Augsburg men's hockey alum Martin Hlinka called up to American Hockey League's Hershey Bears

HERSHEY, Pa. (1/28/04) -- Former Augsburg College men's hockey player Martin Hlinka '99, in his second stint in professional hockey, has been called up from the United Hockey League's Quad City Mallards to the American Hockey League's Hershey Bears, one step below the NHL, team officials announced on Tuesday.

Hershey is the top minor-league affiliate of the NHL's Colorado Avalanche.

After sitting out the 2002-03 season due to injury rehabilitation, Hlinka, a native of Bratislava, Slovakia, returned to professional hockey this season with Quad City, where he started his pro career in the 1999-2000 season. Hlinka re-established himself as one of the top players in the UHL, leading the team with 39 points (19 goals, 20 assists) in 38 games before being called up to Hershey. He led the Mallards with seven power-play goals and a .213 shooting percentage.

While rehabbing his injuries in 2002-03, Hlinka served as an assistant coach for Augsburg's men's hockey team.

This will be Hlinka's second stint in the AHL, having played for the Portland Pirates in 2000-01 and 2001-02 seasons. He was under contract to the NHL's Washington Capitals at the time and was assigned to the Capitals' top minor-league affiliate. In 2000-01, he was called up to the Capitals as a practice-squad player during the NHL playoffs. Hlinka has 111 games of AHL experience, having also played briefly for the Chicago Wolves in 1999-2000.

As a Mallard, Hlinka earned UHL All-Rookie team honors in 1999-00, tying for the league lead in assists by rookies (46), while scoring 21 goals for 67 points (third-best among rookies). He also played for the Mallards in the 2001 UHL Colonial Cup series, as the team won the league playoff title.

Hlinka was an outstanding two-sport athlete at Augsburg, earning All-Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference honors three years in a row in hockey and All-American honors in football as a kicker.

In men's hockey, Hlinka completed his career with 40 goals and 85 assists for 125 points, leading the team in scoring his last three years and helping the Auggies to two MIAC playoff appearances. In 1998, the Auggies won the MIAC regular-season and playoff titles, finishing fourth in the NCAA Division III national tournament.

In football, he was a three-year starter at kicker, ending his career holding every single-season and career kicking record. He was named as a second-team Division III All-American by Don Hansen's Football Gazette and Hewlett-Packard in 1998, after finishing fourth in Division III in field-goal average.

Hlinka is one of four former Auggies currently playing professional hockey, while three recent Auggie alumni are still pursuing their hockey dreams.

Jaro Cesky '03, a four-time All-MIAC player, last year's MIAC Player of the Year and an All-American with the Auggies, was drafted by Quad City in the UHL's entry draft following the 2002-03 season, but was traded in October to the UHL's Adirondack IceHawks. In 40 games with the Ice Hawks, he is currently eighth on the team in scoring with 21 points (eight goals, 13 assists).

Ryan McIntosh '01 is currently playing for the UHL's Elmira (N.Y.) Jackals, his fourth UHL team in the last two seasons. Currently the team's No. 2 goalie, McIntosh has seen action in 12 Jackals games so far this season, with a 3-6 record, 2.88 goals-against-average and .901 save percentage.

Chad Moore '03 was signed by the UHL's Missouri River Otters as a training-camp invitee in September and made the team's roster. In 39 games so far this season, Moore has six points (two goals, four assists), fourth-best among the team's defensemen.

Nick Murray '02 was signed on Jan. 16 by the Central Hockey League's Lubbock (Texas) Cotton Kings, appearing in four games before being released on Jan. 22.

Shawn Smith '03 was a training camp invitee for the CHL's Indianapolis Ice, but was waived from the team in October.

Pete Samargia '03 was a training camp invitee for the UHL's Quad City Mallards, but was waived from the team in October.