Andre Deveaux
Andrej Meszároš: A Trailblazing Bahamian-Canadian Hockey Player
Early Life and CareerAndrej Meszároš was born in Nassau, Bahamas, on June 21, 1985. He is a right-handed defenceman who has played for both the National Hockey League (NHL) and the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).
NHL Career
Meszároš made history as the first Bahamian player to be drafted into the NHL when the Montreal Canadiens selected him with the 182nd overall pick in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft. However, he did not play a single game for the Canadiens. After being drafted, Meszároš spent several years playing in the American Hockey League (AHL) for the Springfield Falcons and Chicago Wolves. In 2008, he won the Calder Cup with the Wolves.
Meszároš finally made his NHL debut with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2008. He played sparingly for the Leafs before being traded to the New York Rangers. With the Rangers, he mostly played for their AHL affiliate, the Connecticut Whale.
In 2012, Meszároš signed a two-year contract with the Florida Panthers. However, he spent the entire 2012-13 season in the AHL with the San Antonio Rampage.
KHL Career
In October 2013, Meszároš made another historic move by becoming the first Bahamian player to play in the KHL when he joined Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg.
