Petr Nedved
Encyclopedia
Petr Nedvěd is a Czech Canadian professional ice hockey
player who spent 15 seasons in the National Hockey League
. He currently plays centre
for HC Bílí Tygři Liberec
of the Czech Extraliga
.
, Czechoslovakia
(now in the Czech Republic
) to Jaroslav and Soňa ("Sonia") Nedvěd. He left Czechoslovakia as a refugee on January 2, 1989 at the age of 17 after playing in an international midget tournament
in Calgary
. Nedvěd was the star of the tournament, with 17 goals and nine assists. He decided to defect
to Canada
because of the limited opportunities in Czechoslovakia under communist rule, which was very strict regarding athletes leaving the country to pursue professional careers elsewhere. He did not tell his parents about the decision, and with $20 and the help of another Czech who defected, whom Nedvěd refuses to identify even today, he declared his defection at a Calgary police station. In an interview in the Newark Star Ledger, Nedvěd said that the "fear of regret" was the overriding reason to defect. For ten months until the fall of communism in Czechoslovakia in the Velvet Revolution
, Nedvěd's parents were forced to make calls imploring Nedvěd to come home.
Nedvěd married supermodel Veronika Vařeková
in 2004. In early 2006, when playing for the Phoenix Coyotes
, Nedvěd asked for a trade to an Eastern Conference
team to be closer to Vařeková who worked primarily in New York City
. However during the summer of 2006, Nedvěd and Vařeková separated. He has since moved back to the Czech Republic. His brother is also a hockey player defenceman Jaroslav Nedvěd
.
of the Western Hockey League
and was drafted second overall by the Vancouver Canucks
in the 1990 NHL Entry Draft
after scoring 145 points in 71 games. Expected to be an instant star in the NHL, his first two seasons were a disappointment, as he struggled offensively and earned a reputation for soft play. In 1992–93, he finished with 38 goals and 71 points including a club record 15-game point-scoring streak. Despite this, though, he struggled in the playoffs and earned the ire of Canuck fans when he asked his idol Wayne Gretzky
for a game stick immediately following the team's ouster from the playoffs by the Los Angeles Kings
, an action fans felt symbolized the lack of commitment to winning from a player who scored just 3 goals in 28 playoff games as a Canuck.
Prior to the 1993–94 season, Nedvěd became involved in a bitter contract dispute with the Canucks which resulted in a lengthy holdout. While holding out, Nedvěd obtained his Canadian citizenship, and represented Canada at the 1994 Winter Olympics
, winning a silver medal. His situation was finally resolved just before the NHL trade deadline, when he was signed by the St. Louis Blues
, with Craig Janney
ultimately awarded to the Canucks as compensation (and then dealt back to the Blues for a package of players). Nedvěd scored 20 points in 19 games, but again struggled in the playoffs as the Blues were swept in the first round.
Nedvěd's stay in St. Louis would prove a short one, as he was dealt to the New York Rangers
for the lockout-shortened 1994–95. He finished the year with 23 points in 46 games.
For the 1995–96 season, Nedvěd was on the move again, this time dealt to the Pittsburgh Penguins
in a blockbuster trade. In Pittsburgh, Nedvěd would have the best years of his career on an offensive team featuring superstars Mario Lemieux
, Jaromir Jagr
, and Ron Francis
. In his first year in Pittsburgh, he recorded career highs of 45 goals and 99 points, and also put his playoff demons behind him by scoring 20 points in helping the Penguins reach the conference finals. Included in that was a monumental goal against the Washington Capitals
in a quadruple-overtime thriller, which at 79:15 of OT was at the time the longest NHL game in 60 years. In 1996–97, he enjoyed another solid year, finishing with 33 goals and 71 points.
However, Nedvěd would find himself in another major contract dispute, and miss the entire 1997–98 season, instead spending most of the year toiling for lower-level teams in the Czech Republic. He remained unsigned at the start of the 1998–99 campaign, instead starting suiting up with the Las Vegas Thunder
of the IHL. The situation would finally end two months into the season when he was dealt back to the New York Rangers in a deal involving Alexei Kovalev
. The lengthy holdout would turn out to be a colossal blunder for Nedvěd, as he actually ended up with less money (once the millions of dollars he'd given up by missing a season were factored in) than had he accepted Pittsburgh's initial offer back in 1997, while at the same time he ended up missing an extended portion of the prime of his career and severely damaged his reputation around the league. http://www.post-gazette.com/sports_headlines/19981126nedved3.asp
Nedvěd's second stint in New York would be more successful than the first, and the six seasons he would spend with the Rangers would represent the most stable portion of his career. Although the team would struggle and miss the playoffs every year through this stretch, Nedvěd would be a consistent offensive performer, leading the Rangers in scoring twice and finishing second on another occasion. In 2000–01, playing with Jan Hlaváč
and Radek Dvořák
- a trio dubbed the 'Czech Mates' - he had the second-best season of his career, finishing with 32 goals and 78 points.
