and I did great. So, everything, it fit together like a puzzle.”

Wild.com: What has your experience been like playing for Slovakia in the World Championships?

Hlavaj: “I’ve played twice. The first year was tough mentally. I didn’t know what was going to happen there. I played against Canada, then Switzerland. I was like, 'Oh, it's big teams,' but it was an opportunity for me, and I took advantage of it. The second year I was like, 'yeah, now it's my turn,' and I just took it. I played the United States. We won against the U.S., by the way…”

Wild.com: Being from Slovakia—a smaller country—does that put a chip on your shoulder when you play Canada and USA?

Hlavaj: “Yeah, for sure, because the pressure is on them and not on us. We can just earn from them, not lose anything. I think it's a win-win situation for me, and for us as a country.”

Wild.com: At this year’s Development Camp, you were asked by the media if “you’ve always been this big.” How does your size and strength translate to how you operate in front of the net?

Hlavaj: “My lower body power is really strong and I think that helps me. For a big guy like me, I think I'm really fast on the ice. I can cover lots of space in the net, so that probably helps me, but can be a little bit different, I would say.”

Wild.com: Speaking of strength, we found out that when you did the bike test at Development Camp you took out out one of the Assault Bikes. Tell us what happened.

Hlavaj: “The test was--I think--0.2 miles as fast as you can go, and you have to do the max Watts on that bike. So, I just started and somehow and I was pushing really hard and I just hear...it just broke. The blades of the fan inside the bike fell out. I don't know if there was too much power or what. I don’t know.”

Wild.com: It sounds like a good way to make an impression on the first day of camp.

Hlavaj: “You have to make a statement. (Laughs)”

Wild.com: What's it mean to have an opportunity with this organization at this point in your career?

Hlavaj: “I'm really happy they give me this opportunity and I will do everything that I can to prove to them that they made a great choice.”

Aside from a brief break between World Championships and Development Camp, Hlavaj says his summer prior to Development was all hockey. After Development Camp week in St. Paul, Hlavaj stopped in New York City for the first time in his life before heading back to Slovakia. There, he says, he has a few fishing trips planned along with a Travis Scott concert. From there, it will be preparing to return to Minnesota for training camp in September.