Marián Gáborík (born February 14, 1982) is a Slovak professional ice hockey right winger currently playing for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He began his career in the Slovak Extraliga with HC Dukla Trenčín for two seasons before being drafted third overall in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft by the Minnesota Wild. Spending eight seasons in Minnesota before signing with the Rangers in 2009, Gáborík is the Wild's all-time leading scorer in goals and points. Internationally, Gáborík is a two-time Olympian with Slovakia and has won a bronze medal at the 1999 World Junior Championships.

Gáborík played with HC Dukla Trencin's junior team and scored 59 points over 36 games in 1997–98. That same season, he appeared in one Slovak Extraliga game with Dukla Trencin's men's team, scoring a goal in his professional debut. The following season in 1998–99, he joined Dukla Trencin in the Slovak Extraliga full-time and 20 points over 33 games as a rookie. Gáborík then improved to 46 points in 50 games the following season in his draft year.

Zdeno Chára (Slovak pronunciation: [ˈzdeno ˈxaːra]; born March 18, 1977) is a Slovak professional ice hockey defenseman. He is the captain of the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL) and won the Norris Trophy while playing for them in 2008–09. At 6 ft 9 (2.06 m), he is the tallest player ever to play in the NHL. He is also the second European-born and trained captain to win the Stanley Cup and the first from Slovakia.

Chára was drafted 56th overall by the New York Islanders in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft from HC Sparta Praha. Chára would spend his first season in North America with the Prince George Cougars, who subsequently selected Chára in that year's CHL Import Draft. Chára spent four seasons with the Islanders organization, becoming a reliable stay at home defender in a primarily defensive role. He earned a reputation as a tough player to play against – intimidating, physically strong, and a punishing hitter who could, on occasion, fight. His physical strength also gave him a very hard slap shot, which seemed to improve each season, although Chára was never deployed in an offensive role as an Islander. He was traded to the Ottawa Senators during the 2001 NHL Entry Draft as part of a blockbuster deal to acquire Alexei Yashin which was believed at the time would vastly improve the Islanders, never a contending team when Chára played there. Chára was part of a package deal along with Bill Muckalt and the second overall pick in that year's draft (which turned out to be Jason Spezza), that brought Yashin to Long Island.