Marko Daňo

Marko Daňo (born 30 November 1994) is an Austrian-born Slovak professional ice hockey right winger for HC Oceláři Třinec of the Czech Extraliga (ELH). He was originally drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the first round, 27th overall, at the 2013 NHL entry draft and made his NHL debut in 2014. Before playing in the NHL, Daňo played professionally for Slovan Bratislava of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) for two seasons.

Daňo's father, Jozef Daňo, was also an ice hockey player and played for the Slovak national team at the 1994 and 1998 Winter Olympics.

Playing career Daňo played in the 2007 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a youth team from Bratislava. He was ranked twelfth among International Skaters by the NHL Central Scouting Services in their final rankings for the 2013 NHL entry draft. He was selected in the first round, 27th overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets. Daňo returned to Slovan Bratislava of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) for the 2013–14 season. On 14 March 2014, the Blue Jackets signed Daňo to a three-year, entry-level contract.

Daňo made his NHL debut on 9 October 2014, against the Buffalo Sabres and scored his first career NHL goal, assist and point two days later, on 11 October, his second game, against the New York Rangers. He played eight games with Columbus to begin the 2014–15 season before being assigned to the Springfield Falcons, the Blue Jackets' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate. In February 2015, however, he was recalled back to Columbus, where he played for the rest of regular season. Daňo finished the NHL season with eight goals and 13 assists (21 points) in 35 games played, as well as the AHL season with 11 goals and eight assists (19 points) in 39 games.

On 30 June 2015, Daňo, along with Jeremy Morin, Artem Anisimov and Corey Tropp, were traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for Brandon Saad, Alex Broadhurst and Michael Paliotta. After attending the Blackhawks training camp in preparation for the 2015–16 season, Daňo as a key piece in the Saad trade was surprisingly reassigned to AHL affiliate, the Rockford IceHogs to begin the year and continue his development. On 2 November 2015, Daňo was recalled by the Blackhawks to the NHL. He made his Chicago debut that night in a 4–2 victory against the Los Angeles Kings. He featured in 13 games with the Blackhawks scoring a goal and an assist before he was returned to the IceHogs.

On 25 February 2016, Daňo and the Blackhawks' first-round pick in the 2016 NHL entry draft was traded to the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for Andrew Ladd, Jay Harrison and Matt Fraser. In 21 games for the Jets, he recorded four goals and eight points in 21 games. In the following season, Daňo had eleven points in 38 games. He also skated six games for the team's AHL affiliate, the Manitoba Moose. On 13 June 2017, the Jets re-signed Daňo to a one-year contract worth $850,000. On 24 July 2018, Daňo re-signed with the Jets, to a one-year contract, worth $800,000.

After beginning the 2018–19 season as a healthy scratch, on 14 October 2018, the Jets placed Daňo on waivers. He was claimed by division rivals, the Colorado Avalanche the following day. Daňo went scoreless in eight games for the club with seven penalty minutes before on 22 November, he was placed back on waivers. The following day, he re-joined the Jets when they claimed him and was immediately reassigned to the AHL to join the Manitoba Moose. In remaining in the AHL for the remainder of the season, Daňo contributed with 12 goals and 30 points in 51 games for the Moose.

On 25 June 2019, Daňo's tenure with the Jets ended after he was not tendered a qualifying offer, releasing him as a free agent. He signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Blue Jackets on 8 August. In his return to the Blue Jackets in the 2019–20 season, Daňo spent the majority of his contract in the AHL with the Cleveland Monsters, recording four goals and 19 points in 46 regular season games. He added three games to his NHL totals, appearing with the Blue Jackets for the first time since 2015.

After failing to receive a qualifying offer for the second consecutive season, Daňo remained in Europe, returning to his original hometown club, HK Dukla Trenčín of the Tipsport Liga, signing a contract with an NHL-out clause on 4 October 2020. On 6 November 2020, Daňo secured a one-year, two-way contract for a third stint within the Winnipeg Jets organization. Unable to add to his NHL experience with the Jets, Daňo was assigned to the AHL and played in 13 games throughout the 2020–21 season with the Manitoba Moose.

As a free agent in the off-season, Daňo returned to Europe by signing an initial two-month contract with the option of a one-year deal with Czech-based club HC Oceláři Třinec of the ELH on 6 September 2021.

International play

Daňo participated at the 2012 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships for Slovakia, as well as at the 2013 and 2015 IIHF World Championship as a member of the Slovak men's team.

Personal life Dano was born in Eisenstadt, Austria, but grew up in Trenčín, Slovakia.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 2008–09 Dukla Trenčín SVK U18 510114 ————— 2009–10 Dukla Trenčín SVK U18 3613122577 ————— 2010–11 Dukla Trenčín SVK U18 9134172 ————— 2010–11 Dukla Trenčín SVK U20 2818224086 842614 2010–11 Dukla Trenčín SVK 801110 30000 2011–12 Dukla Trenčín SVK U20 331418 34264 2011–12 Dukla Trenčín SVK 32461012 903318 2011–12 HK Orange 20 SVK.2 1045922 ————— 2012–13 Slovan Bratislava KHL 3734726 40004 2012–13 Slovan Bratislava SVK U20 ————— 20000 2013–14 Slovan Bratislava KHL 4132541 ————— 2013–14 Springfield Falcons AHL 102464 50220 2014–15 Columbus Blue Jackets NHL 358132114 ————— 2014–15 Springfield Falcons AHL 391181934 ————— 2015–16 Rockford IceHogs AHL 344192340 ————— 2015–16 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 131122 ————— 2015–16 Winnipeg Jets NHL 214488 ————— 2016–17 Manitoba Moose AHL 60224 ————— 2016–17 Winnipeg Jets NHL 38471110 ————— 2017–18 Winnipeg Jets NHL 232136 ————— 2018–19 Colorado Avalanche NHL 80007 ————— 2018–19 Manitoba Moose AHL 5112183075 ————— 2019–20 Cleveland Monsters AHL 464151986 ————— 2019–20 Columbus Blue Jackets NHL 30002 ————— 2020–21 Dukla Trenčín SVK 22134 ————— 2020–21 Manitoba Moose AHL 1312310 ————— 2021–22 HC Oceláři Třinec ELH 361061648 123032 2022–23 HC Oceláři Třinec ELH 5129225136 2036914 2023–24 HC Oceláři Třinec ELH 2613132616 21661219 2024–25 HC Oceláři Třinec ELH 441972665 712348 2025–26 HC Oceláři Třinec ELH 331472164 1314510 KHL totals 86661273 40004 NHL totals 14119264549 ————— ELH totals 1908555140229 7314183293

International Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM 2011 Slovakia WJC18 10th 613414 2011 Slovakia IH18 8th 4 0 1 1 0 2012 Slovakia WJC 6th 61236 2012 Slovakia WJC18 D1A 12th 51031310 2013 Slovakia WJC 8th 645912 2013 Slovakia WC 8th 51122 2014 Slovakia WJC 8th 52134 2015 Slovakia WC 9th 51012 2016 Slovakia WC 9th 61128 2019 Slovakia WC 9th 70114 2021 Slovakia OGQ Q 3 0 0 0 2 2022 Slovakia OG 6 0 0 0 4 2024 Slovakia WC 7th 50002 Junior totals 32 18 15 33 46 Senior totals 37 3 3 6 24