Richard Panik

The Slovakian born Panik began his junior career in 2005-2006 at the amazingly young age of 14 in the Slovakian J18 ranks for MHC Martin where he had 11 goals and 24 points in 40 games. After the season, Panik left the Slovakian hockey system for the Czech Republic, where he landed with Trinec organization. At 15, Panik split his time between Trinec's J18 and J20 clubs, scoring 10 goals and 16 points in 12 games in J18 and 16 goals and 25 points in 27 games at the J20 level. That season Panik also made his first appearance for the Slovakian national team, posting 2 assists in 6 games at the 2007 U18 World Junior Championships. 2007-2008 marked the season where Panik exploded into the consciousness of the NHL scouting community. The young forward posted a surreal 35 goals and 62 points in 39 games with a +36 rating and 70 penalty minutes for Trinec's J20 side. He also made his Extraliga debut for Trinec, going scoreless in 6 games for the top level team. He also had 4 goals and 10 points in 6 games for Slovakia at the 2008 U18 World Junior Championships, and at season's end he was named the seventh best prospect for the 2009 NHL Entry Draft by THN. He was also selected tenth overall in the 2008 OHL Import Draft by the Windsor Spitfires in the summer. Unfortunately, Panik's 2008-2009 campaign was a frustrating, injury-riddled campaign that saw his draft stock plummet. He managed just 1 goal and 2 points in 15 games for Trinec at the Extraliga and spent a short 3 game stint with Havirov in the Czech 1 liga second tier league, scoring 2 goals and 3 points in 3 games. Although he put up decent numbers for Slovakia in his first U20 World Junior Championships, putting up 2 goals and 5 points in 7 games, he could not repair his draft standing. A late season injury made Panik unable to perform in his third U18 World Junior Championships at year's end, which cost him a key opportunity to win favor with scouts, and at year's end he was considered the thirteenth best skater prospect in Europe by NHL Central Scouting and the sixtieth best prospect overall by Red Line Report. The Lightning selected Panik in the second round with the fifty-second overall pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.