Quote:Originally posted by gorlab@Sep 19 2013, 02:56 AM
Why exactly is Pivonka so well-known in the SHL? Is your player-sig accurate in that he only played one season in the SMJHL? I've always wondered about this.

Pivonka is the great legend of the could have been but never was. Went undrafted in the NWJHL (now the SMJHL) and then after playing in WJC, the Olympics and the NWJHL Playoffs, he suddenly retired. The signature is correct. Most had Pivonka listed as a top 10 pick in the SHL Draft but he announced his retirement before the Playoffs began.

Pivonka's final appearance was at the NWJHL All Star Game where Ivo Willems was kind enough to make him the 1st overall pick, and Pivonka went on to post 4goals and 5 assists in that game.

Pivonka is notorious because most people don't recreate when they find success like that. Here's the retirement article http://theshl.b1.jcink.com/index.php?showt...ndpost&p=249752 but there are many more great Pivonka articles in the SMJHL Media section if you search for them.

One of the longest articles I've ever written was this one early on about Pivonka http://theshl.b1.jcink.com/index.php?showt...=0&#entry389068