Eliteprospects
Slovakia Samuel Knazko
#20 Cleveland Monsters / AHL - 24/25
1-time Olympic Bronze Medal 1
Date of Birth
Aug 07, 2002
Position
D
Age
22
Height
6'1" / 186 cm
Place of Birth
Trencin, SVK
Weight
190 lbs / 86 kg
Nation
Slovakia
Shoots
L
Youth Team
MHK Dubnica
Contract
24/25
Cap Hit
$847,500 Powered by
NHL Rights
Columbus Blue Jackets Columbus Blue Jackets / Signed
Drafted
2020 round 3 #78 overall by Columbus Blue Jackets
Agency
PREMIUM

Knazko's passing skills are refined for a defenceman. He can find players in the seam and on the breakout with great accuracy. He's comfortable with making plays from his backhand and makes sharp passes with good power behind them. His mobility stood out; he has the skating ability to be effective defending against the rush and during long cycles. -EliteProspects 2020 NHL Draft Guide

© Photo: Timo Savela

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Samuel Knazko Statistics

S Team League GP G A TP PIM +/-   POST GP G A TP PIM +/-
2015-16 HK Dukla Trencin U18 Slovakia U18 4* 1* 2* 3* 0* 5* |
2016-17 HK Dukla Trencin U16 Slovakia U16 3* 0* 2* 2* 0* 4* | Playoffs 13 2 7 9 0 12
HK Dukla Trencin U18 Slovakia U18 43* 7* 16* 23* 8* 41* | Playoffs 8 0 3 3 4 4
2017-18 HK Dukla Trencin U18 Slovakia U18 24* 4* 18* 22* 10* 33* | Playoffs 5 0 5 5 6 6
HK Dukla Trencin U20 Slovakia U20 21* 4* 6* 10* 8* 17* | Playoffs 17 1 5 6 4 7
Slovakia U16 (all) International-Jr 3* 0* 1* 1* 0* -* |
Slovakia U17 (all) International-Jr 3* 0* 0* 0* 0* -1* |
Slovakia U18 WJC-18 5* 2* 1* 3* 0* 7* |
Slovakia U18 (all) International-Jr 15* 2* 4* 6* 4* 3* |
2018-19 TPS U18 U18 SM-sarja 5* 1* 1* 2* 0* -* | Playoffs 1 1 0 1 0 -
TPS U20 U20 SM-liiga 49* 2* 15* 17* 8* 0* |
Slovakia U18 “A” WJC-18 7* 0* 0* 0* 4* -6* |
Slovakia U18 (all) International-Jr 16* 3* 4* 7* 10* -* |
2019-20 TPS U20 U20 SM-liiga 48* 7* 21* 28* 6* 10* | Playoffs 3 1 0 1 0 0
Slovakia U20 WJC-20 5* 0* 1* 1* 4* -8* |
Slovakia U20 (all) International-Jr 20* 3* 5* 8* 6* -* |
2020-21 TPS U20 U20 SM-sarja 23* 5* 10* 15* 22* 19* | Playoffs 2 0 2 2 2 0
Slovakia U20 “C” WJC-20 4* 0* 1* 1* 14* -4* |
Slovakia WC 8* 0* 0* 0* 0* -1* |
Slovakia (all) International 14* 0* 1* 1* 2* -1* |
2021-22 TPS U20 U20 SM-sarja 15* 4* 10* 14* 4* 6* |
TPS Liiga 1* 0* 0* 0* 0* 0* |
Seattle Thunderbirds WHL 27* 5* 15* 20* 12* 14* | Playoffs 25 1 5 6 2 2
Slovakia OGQ 3* 0* 0* 0* 0* 0* |
Slovakia OG 7* 0* 1* 1* 2* -1* |
Slovakia (all) International 13* 0* 1* 1* 2* -2* |
2022-23 Columbus Blue Jackets NHL 2* 0* 0* 0* 0* 0* |
Cleveland Monsters AHL 50* 1* 20* 21* 17* -15* |
Slovakia WC 7* 0* 3* 3* 2* -1* |
Slovakia (all) International 11* 1* 6* 7* 2* 1* |
2023-24 Cleveland Monsters AHL 44* 2* 10* 12* 12* -6* | Playoffs 2 0 1 1 2 0
2024-25 Cleveland Monsters AHL 5* 0* 2* 2* 2* -1* |
Slovakia OGQ 3* 0* 2* 2* 2* 1* |
Slovakia (all) International 3* 0* 2* 2* 2* 1* |
Projected AHL 68* 0* 27* 27* 27* -14* |

