| Samuel Hlavaj | |
| Birth Date: | 29 May 2001 |
| Birth Place: | Martin, Slovakia |
| Height Ft: | 6 |
| Height In: | 4 |
| Weight Lbs: | 218 |
| Position: | Goaltender |
| Catches: | Left |
| League: | NHL |
| Team: | Minnesota Wild |
| Prospect League: | AHL |
| Prospect Team: | Iowa Wild |
| Former Teams: | HC Slovan Bratislava HC Škoda Plzeň |
| Ntl Team: | SVK |
| Draft: | Undrafted |
| Career Start: | 2021 |
Samuel Hlavaj (born May 29, 2001, in Martin, Slovakia) is a Slovak professional ice hockey goaltender for the Iowa Wild in the American Hockey League (AHL) as a prospect to the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League (NHL). Hlavaj has played for his country in the IIHF World Championships of 2023 and 2024.
Hlavaj signed for Lincoln Stars of the United States Hockey League (USHL) during the 2018–19 season.[1] The following season, 2019–20, Hlavaj played for Canadian side Sherbrooke Phoenix, during which time he won the Jacques Plante Memorial Trophy.
Back in Europe, he played for Slovak team HC Slovan Bratislava for two seasons, before joining Czech side HC Škoda Plzeň in May 2023, signing a two-year contract.[2]
On April 5, 2024, it was announced that the NHL's Minnesota Wild had signed Hlavaj to a two-year, entry-level contract starting with the 2024–25 NHL season .[3]
Hlavaj played for the Slovakia men's national junior ice hockey team at the 2019 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.[1] Hlavaj started three games for Slovakia at the 2023 IIHF World Championship, and followed that up by playing five matches in the 2024 IIHF World Championship.