Suffering through a disappointing 2003–04 season, Nedvěd was dealt to the Edmonton Oilers
at the trade deadline. Although Edmonton failed to make the playoffs, Nedvěd scored 15 points in 16 games as the team went on a late-season surge.
Nedvěd signed with the Phoenix Coyotes
in 2004 and spent the 2004–05 NHL lockout with Sparta Praha
in the Czech Republic. Returning to NHL action in 2005–06 with the Coyotes, he struggled badly, scoring just 2 goals and 11 points in 25 games. He was dealt to the Philadelphia Flyers
, where his play improved somewhat and he scored a further 14 points in 28 games, and returned to the NHL playoffs for the first time since 1997.
The 2006–07 season again started poorly for Nedvěd, and he was placed on waivers on October 18 following a 9-1 blowout to the Buffalo Sabres
, and assigned to the AHL
for the first time in his career. After bouncing between the NHL and AHL for the next two months, Nedvěd was claimed on re-entry waivers by the Edmonton Oilers
, who hoped he could provide the same sort of spark he did when acquired in 2004. However, he continuted to struggle in Edmonton and finished the season with just 2 goals and 12 points in 40 games between Edmonton and Philadelphia.
On July 19, 2007, Nedvěd signed a one-year contract with HC Sparta Praha
of the Czech Extraliga
.
On July 31, 2008, Nedvěd, attempting to make an NHL comeback, was invited to the New York Rangers
training camp on a tryout basis. He was released by the Rangers on September 26 and returned to the Extraliga, this time with his hometown Bílí Tygři Liberec.
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...
player who spent 15 seasons in the National Hockey League
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 currently plays centre
Centre (ice hockey)
The centre in ice hockey is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play is the middle of the ice, away from the side boards. Centres have more flexibility in their positioning and are expected to cover more ice surface than any other player...
for HC Bílí Tygři Liberec
HC Bílí Tygri Liberec
HC Bílí Tygři Liberec , sometimes called the "Tigers", is an ice hockey team in the Czech Extraliga. Their home arena is Tipsport Arena in Liberec...
of 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....
.
Biography
Nedvěd was born in LiberecLiberec
Liberec is a city in the Czech Republic. Located on the Lusatian Neisse and surrounded by the Jizera Mountains and Ještěd-Kozákov Ridge, it is the fifth-largest city in the Czech Republic....
, Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
(now in 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....
) to Jaroslav and Soňa ("Sonia") Nedvěd. He left Czechoslovakia as a refugee on January 2, 1989 at the age of 17 after playing in an international midget tournament
Mac's AAA midget hockey tournament
thumb|right|The Calgary Buffaloes celebrate after winning the 2008 championship.The Mac's World Invitational AAA Midget Hockey Tournament is a prestigious ice hockey tournament held annually for midget aged players in Calgary, Alberta, Canada...
in Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
. Nedvěd was the star of the tournament, with 17 goals and nine assists. He decided to defect
Defection
In politics, a defector is a person who gives up allegiance to one state or political entity in exchange for allegiance to another. More broadly, it involves abandoning a person, cause or doctrine to whom or to which one is bound by some tie, as of allegiance or duty.This term is also applied,...
to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
because of the limited opportunities in Czechoslovakia under communist rule, which was very strict regarding athletes leaving the country to pursue professional careers elsewhere. He did not tell his parents about the decision, and with $20 and the help of another Czech who defected, whom Nedvěd refuses to identify even today, he declared his defection at a Calgary police station. In an interview in the Newark Star Ledger, Nedvěd said that the "fear of regret" was the overriding reason to defect. For ten months until the fall of communism in Czechoslovakia in the Velvet Revolution
Velvet Revolution
The Velvet Revolution or Gentle Revolution was a non-violent revolution in Czechoslovakia that took place from November 17 – December 29, 1989...
, Nedvěd's parents were forced to make calls imploring Nedvěd to come home.