Samuel Knazko Tournament Statistics

S Team League GP G A TP PIM +/-   POST GP G A TP PIM +/-
2014-15 Slovakia Selects U13 WSI U13 6* 0* 2* 2* 2* -* |
Slovakia Elite Hockey QC Int PW 2* 1* 0* 1* 2* -* |
2015-16 Slovakia Selects U14 WSI U14 6* 1* 1* 2* 4* -* |
2018-19 Slovakia U18 Hlinka Gretzky Cup 4* 0* 2* 2* 4* -* |
2019-20 Slovakia U18 Hlinka Gretzky Cup 4* 0* 0* 0* 2* -2* |
2021-22 TPS Champions HL 2* 0* 0* 0* 2* 0* |
Slovakia Deutschland Cup 3* 0* 0* 0* 0* -1* |
Slovakia U20 (all) “C” WJC-20 Cancelled 2* 0* 1* 1* 0* 0* |

Samuel Knazko Career Totals

League Years GP G A TP PPG PIM +/- | Years GP G A TP PPG PIM +/-
AHL 3 99* 3* 32* 35* 0.35* 31* -22* | 1 2 0 * 1 * 1 * 0.50 * 2 * 0 *
Champions HL 1 2* 0* 0* 0* 0.00* 2* 0* | 0 * * * * * *
Deutschland Cup 1 3* 0* 0* 0* 0.00* 0* -1* | 0 * * * * * *
Hlinka Gretzky Cup 2 8* 0* 2* 2* 0.25* 6* -2* | 0 * * * * * *
International 4 41* 1* 10* 11* 0.27* 8* -1* | 0 * * * * * *
International-Jr 3 57* 8* 14* 22* 0.39* 20* 2* | 0 * * * * * *
Liiga 1 1* 0* 0* 0* 0.00* 0* 0* | 0 * * * * * *
NHL 1 2* 0* 0* 0* 0.00* 0* 0* | 0 * * * * * *
OG 1 7* 0* 1* 1* 0.14* 2* -1* | 0 * * * * * *
OGQ 2 6* 0* 2* 2* 0.33* 2* 1* | 0 * * * * * *
QC Int PW 1 2* 1* 0* 1* 0.50* 2* -* | 0 * * * * * *
Slovakia U16 1 3* 0* 2* 2* 0.67* 0* 4* | 1 13 2 * 7 * 9 * 0.69 * 0 * 12 *
Slovakia U18 3 71* 12* 36* 48* 0.68* 18* 79* | 2 13 0 * 8 * 8 * 0.62 * 10 * 10 *
Slovakia U20 1 21* 4* 6* 10* 0.48* 8* 17* | 1 17 1 * 5 * 6 * 0.35 * 4 * 7 *
U18 SM-sarja 1 5* 1* 1* 2* 0.40* 0* -* | 1 1 1 * 0 * 1 * 1.00 * 0 * - *
U20 SM-sarja (U20 SM-liiga) 4 135* 18* 56* 74* 0.55* 40* 35* | 2 5 1 * 2 * 3 * 0.60 * 2 * 0 *
WC 2 15* 0* 3* 3* 0.20* 2* -2* | 0 * * * * * *
WHL 1 27* 5* 15* 20* 0.74* 12* 14* | 1 25 1 * 5 * 6 * 0.24 * 2 * 2 *
WJC-18 2 12* 2* 1* 3* 0.25* 4* 1* | 0 * * * * * *
WJC-20 2 9* 0* 2* 2* 0.22* 18* -12* | 0 * * * * * *
WJC-20 Cancelled 1 2* 0* 1* 1* 0.50* 0* 0* | 0 * * * * * *
WSI U13 1 6* 0* 2* 2* 0.33* 2* -* | 0 * * * * * *
WSI U14 1 6* 1* 1* 2* 0.33* 4* -* | 0 * * * * * *
* Some data is missing to provide a correct summary.

Samuel Knazko Career Highlights

Season
Awards by season
Transactions
DATE STATUS FROM TO SOURCE
06/09/2021
06/09/2021 Confirmed TPS U20 Columbus Blue Jackets
07/16/2018
07/16/2018 Confirmed HK Dukla Trencin U20 TPS U20
Player Biography and Trivia

Drafted 2020, 1 #21 overall by Seattle Thunderbirds in the CHL Import Draft

Drafted 2019, 1 #59 overall by Vancouver Giants in the CHL Import Draft

2020 NHL Entry Draft: Ranked #144 by FCHockey

2020 NHL Entry Draft: Ranked #89 by TSN/Craig Button

2020 NHL Entry Draft: Ranked #42 by NHL Central Scouting