Last year, he made the Colorado Avalanche’s roster out of training camp, but in just his second NHL contest, he suffered another shoulder injury, which sidelined him for the next 78 games.
He made a triumphant return, scoring two goals (his first NHL points) in his first game back April 2 at Columbus, including the game-winner.
Marek also made a huge impact in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, where he factored into the scoring on three of the four game-winning goals in Colorado’s first round series win over the Dallas Stars.
This season, Svatos is back with the Hershey Bears where he has tallied 25 points (8 goals, 17 assists) in 42 games.
He runs at least ten pounds shy of the general weight for an NHL player, and falls two inches off the mark. He's succeeding on talent and speed, when he's healthy. Unfortunately some of the injuries may have to do with the layout of his frame, making his longevity as a major leaguer something of a question mark.
While he is not dominating the AHL in 2004-05, he is doing well enough. He meets our criterion for time played in the NHL because of injury. We assume he'll be back in an NHL uniform when the lights go on in Colorado. This is just a parking spot.
