Petr Buzek
Encyclopedia
Petr Buzek is a retired Czech
ice hockey
defenceman
. He was drafted in the third round, 63rd overall, by the Dallas Stars
in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft
. After five seasons in the NHL
, he returned to the Czech Extraliga
in 2003 until his retirement in 2005.
in the 1999 NHL Expansion Draft
, and was named to the 2000 All-Star Game
as the Thrashers' first-ever representative.
Despite his success in their inaugural season, Buzek appeared in only 14 more games with the Thrashers in the next two seasons before being traded to the Calgary Flames
, along with a draft pick, in exchange for Jeff Cowan
and Kurtis Foster
. Buzek appeared in 76 games in a season and a half with the Flames.
Buzek returned to the Czech Republic
for the 2003–04 season, playing for HC Sparta Praha
. The next season he played for HC Jihlava
and then moved to HC Litvínov before moving to the Slovak Extraliga
to play for HC Slovan Bratislava
. On October 18, 2005, Buzek announced his retirement from hockey, citing personal reasons for his decision. It is also noted that Buzek was involved in a serious car collision in 1995 after falling asleep at the wheel and colliding with a tree. He broke both his legs, nose and wrist, shattered his right kneecap, fractured his left cheekbone and cracked his forehead. After numerous operations, he had a metal plate and ten screws inserted into his left leg, a plate and seven screws inserted into right ankle, two screws in his right knee and two screws in his left wrist. The accident dropped his stock considerably as he was projected as a top 10 pick, before he was drafted in the third round of the 1995 NHL Entry Draft
.
Czech people
Czechs, or Czech people are a western Slavic people of Central Europe, living predominantly in the Czech Republic. Small populations of Czechs also live in Slovakia, Austria, the United States, the United Kingdom, Chile, Argentina, Canada, Germany, Russia and other countries...
ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
defenceman
Defenceman (ice hockey)
Defence in ice hockey is a player position whose primary responsibility is to prevent the opposing team from scoring...
. He was drafted in the third round, 63rd overall, by the Dallas Stars
Dallas Stars
The Dallas Stars are a professional ice hockey team based in Dallas, Texas. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team was founded during the 1967 NHL expansion as the Minnesota North Stars, based in Bloomington, Minnesota. The...
in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft
1995 NHL Entry Draft
The 1995 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Edmonton Coliseum in Edmonton, Alberta. The drafting order was now set partially by a lottery system whereby teams would not be guaranteed first pick if they finished last. Instead, a draft lottery was instituted in which the winner of the lottery could move...
. After five seasons in the NHL
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
, he returned to the Czech Extraliga
Czech Extraliga
The Czech Extraliga is the highest-level ice hockey league in the Czech Republic. As of 2009, it is ranked by the IIHF as the third strongest league in Europe....
in 2003 until his retirement in 2005.
Playing career
Buzek played three seasons with the Michigan K-Wings of the International Hockey League, during which he also appeared in four games with the Stars. Buzek joined the Atlanta ThrashersAtlanta Thrashers
The Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League on June 25, 1997, and became the league's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 NHL season...
in the 1999 NHL Expansion Draft
1999 NHL Expansion Draft
The 1999 NHL Expansion Draft was held on June 25, 1999, in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. The draft took place to fill the roster of the league's expansion team for the 1999–2000 season, the Atlanta Thrashers.-Rules:...
, and was named to the 2000 All-Star Game
50th National Hockey League All-Star Game
The 50th National Hockey League All-Star Game was part of the 1999–2000 NHL season, and took place in Toronto's Air Canada Centre on February 6, 2000....
as the Thrashers' first-ever representative.
Despite his success in their inaugural season, Buzek appeared in only 14 more games with the Thrashers in the next two seasons before being traded to the Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
, along with a draft pick, in exchange for Jeff Cowan
Jeff Cowan
Jeff Cowan is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who is currently a left winger playing for the Iserlohn Roosters of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga.-Playing career:...
and Kurtis Foster
Kurtis Foster
Kurtis Foster is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League.-Playing career:...
. Buzek appeared in 76 games in a season and a half with the Flames.
Buzek returned to the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
for the 2003–04 season, playing for HC Sparta Praha
HC Sparta Praha
HC Sparta Praha is a Prague based Czech ice hockey team playing in Czech Extraliga.-Team History:Founded in 1903 by Canadian expatriate Lyle P. O'Connor, HC Sparta Praha was among the first bandy teams to play on a semi-professional level in the Austro-Hungarian Empire...
. The next season he played for HC Jihlava
HC Jihlava
HC Dukla Jihlava, founded in 1956, is an ice hockey team in the Czech Republic. It won the Czechoslovak Extraliga title 12 times: six consecutive championships beginning in 1967, then in 1974, four consecutive championships beginning in 1982, and again in 1991. As of 2006, HC Jihlava plays in...
and then moved to HC Litvínov before moving to the Slovak Extraliga
Slovak Extraliga
Slovak Extraliga is the name of the highest-level ice hockey league in Slovakia. As of 2009, it is ranked by the IIHF as the fifth strongest league in Europe. The name of the league is leased to sponsor and changes frequently. From 1993/94 to 1997/98 season it was called Extraliga, then the name...
to play for HC Slovan Bratislava
HC Slovan Bratislava
Hockey Club Slovan Bratislava is a professional ice hockey team in the Slovak Extraliga from the Slovak capital Bratislava. They play their home games at Samsung Arena....
. On October 18, 2005, Buzek announced his retirement from hockey, citing personal reasons for his decision. It is also noted that Buzek was involved in a serious car collision in 1995 after falling asleep at the wheel and colliding with a tree. He broke both his legs, nose and wrist, shattered his right kneecap, fractured his left cheekbone and cracked his forehead. After numerous operations, he had a metal plate and ten screws inserted into his left leg, a plate and seven screws inserted into right ankle, two screws in his right knee and two screws in his left wrist. The accident dropped his stock considerably as he was projected as a top 10 pick, before he was drafted in the third round of the 1995 NHL Entry Draft
1995 NHL Entry Draft
The 1995 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Edmonton Coliseum in Edmonton, Alberta. The drafting order was now set partially by a lottery system whereby teams would not be guaranteed first pick if they finished last. Instead, a draft lottery was instituted in which the winner of the lottery could move...
.