Marek Tvrdoň

Marek Tvrdoň (born 31 January 1993) is a Slovak ice hockey winger who is currently playing for HC Nove Zamky of the Slovak Extraliga.

Tvrdoň was drafted 115th overall by the Detroit Red Wings in the 2011 NHL entry draft.

Playing career Junior Born in Nitra, Slovakia, Tvrdon developed with his hometown's HK Nitra junior program. Beginning at the under-18 level in 2007–08, he went on to the under-20 level two years later, scoring 56 points (25 goals and 31 assists) over 45 games. During the 2009–10 season, he also played six games with HK Nitra's men's team in the Slovak Extraliga.

During the subsequent 2010–11 season, Tvrdon moved to North America to play for the major junior Vancouver Giants of the Western Hockey League (WHL). He began the campaign with 11 points (6 goals and 5 assists) in 12 games before suffering a shoulder injury in mid-October 2010. The following month, he underwent season-ending surgery. In the off-season, he was selected 115th overall in the 2011 NHL entry draft by the Detroit Red Wings. Giant general manager Scott Bonner speculated that if he had played the full season prior to the draft, he would have been selected much higher, perhaps as a "first or second-round pick". Tvrdon has been described as a player with size and skill, while Giants head coach Don Hay listed his work ethic as a weakness following his first WHL season.

Professional On 3 July 2012, Tvrdoň signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Detroit Red Wings.

During the final season of his entry-level deal with the Red Wings in 2015–16, Tvrdoň was unable to make an impact within the organization and was primarily assigned to secondary affiliate, the Toledo Walleye of the ECHL. On 19 December 2015, he was placed on unconditional waivers, in order to mutually terminate his contract. He returned to Slovakia and on 22 December 2015, signed a contract for the remainder of the season with HC Slovan Bratislava of the Kontinental Hockey League. Tvrdoň was unable to establish himself in Bratislava, featuring in just 4 scoreless games.

On 30 August 2016, Tvrdoň opted to return to North America as a free agent, agreeing to a one-year deal with the Indy Fuel of the ECHL.

After a spell with HK Nitra in Slovakia, Tvrdoň agreed a deal to move to the Edinburgh Capitals in September 2017.

Tvrdoň has since had spells with MsHK Žilina, Saryarka Karagandy, EC KAC, Nottingham Panthers, KS Cracovia and Dizel Penza.

He re-joined HK Nitra for the 2020-21 season.

International play Tvrdon represented with Slovakia at the 2010 IIHF World U18 Championships, where he recorded three goals and one assist in six games. Two years later, he represented Slovakia's national junior team at the 2012 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, where he recorded three goals and one assist in six games, finishing as the second-leading goal scorer on the team. Slovakia finished sixth in the tournament after losing their quarterfinal and the fifth place consolation match.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 2009–10 HK Nitra Slovak 6 0 0 0 2 — — — — — 2010–11 Vancouver Giants WHL 12 6 5 11 14 — — — — — 2011–12 Vancouver Giants WHL 60 31 43 74 62 6 3 3 6 0 2012–13 Vancouver Giants WHL 18 8 14 22 16 — — — — — 2013–14 Grand Rapids Griffins AHL 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 2013–14 Toledo Walleye ECHL 22 9 4 13 6 — — — — — 2013–14 Kelowna Rockets WHL 29 11 16 27 24 14 5 8 13 14 2014–15 Toledo Walleye ECHL 24 6 18 24 14 — — — — — 2014–15 Grand Rapids Griffins AHL 51 10 19 29 16 13 2 4 6 2 2015–16 Grand Rapids Griffins AHL 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 2015–16 Toledo Walleye ECHL 23 8 13 21 16 — — — — — 2015–16 HC Slovan Bratislava KHL 4 0 0 0 2 — — — — — 2016–17 Indy Fuel ECHL 21 7 5 12 10 — — — — — 2016–17 HK Nitra Slovak 24 6 12 18 42 13 5 4 9 14 2017–18 Edinburgh Capitals EIHL 15 8 7 15 14 — — — — — 2017–18 MsHK Žilina Slovak 31 9 13 22 44 6 0 0 0 2 2018–19 Saryarka Karagandy VHL 4 0 1 1 0 — — — — — 2018–19 EC KAC II AlpsHL 6 3 4 7 10 — — — — — 2018–19 Nottingham Panthers EIHL 14 4 6 10 8 — — — — — 2018–19 KS Cracovia PHL 3 1 1 2 4 15 3 7 10 12 2019–20 Dizel Penza VHL 7 0 4 4 0 — — — — — 2019–20 KS Cracovia PHL 35 9 16 25 10 7 4 2 6 6 2020–21 HK Nitra Slovak 50 23 31 54 64 5 1 2 3 0 2021–22 HK Nitra Slovak 48 12 31 43 14 19 2 8 10 2 2022–23 HK Nitra Slovak 44 6 12 23 35 4 1 1 2 2 2022–23 HK Levice 2HL 2 0 3 3 0 – – – – – 2023–24 HC RT Torax Poruba Chance 46 12 23 35 10 4 2 0 2 2 KHL totals 4 0 0 0 2 — — — — — PHL totals 38 10 17 27 14 22 7 9 16 18 Slovak totals 203 56 99 155 186 48 9 15 24 20

International Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM 2010 Slovakia U18 8th 6 3 1 4 4 2012 Slovakia WJC 6th 6 3 1 4 14 Junior totals 12 6 2 8 18