One notable exception during the Czechoslovak era was Vladimír Dzurilla. At the 1976 Canada Cup, he stole the show and stunned the North American audience by shutting down a roster of Canadian stars. Due to the Iron Curtain, he never got a chance in the NHL, but he was on their radar. Dzurilla collected medals at World Championships and Olympics, and to this day, many consider him the greatest Slovak goalie ever.
From McDonald’s To The NHL: How ‘Undersized’ Jaroslav Halák Became The Best Slovak Goalie Ever
When you look back at the history
of Slovak hockey, elite goaltenders have been few and far between.
There used to be a common joke: Slovakia had A-level forwards,
B-level defensemen, and C-level goalies.