Marek Schwarz

Marek Schwarz (born April 1, 1986 in Mladá Boleslav, Czechoslovakia) is a Czech professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the BK Mladá Boleslav of the Tipsport Extraliga and for the HC Slovan Ústí nad Labem of the Chance Liga.

Playing career
Schwarz played junior in his native Czech Republic with HC Mladá Boleslav and HC Sparta Praha junior teams. He made his debut at the senior level with Sparta Praha playing one game in the Czech Extraliga in 2002–03. The following season, he joined the Extraliga full-time at seventeen-years-old and played between three teams – HC Lasselsberger Plzeň, HC Oceláři Třinec and HC Sparta Praha. He also played one game for HC Mladá Boleslav of the 1. Liga That off-season, Schwarz was drafted 17th overall by the St. Louis Blues in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.

Upon being drafted, he moved to North America to play major junior in the Western Hockey League (WHL) with the Vancouver Giants. He posted a 2.67 GAA and a winning record before moving back to the Czech Republic the following season to continue to play for HC Sparta Praha of the Extraliga and for HC Berounští Medvědi of the 1. Liga.

In 2006–07, he began playing for the Peoria Rivermen, the Blues' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate. He was called up that season and played in his first NHL game on December 12, 2006, against the Chicago Blackhawks. Schwarz made 21 saves on 24 shots as the Blues lost 3–2. At 20 years old, he became the third youngest goaltender in Blues history to play in a game.

On October 25, 2008, Schwarz combined with third-string goalie Ben Bishop for a 4-0 shutout against the Florida Panthers. With Manny Legacé and Chris Mason out due to injuries, Schwarz was called up to play backup to Bishop when Bishop also went down with an injury in the third period. Schwarz completed the shutout with 15 minutes to go.

Schwarz stayed in North America until 2009. He played 6 games in total for St. Louis Blues of the NHL, 77 games for Peoria Rivermen of the AHL and 11 games for Alaska Aces of the ECHL. Schwarz moved back to the Czech Republic in the middle of the 2008-09 season to finish the season with BK Mladá Boleslav of the Tipsport Extraliga.

He stayed with BK Mladá Boleslav also for the next two seasons. In 2011, Schwarz moved to Finland to play there with TPS of the Liiga for one season.

After his return to the Czech Republic, Schwarz played the 2012-13 season for HC Sparta Praha and Bílí Tygři Liberec of the Tipsport Extraliga. In 2013-2016, Schwarz played for Bílí Tygři Liberec and their farm club HC Benátky nad Jizerou of the 1. Liga.

Then Schwarz spent two seasons with Orli Znojmo of the EBEL and in 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons, he played again for Bílí Tygři Liberec and HC Benátky nad Jizerou.

Since 2020, Schwarz plays for his youth team BK Mladá Boleslav of the Tipsport Extraliga and their partner team HC Slovan Ústí nad Labem of the Chance Liga.

Schwarz played for the Czech Republic at the 2003 and 2004 World U18 Championship s and at the 2004, 2005 and 2006 World Junior Championship s. He also played 5 games for the senior Czech National Team.