Helps USA Defeat Austria In First Game
From: AOL SportsThe USA defeated Austria this morning 6-2 in the first game of the World Championships In Moscow. One of the USA's brightest young stars is DU Alum Paul Stastny. Stastny had assists on the USA's third (GWG) & fourth goals.
Stastny just completed a remarkable rookie season in the NHL. He finished second among all NHL rookies in points scored with 79 (trailing Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin), and scored six game winning goals.
But while the rest of Stastny's rookie classmates have to wait years before they can test the waters of free agency, Paul Stastny was a free agent of sorts this Spring.
You see, Stastny was born to a Slovak father (NHL Hall of Famer Peter Stastny) in Quebec City, Quebec and is an American citizen. What that all means is that the younger Stastny could have played for Slovakia, Canada or the United States in the World Championships.
In many ways Stastny's situation recalls that of another Hall of Famer's son. Back in 1986, after being snubbed by the Canadians for a spot on a national team consisting of mostly NHL players, Brett Hull decided to take his talents south of the border and suit up for the Yanks for the rest of his international playing days. A World Cup Championship, an Olympic silver and 741 NHL goals later, Hull seems pretty comfortable with his decision. So too will Stastny.
Stastny just completed a remarkable rookie season in the NHL. He finished second among all NHL rookies in points scored with 79 (trailing Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin), and scored six game winning goals.
But while the rest of Stastny's rookie classmates have to wait years before they can test the waters of free agency, Paul Stastny was a free agent of sorts this Spring.
You see, Stastny was born to a Slovak father (NHL Hall of Famer Peter Stastny) in Quebec City, Quebec and is an American citizen. What that all means is that the younger Stastny could have played for Slovakia, Canada or the United States in the World Championships.
In many ways Stastny's situation recalls that of another Hall of Famer's son. Back in 1986, after being snubbed by the Canadians for a spot on a national team consisting of mostly NHL players, Brett Hull decided to take his talents south of the border and suit up for the Yanks for the rest of his international playing days. A World Cup Championship, an Olympic silver and 741 NHL goals later, Hull seems pretty comfortable with his decision. So too will Stastny.
3 comments:
Hull is a man Paul is a little boy just like you.
Q: What does Brett Hull have in common with Colorado College hockey players?
A: They're all "Denver Rejects."
Closet Gopher fan?
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