Nedvěd married supermodel Veronika Vařeková
Veronika Vareková
Veronika Vařeková is a Czech model. Her name in the English language press is often given as Veronica Varekova.A native of Olomouc, Czech Republic, Veronica moved to New York City at the age of 19 to attend the Parsons School of Design...
in 2004. In early 2006, when playing for the Phoenix Coyotes
Phoenix Coyotes
The Phoenix Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in Glendale, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their home games at Jobing.com Arena....
, Nedvěd asked for a trade to an Eastern Conference
Eastern Conference (NHL)
The Eastern Conference is one of two conferences in the National Hockey League used to divide teams. Its counterpart is the Western Conference....
team to be closer to Vařeková who worked primarily in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. However during the summer of 2006, Nedvěd and Vařeková separated. He has since moved back to the Czech Republic. His brother is also a hockey player defenceman Jaroslav Nedvěd
Jaroslav Nedved
Jaroslav Nedvěd is a Czech ice hockey defenceman currently playing for Plzeň of the Czech Extraliga.-Early career:...
.
Playing career
After defection, Nedvěd played one season for the Seattle ThunderbirdsSeattle Thunderbirds
The Seattle Thunderbirds are a junior ice hockey team based in Kent, a suburb of Seattle, Washington. They are part of the U.S. Division of the Western Hockey League, and play in the ShoWare Center...
of the Western Hockey League
Western Hockey League
The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada...
and was drafted second overall by the Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
in the 1990 NHL Entry Draft
1990 NHL Entry Draft
The 1990 National Hockey League Entry Draft was the 28th NHL Entry Draft. It was hosted by the Vancouver Canucks at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada on June 16, 1990...
after scoring 145 points in 71 games. Expected to be an instant star in the NHL, his first two seasons were a disappointment, as he struggled offensively and earned a reputation for soft play. In 1992–93, he finished with 38 goals and 71 points including a club record 15-game point-scoring streak. Despite this, though, he struggled in the playoffs and earned the ire of Canuck fans when he asked his idol Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Douglas Gretzky, CC is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. Nicknamed "The Great One", he is generally regarded as the best player in the history of the National Hockey League , and has been called "the greatest hockey player ever" by many sportswriters,...
for a game stick immediately following the team's ouster from the playoffs by the Los Angeles Kings
Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles, California. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
, an action fans felt symbolized the lack of commitment to winning from a player who scored just 3 goals in 28 playoff games as a Canuck.
Prior to the 1993–94 season, Nedvěd became involved in a bitter contract dispute with the Canucks which resulted in a lengthy holdout. While holding out, Nedvěd obtained his Canadian citizenship, and represented Canada at the 1994 Winter Olympics
1994 Winter Olympics
The 1994 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVII Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated from 12 to 27 February 1994 in and around Lillehammer, Norway. Lillehammer failed to win the bid for the 1992 event. Lillehammer was awarded the games in 1988, after having beat...
, winning a silver medal. His situation was finally resolved just before the NHL trade deadline, when he was signed by the St. Louis Blues
St. Louis Blues
The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team is named after the famous W. C. Handy song "St. Louis Blues", and plays in the 19,150-seat Scottrade...
, with Craig Janney
Craig Janney
Craig Harlan Janney is a retired professional ice hockey center who played twelve seasons in the National Hockey League from 1987–88 until 1998–99, when blood clots ended his career prematurely.-Playing career:...
ultimately awarded to the Canucks as compensation (and then dealt back to the Blues for a package of players). Nedvěd scored 20 points in 19 games, but again struggled in the playoffs as the Blues were swept in the first round.
Nedvěd's stay in St. Louis would prove a short one, as he was dealt to the New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
for the lockout-shortened 1994–95. He finished the year with 23 points in 46 games.
For the 1995–96 season, Nedvěd was on the move again, this time dealt to the Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
in a blockbuster trade. In Pittsburgh, Nedvěd would have the best years of his career on an offensive team featuring superstars Mario Lemieux
Mario Lemieux
Mario Lemieux, OC, CQ is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He is acknowledged to be one of the best players of all time. He played 17 seasons as a forward for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League between 1984 and 2006...
, Jaromir Jagr
Jaromir Jagr
Jaromír Jágr is a Czech professional ice hockey right winger who plays for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League . Jágr formerly played with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals, and New York Rangers, serving as captain of the Penguins and the Rangers...
, and Ron Francis
Ron Francis
Ronald Michael Francis, Jr. is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played 23 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Hartford Whalers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Carolina Hurricanes and Toronto Maple Leafs...
