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Medal record
Representing Slovakia
Ice hockey
World Junior Championships

Erik Černák
Erik Černák
	Černák with Slovakia in 2015
Born	28 May 1997 (age 27); Košice, Slovakia
Height	6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Weight	224 lb (102 kg; 16 st 0 lb)
Position	Defence
Shoots	Right
NHL team; Former teams	Tampa Bay Lightning; HC Košice
National team	Slovakia
NHL draft	43rd overall, 2015; Los Angeles Kings
Playing career	2013–present

Erik Černák (born 28 May 1997) is a Slovak professional ice hockey defenceman for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the second round, 43rd overall, in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. Černák won back-to-back Stanley Cup championships with the Lightning in 2020 and 2021.

Playing career

Černák began his youth career with HC Košice before playing one season in the junior youth hockey team within the Slovan Bratislava system before returning to HC Košice's youth team on 11 June 2013.^[1] He made his senior professional debut with HC Košice in the 2013–14 season. He split the season between HC Košice and Orange 20, the Slovakian national junior under-20 team.

After his second year with HC Košice in which he registered 5 goals and 13 points in 43 games, Černák's promising potential was recognized as he was ranked just outside the top-ten European prospect skaters eligible for the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.^[2] He and goaltender Matej Tomek were the only Slovakian prospects to partake in the NHL draft combine in Buffalo, New York, prior to the draft.^[3] On 14 July 2015, Černák signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League.^[4]

After attending the Kings' 2016 training camp, Černák was re-assigned to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Ontario Reign, training camp. Despite an impressive play at the AHL level, he was returned to junior to play a second season with the Ontario Hockey League (OHL)'s Erie Otters for the 2016–17 season. On 26 February 2017, the Kings traded Černák (along with Peter Budaj and a 2017 seventh-round draft pick) to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for goaltender Ben Bishop and a 2017 fifth-round pick.^[5]

On 13 November 2018, Černák made his NHL debut in a 2–1 defeat to the Buffalo Sabres at the KeyBank Center.^[6]^[7] On 19 November, Černák recorded his first NHL point with an assist to Victor Hedman as the Lightning lost 3–2 to the Nashville Predators.^[8] On 2 February 2019, Černák recorded his first career NHL goal against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden. The goal came in a 3–2 Lightning win.^[9]

On 22 December 2020, Černák signed a three-year, $8.85 million contract with the Lightning.^[10]

On 13 July 2022, Černák signed an eight-year, $41.6 million contract extension with the Lightning.^[11]

Personal life

Černák is a cousin of Christián Jaroš, who previously played in the NHL for the Ottawa Senators, San Jose Sharks and New Jersey Devils.^[12]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

			Regular season					Playoffs
Season	Team	League	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2011–12	HC Košice	SVK U18	37	5	4	9	61	—	—	—	—	—
2012–13	HC Slovan Bratislava	SVK U18	1	0	2	2	0	1	0	2	2	0
2012–13	HC Slovan Bratislava	SVK U20	30	4	6	10	18	12	0	1	1	8
2012–13	HK Orange 20	Slovak.1	8	2	0	2	18	—	—	—	—	—
2013–14	HC Košice	SVK U20	8	1	3	4	16	—	—	—	—	—
2013–14	HC Košice	Slovak	13	0	0	0	0	7	0	0	0	2
2013–14	HK Orange 20	Slovak	20	2	1	3	2	—	—	—	—	—
2014–15	HC Košice	Slovak	43	5	8	13	16	7	0	1	1	6
2015–16	Erie Otters	OHL	41	4	11	15	35	13	0	6	6	10
2016–17	Erie Otters	OHL	50	3	18	21	53	22	1	8	9	10
2017–18	Syracuse Crunch	AHL	71	5	13	18	70	7	1	1	2	4
2018–19	Syracuse Crunch	AHL	9	2	5	7	14	—	—	—	—	—
2018–19	Tampa Bay Lightning	NHL	58	5	11	16	58	4	0	3	3	0
2019–20	Tampa Bay Lightning	NHL	67	5	7	12	59	25	0	4	4	12
2020–21	Tampa Bay Lightning	NHL	46	5	13	18	38	21	1	9	10	16
2021–22	Tampa Bay Lightning	NHL	54	1	12	13	46	23	1	1	2	12
2022–23	Tampa Bay Lightning	NHL	70	2	14	16	53	1	0	0	0	2
2023–24	Tampa Bay Lightning	NHL	69	2	11	13	63	5	0	1	1	2
NHL totals			365	20	68	88	317	79	2	18	20	44

International

Year	Team	Event	Result	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2013	Slovakia	U17	10th	5	0	0	0	8
2013	Slovakia	WJC18	9th	6	0	2	2	8
2014	Slovakia	WJC	8th	5	0	0	0	4
2014	Slovakia	WJC18	8th	5	0	0	0	6
2015	Slovakia	WJC		6	0	2	2	4
2016	Slovakia	WJC	7th	4	0	0	0	2
2017	Slovakia	WJC	8th	5	0	1	1	2
2019	Slovakia	WC	9th	7	3	2	5	8
Junior totals				36	0	5	5	34
Senior totals				7	3	2	5	8