Goran Bezina
Born (1980-03-21) 21 March 1980
Split, SR Croatia, SFR Yugoslavia
Height 6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight 225 lb (102 kg; 16 st 1 lb)
Position Defence
Shot Left
Played for HC Fribourg-Gottéron
Phoenix Coyotes
Medveščak Zagreb
Genève-Servette HC
HC Sierre
National team   Switzerland
NHL Draft 234th overall, 1999
Phoenix Coyotes
Playing career 19972022

Goran Bezina (born 21 March 1980) is a Swiss former professional ice hockey defenseman who played most of his career with Genève-Servette HC of the National League (NL). He also played with the Arizona Coyotes in the National Hockey League (NHL), Medveščak Zagreb of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) HC Fribourg-Gottéron of the NL and HC Sierre of the Swiss League (SL).

Playing career

As a youth, Bezina played in the 1994 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a team from Switzerland.[1]

A product of Monthey-Chablais HC, Bezina made his debut in the Swiss top-flight National League A (NLA) for HC Fribourg-Gottéron during the 1998-99 season and was drafted 234th overall by the Phoenix Coyotes in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft. From 2001 to 2004, he played within the Phoenix Coyotes organization with three NHL appearances for the Coyotes and 204 contests for their AHL affiliate, the Springfield Falcons.[2]

Bezina spent most of his professional career with Genève-Servette HC of the National League A (NLA) and left the club after twelve years (ten of those as a captain) upon the conclusion of the 2015-16 season. In the course of his Genève-Servette stint, Bezina appeared in 639 NLA contests, scoring 384 points.[3] In June 2016, he put pen to paper on a contract with Medvescak Zagreb of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL),[4] but returned to Genève-Servette on 31 January 2017.[5] He eventually played 10 games with the team this year, tallying 3 assists. At the end of the season, Bezina was not offered a contract extension, making him a free agent.

On 1 September 2017, a few days before the start of the 2017–18 season, Bezina unexpectedly returned to Geneva on a 1-year deal worth CHF 750,000. He agreed to reduce his salary to play his 14th season with the Grenats.[6] On 17 April 2018 Bezina agreed to a one-year contract extension with Geneva worth CHF 700,000.

On 2 August 2019 Bezina joined freshly promoted HC Sierre of the Swiss League (SL) on a one-year deal. On 5 May 2020 Bezina agreed to a one-year contract extension to remain with HC Sierre through the 2020/21 season.[7] On 22 June 2021 Bezina signed a new one-year contract extension with Sierre for the 2021/22 season.[8]

On 17 August 2022 Bezina officially retired from professional hockey.

International play

Representing the Swiss national team, Bezina played at the 2006 Olympic Games and eleven World Championships.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GPGAPtsPIM GPGAPtsPIM
1997–98 Villars HC SUI–3 247512
1998–99 HC Fribourg–Gottéron SUI U20 221161764 72352
1998–99 HC Fribourg–Gottéron NDA 3800014
1999–2000 HC Fribourg–Gottéron SUI U20 201116 21128
1999–2000 HC Fribourg–Gottéron NLA 4436910 40006
1999–2000 EHC Visp SUI–2 20002
2000–01 HC Fribourg–Gottéron NLA 4410102044 511212
2001–02 Springfield Falcons AHL 662111350
2002–03 Springfield Falcons AHL 6434727 60110
2003–04 Phoenix Coyotes NHL 30002
2003–04 Springfield Falcons AHL 7411102165
2003–05 Genève–Servette HC NLA 337121951 40008
2005–06 Genève–Servette HC NLA 328142238 512333
2006–07 Genève–Servette HC NLA 4113203372 50005
2006–07 EC Red Bull Salzburg AUT 11012 8481212
2007–08 Genève–Servette HC NLA 4811253646 16461016
2008–09 Genève–Servette HC NLA 4811193097 41232
2009–10 Genève–Servette HC NLA 477192634 204121622
2010–11 Genève–Servette HC NLA 508223070 643729
2011–12 Genève–Servette HC NLA 507202758
2012–13 Genève–Servette HC NLA 4610213140
2013–14 Genève–Servette HC NLA 508243281 1204435
2014–15 Genève–Servette HC NLA 402141624 1223512
2015–16 Genève–Servette HC NLA 506131973 110668
2016–17 KHL Medveščak Zagreb KHL 564111557
2016–17 Genève–Servette HC NLA 60332 40008
2017–18 Genève–Servette HC NL 36561134 50004
2018–19 Genève–Servette HC NL 4235820 60006
2019–20 HC Sierre SUI–2 32391239
2020–21 HC Sierre SUI–2 466172352 411212
2021–22 HC Sierre SUI–2 493131657 61126
NDA/NLA/NL totals 745119253372808 132194766221
AHL totals 204162541142 60110
NHL totals 30002

International

Year Team Event GPGAPtsPIM
1998 Switzerland EJC 60116
1999 Switzerland WJC 61122
2000 Switzerland WJC 70008
2001 Switzerland WC 601143
2003 Switzerland WC 61120
2004 Switzerland WC 70114
2005 Switzerland OGQ 30000
2005 Switzerland WC 71018
2006 Switzerland OG 60220
2006 Switzerland WC 62134
2007 Switzerland WC 71126
2008 Switzerland WC 70226
2009 Switzerland WC 60006
2010 Switzerland WC 702216
2011 Switzerland WC 31014
2012 Switzerland WC 511229
Junior totals 1912316
Senior totals 7671219126

References

  1. "Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA" (PDF). Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. 2018. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 March 2019. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  2. "Goran Bezina | LNH.com - Joueurs". www.nhl.com. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  3. "Actualité - Goran Bezina évoluera bel et bien en KHL | Planète Hockey". Planète Hockey. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  4. "Finally in Croatia - Bezina signs with Medvescak". www.medvescak.com. Retrieved 23 June 2016.
  5. Club, www.gshc.ch, GSHC - Site officiel du Genève-Servette Hockey. "Goran Bezina de retour aux Vernets - Genève-Servette Hockey Club". www.gshc.ch (in French). Retrieved 1 February 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  6. "Goran Bezina has agreed to terms with Genève-Servette HC". www.swisshockeynews.ch. September 2017. Retrieved 1 September 2017.
  7. "Goran Bezina jouera un an de plus avec Sierre". www.planetehockey.com. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
  8. "One more season in Sierre - Goran Bezina is not ready to retire". swisshockeynews.ch. 22 June 2021. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
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