Arriving in Québec City in 1980 after being drafted by the Nordiques in 1979, Anton Šťastný was the first Slovak to be selected by an NHL team. A left-winger, he helped make the Nordiques very competitive. On February 22, 1981, Anton and his brother Peter both scored eight points in a game in Washington, a record that still stands today.

1980 - 1987

From the Eastern Bloc to Québec City: the saga of the Šťastný brothers

In 1980, a hockey tournament was held in Austria, featuring teams from several communist Eastern Bloc countries. At the time, it was forbidden for athletes from these countries to emigrate to the West. Marcel Aubut and Gilles Léger, two executives of the Quebec Nordiques, organized the incredible escape of brothers Peter and Anton Šťastný, two talented hockey players from Czechoslovakia. The following year, the Nordiques also managed to bring a third and older brother, Marián. These pioneering siblings from Eastern Europe were responsible for a major chapter in the international history of Québec City ice hockey, much to the delight of the locals!

Another Šťastný’s record

André Pichette Arriving in Québec City in 1980 after being drafted by the Nordiques in 1979, Anton Šťastný was the first Slovak to be selected by an NHL team. A left-winger, he helped make the Nordiques very competitive. On February 22, 1981, Anton and his brother Peter both scored eight points in a game in Washington, a record that still stands today.

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Depicted period: 1987

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