Zdeno Ciger

begbeee

Registered User
Oct 16, 2009
4,158
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Slovakia
Why did Ciger leave the NHL immediatly after his break-out season, when he became Oilers top scorer and Pocklington have offered him big contract?

How good he was during his first half of NHL career (1990-1996)? How would his career have been?

I have heard that Nashville offered him big contract during 1998 Olympic Games, is it true?

Thank you all.
 
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jkrx

Registered User
Feb 4, 2010
4,337
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all I know is that he simply refused but there is a lot of Ciger interviews maybe you will have some luck with that? You should be able to find out more in slavian language.
 

begbeee

Registered User
Oct 16, 2009
4,158
30
Slovakia
all I know is that he simply refused but there is a lot of Ciger interviews maybe you will have some luck with that? You should be able to find out more in slavian language.
I have searched already, but really only a small notices about his leaving.
 

smitty10

Registered User
Aug 6, 2009
9,805
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Toronto
I think I remember hearing that he was homesick for most of his time in North America and after he made some good money, decided to go back home and play where he was most comfortable. He was a great player, it's a shame that he didn't play in the NHL longer.
 

jkrx

Registered User
Feb 4, 2010
4,337
21
I think I remember hearing that he was homesick for most of his time in North America and after he made some good money, decided to go back home and play where he was most comfortable. He was a great player, it's a shame that he didn't play in the NHL longer.

This might be the most probable explanation.
 

tony d

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Jun 23, 2007
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Behind A Tree
Another name I haven't heard in a while. Always liked the guy as a player. Think he could have been a consistent 25-30 goal scorer in the NHL.
 

Theokritos

Global Moderator
Apr 6, 2010
12,538
4,911
Why did Ciger leave the NHL immediatly after his break-out season, when he became Oilers top scorer and Pocklington have offered him big contract?

When the Slovakian team arrived in Canada to participate in the 1996 World Cup of Hockey, Oilers GM Glen Sather had a talk with Cíger, who was a free agent and "rumored to be heading to Europe". According to the Toronto Star (Aug 27th, 1996): "Sather says he and Ciger have come to terms on money, but the players' wife apparently wants to return to Slovakia."
By the way, there's a thread about this question on the Oilers board (http://hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=823661).

I have heard that Nashville offered him big contract during 1998 Olympic Games, is it true?

I don't know about that. But fact is that they took Cíger with their first pick in the NHL expansion draft in October 1998.

For the matter, Cíger had a brief comeback in the NHL in 2001-2002 after playing five years for Slovan Bratislava:
In 2001 he returned to the NHL, but the NY Rangers weren't satisfied with his performance and traded him to the TB Lightning in December 2001. In March 2002 Cíger was released from his contract: he reached an injury settlement with the Lightning after a bulging disk in his neck was diagnosed, an injury that would have put him out for at least one month. After the season he returned to Slovan Bratislava.
 
Ciger was a prized Devils prospect whom they got to come over from Europe as a teenager. Like most Euros that are teenagers, he had problems adjusting to NA. The Devils figured Peter Statsny could help with his North American transition and they aquired him from Quebec in 1990. Once that happened Ciger seemed to be about to take off and become an elite top 6 forward but a broken thumb hampered his development. And once Herb Brooks became coach in 1992-93, he didnt adjust well to his system along with Peter Stastny. Alexandre Semak and Val Zelepukin did adjust well and Ciger was pretty much relegated to 3rd/4th line duty. He was dealt to EDM along with Kevin Todd (another top 6 forward before Herb Brooks) for Bernie Nichols.


Ciger left the Oil for Europe after his 30 goal season because his wife got homesick. He married really young, like at 19 and had a daughter soon after. When his marriage feel apart he returned to the NHL but by then he was old and played out. I think he enjoyed his time in the NY/NJ area and didnt enjoy his time in Edmonton. That's why when he did come back in 2002 it was the NYR.

And yes, he also had a fear of flying. playing in NJ and NY your flying isn't nearly as much as it is in EDM or even Nashville.

Interesting that in 1988-89 the Devils had two Euros in their late teens that didnt adjust well to North American (to a point) but were legends in their respective homelands. Ciger and Janne Ojanen.
 
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begbeee

Registered User
Oct 16, 2009
4,158
30
Slovakia
Theokritos & GentlemanOfLeisure thank you so much. You gave me very interesting informations and useful links. I have followed the NHL at that time, but I have missed the background of Cigers leaving, still I was quite young and without internet. Of course I follow him from 1997 very close, but there is not many articles (if even any) about his leaving even in our language. Some notices are in Peter Stastny's autobiography.

He was very respected player back in the days in Slovakia and was a backbone and captain of the national team during second half of 90's. He even scored hattrick in his very last days in NHL IIRC... Interesting career and story.

His goal when he broke his stick, grabbed goalies stick and scored a goal... Wow, I didnt remember this but it must have been awesome !
 
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Hoser

Registered User
Aug 7, 2005
1,846
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I think he enjoyed his time in the NY/NJ area and didnt enjoy his time in Edmonton. That's why when he did come back in 2002 it was the NYR.

:shakehead

Or, you know, it might have had something to do with the fact Glen Sather was the only GM in the league who bothered talking to him...
 

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