. In his first year in Pittsburgh, he recorded career highs of 45 goals and 99 points, and also put his playoff demons behind him by scoring 20 points in helping the Penguins reach the conference finals. Included in that was a monumental goal against the Washington Capitals
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Since their founding in 1974, "The Caps" have won one conference championship to reach the 1998 Stanley Cup...
in a quadruple-overtime thriller, which at 79:15 of OT was at the time the longest NHL game in 60 years. In 1996–97, he enjoyed another solid year, finishing with 33 goals and 71 points.
However, Nedvěd would find himself in another major contract dispute, and miss the entire 1997–98 season, instead spending most of the year toiling for lower-level teams in the Czech Republic. He remained unsigned at the start of the 1998–99 campaign, instead starting suiting up with the Las Vegas Thunder
Las Vegas Thunder
The Las Vegas Thunder were an independent professional ice hockey team competing in the International Hockey League. The team's home rink was at the Thomas & Mack Center. They began play in the 1993–1994 season, folding on April 18, 1999...
of the IHL. The situation would finally end two months into the season when he was dealt back to the New York Rangers in a deal involving Alexei Kovalev
Alexei Kovalev
Alexei Vyacheslavovich "Alex" Kovalev is a Russian professional ice hockey player who currently plays for Atlant Moscow Oblast of the Kontinental Hockey League....
. The lengthy holdout would turn out to be a colossal blunder for Nedvěd, as he actually ended up with less money (once the millions of dollars he'd given up by missing a season were factored in) than had he accepted Pittsburgh's initial offer back in 1997, while at the same time he ended up missing an extended portion of the prime of his career and severely damaged his reputation around the league. http://www.post-gazette.com/sports_headlines/19981126nedved3.asp
Nedvěd's second stint in New York would be more successful than the first, and the six seasons he would spend with the Rangers would represent the most stable portion of his career. Although the team would struggle and miss the playoffs every year through this stretch, Nedvěd would be a consistent offensive performer, leading the Rangers in scoring twice and finishing second on another occasion. In 2000–01, playing with Jan Hlaváč
Jan Hlavac
Jan Hlaváč is a Czech professional ice hockey player currently playing for Linköpings HC of the Swedish Elitserien.- Playing career :...
and Radek Dvořák
Radek Dvorak
Radek Dvořák is a Czech professional ice hockey currently a member of the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
- a trio dubbed the 'Czech Mates' - he had the second-best season of his career, finishing with 32 goals and 78 points.
Suffering through a disappointing 2003–04 season, Nedvěd was dealt to the Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
at the trade deadline. Although Edmonton failed to make the playoffs, Nedvěd scored 15 points in 16 games as the team went on a late-season surge.
Nedvěd signed with the Phoenix Coyotes
Phoenix Coyotes
The Phoenix Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in Glendale, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their home games at Jobing.com Arena....
in 2004 and spent the 2004–05 NHL lockout with 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...
in the Czech Republic. Returning to NHL action in 2005–06 with the Coyotes, he struggled badly, scoring just 2 goals and 11 points in 25 games. He was dealt to the Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
, where his play improved somewhat and he scored a further 14 points in 28 games, and returned to the NHL playoffs for the first time since 1997.
The 2006–07 season again started poorly for Nedvěd, and he was placed on waivers on October 18 following a 9-1 blowout to the Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
, and assigned to the AHL
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
for the first time in his career. After bouncing between the NHL and AHL for the next two months, Nedvěd was claimed on re-entry waivers by the Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
, who hoped he could provide the same sort of spark he did when acquired in 2004. However, he continuted to struggle in Edmonton and finished the season with just 2 goals and 12 points in 40 games between Edmonton and Philadelphia.
On July 19, 2007, Nedvěd signed a one-year contract with 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...
of 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....
.
On July 31, 2008, Nedvěd, attempting to make an NHL comeback, was invited to the New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
training camp on a tryout basis. He was released by the Rangers on September 26 and returned to the Extraliga, this time with his hometown Bílí Tygři Liberec.
Transactions
- June 16, 1990: Vancouver CanucksVancouver CanucksThe Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
1st round draft choice, 2nd overall in the 1990 NHL entry draft. - March 6, 1994: Signed as a free agent with the St. Louis BluesSt. Louis BluesThe St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team is named after the famous W. C. Handy song "St. Louis Blues", and plays in the 19,150-seat Scottrade...
. - July 24, 1994: Traded by the St. Louis Blues to the New York RangersNew York RangersThe New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
in exchange for Doug LidsterDoug LidsterJohn Douglas Andrew Lidster is a retired Canadian ice hockey defenceman who played in the NHL...
and Esa TikkanenEsa TikkanenEsa Tikkanen is a retired Finnish professional ice hockey forward. He played for the Edmonton Oilers, New York Rangers, St...
. - August 31, 1995: Traded by the New York Rangers, along with Sergei ZubovSergei ZubovSergei Alexandrovich Zubov is a former Russian professional ice hockey defenceman who played for the Dallas Stars, New York Rangers and Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League as well as SKA St. Petersburg of the Kontinental Hockey League...
, to the Pittsburgh PenguinsPittsburgh PenguinsThe Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
in exchange for Ulf SamuelssonUlf SamuelssonUlf Samuelsson is a retired Swedish professional ice hockey player and currently the head coach of Modo Hockey of the Elitserien . He played for the Hartford Whalers, Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Rangers, Detroit Red Wings, and Philadelphia Flyers.- Biography :He specialized in heavy body checks...
and Luc RobitailleLuc RobitailleLuc Robitaille is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. During his 19-season National Hockey League career, Robitaille won a Stanley Cup in 2001–02 with the Detroit Red Wings, and played for the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Rangers, but is most known for his fourteen seasons,...
. - November 25, 1998: Traded by the Pittsburgh Penguins, along with Sean ProngerSean ProngerSean James Pronger is a former professional ice-hockey player who grew up in Dryden, Ontario, and played in the National Hockey League from 1995 to 2004...
and Chris TamerChris TamerChris Thomas Tamer is a retired American ice hockey defenseman who played in the NHL with the Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Rangers, and Atlanta Thrashers.-Hockey career:...
, to the New York Rangers in exchange for Alexei KovalevAlexei KovalevAlexei Vyacheslavovich "Alex" Kovalev is a Russian professional ice hockey player who currently plays for Atlant Moscow Oblast of the Kontinental Hockey League....
and Harry YorkHarry YorkHarold York is a retired professional ice hockey centre who spent four seasons in the National Hockey League.-Playing career:...
. - March 3, 2004: Traded by the New York Rangers, along with Jussi MarkkanenJussi MarkkanenJussi Markkanen is an ice hockey goaltender for EV Zug of the National League A .-Playing career:Markkanen has played extensively in various European professional leagues as well as the NHL...
, to the Edmonton OilersEdmonton OilersThe Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
in exchange for Stephen ValiquetteStephen ValiquetteStephen Valiquette is a Canadian goaltender for currently playing for the HC CSKA Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey League. He was drafted in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft by the Los Angeles Kings in the eighth round, 190th overall.-Professional career:In 1998, Valiquette signed as an unrestricted free...
, Dwight HelminenDwight HelminenDwight Helminen is an American professional ice hockey center currently playing with the Pelicans of the SM-liiga. His brother Lars plays with Linz EHC of the EBEL.-Playing career:...
, Edmonton's 2004 2nd round compensatory choice and future considerations. - August 26, 2004: Signed as a free agent with the Phoenix CoyotesPhoenix CoyotesThe Phoenix Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in Glendale, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their home games at Jobing.com Arena....
. - January 20, 2006: Traded by the Phoenix Coyotes, along with Phoenix's 2006 4th round draft choice, to the Philadelphia FlyersPhiladelphia FlyersThe Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
in exchange for Dennis SeidenbergDennis SeidenbergDennis Seidenberg is a German professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League...
and Philadelphia's 2006 4th round draft choice. - January 2, 2007: Claimed off Waivers by the Edmonton Oilers from the Philadelphia Flyers.
- July 17, 2007: Signed a one-year contract with HC Sparta Praha of the Czech Extraliga, leaving the NHL.
- July 31, 2008: Signed a tryout contract with the New York RangersNew York RangersThe New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
. - September 26, 2008: Released by the New York Rangers.
Awards
- 1989–90: Jim Piggott Memorial TrophyJim Piggott Memorial TrophyThe Jim Piggott Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the top rookie in the Western Hockey League.The award is named after Jim Piggott who was the founder of the WHL's Saskatoon Blades, as well as one of the first presidents of the league.- Winners :...
Rookie of the Year (WHLWestern Hockey LeagueThe Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada...
) - 1989–90: Rookie of the Year (CHLCanadian Hockey LeagueThe Canadian Hockey League is an umbrella organization that represents the three Canadian-based major junior ice hockey leagues for players 16 to 20 years of age. The CHL was founded in 1975 as the Canadian Major Junior Hockey League, and is composed of its three member leagues, the Western Hockey...
) - 1993–94: Silver Medal (XVII Olympic Winter Games1994 Winter OlympicsThe 1994 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVII Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated from 12 to 27 February 1994 in and around Lillehammer, Norway. Lillehammer failed to win the bid for the 1992 event. Lillehammer was awarded the games in 1988, after having beat...
)
Legacy
- Ranked No. 71 on the all-time list of New York Rangers in the book 100 Ranger Greats (John Wiley & SonsJohn Wiley & SonsJohn Wiley & Sons, Inc., also referred to as Wiley, is a global publishing company that specializes in academic publishing and markets its products to professionals and consumers, students and instructors in higher education, and researchers and practitioners in scientific, technical, medical, and...
, 2009).
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... |
A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... |
Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... |
PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1989–90 | Seattle Thunderbirds Seattle Thunderbirds The Seattle Thunderbirds are a junior ice hockey team based in Kent, a suburb of Seattle, Washington. They are part of the U.S. Division of the Western Hockey League, and play in the ShoWare Center... |
WHL Western Hockey League The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada... |
71 | 65 | 80 | 145 | 80 | 11 | 4 | 9 | 13 | 2 | ||
| 1990–91 | Vancouver Canucks Vancouver Canucks The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,... |
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... |
61 | 10 | 6 | 16 | 20 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 1991–92 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 77 | 15 | 22 | 37 | 36 | 10 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 16 | ||
| 1992–93 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 84 | 38 | 33 | 71 | 96 | 12 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2 | ||
| 1993–94 | St. Louis Blues St. Louis Blues The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The team is named after the famous W. C. Handy song "St. Louis Blues", and plays in the 19,150-seat Scottrade... |
NHL | 19 | 6 | 14 | 20 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||
| 1994–95 | New York Rangers New York Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the... |
NHL | 46 | 11 | 12 | 23 | 26 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 6 | ||
| 1995–96 | Pittsburgh Penguins Pittsburgh Penguins The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original... |
NHL | 80 | 45 | 54 | 99 | 68 | 18 | 10 | 10 | 20 | 16 | ||
| 1996–97 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 74 | 33 | 38 | 71 | 66 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 12 | ||
| 1997–98 | Las Vegas Thunder Las Vegas Thunder The Las Vegas Thunder were an independent professional ice hockey team competing in the International Hockey League. The team's home rink was at the Thomas & Mack Center. They began play in the 1993–1994 season, folding on April 18, 1999... |
IHL | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1997–98 | 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... |
CzRep 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.... |
5 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 52 | ||
| 1998–99 | New York Rangers | NHL | 56 | 20 | 27 | 47 | 50 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1998–99 | Las Vegas Thunder | IHL | 13 | 8 | 10 | 18 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1999–00 | New York Rangers | NHL | 76 | 24 | 44 | 68 | 40 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2000–01 | New York Rangers | NHL | 79 | 32 | 46 | 78 | 54 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | New York Rangers | NHL | 78 | 21 | 25 | 46 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2002–03 | New York Rangers | NHL | 78 | 27 | 31 | 58 | 64 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003–04 | New York Rangers | NHL | 65 | 14 | 17 | 31 | 42 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003–04 | Edmonton Oilers Edmonton Oilers The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League .... |
NHL | 16 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2004–05 | HC Sparta Praha | CzRep | 46 | 22 | 13 | 35 | 44 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 10 | ||
| 2005–06 | Phoenix Coyotes Phoenix Coyotes The Phoenix Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in Glendale, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their home games at Jobing.com Arena.... |
NHL | 25 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 34 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | Philadelphia Flyers Philadelphia Flyers The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... |
NHL | 28 | 5 | 9 | 14 | 36 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 8 | ||
| 2006–07 2006–07 AHL season The 2006–07 AHL season was the 71st season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-seven teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Hamilton Bulldogs won their first Calder Cup, defeating the defending champions, the Hershey Bears in the finals.... |
Philadelphia Phantoms Philadelphia Phantoms The Philadelphia Phantoms were a professional ice hockey team that played in the American Hockey League from 1996 to 2009. The club was based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and played most of its home games at the Spectrum. During schedule conflicts or some Calder Cup playoff games, games were... |
AHL American Hockey League The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League... |
14 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 21 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | Edmonton Oilers | NHL | 19 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 | HC Sparta Praha | CzRep | 45 | 20 | 5 | 25 | 98 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 20 | ||
| 2008–09 | Bílí Tygři Liberec | CzRep | 33 | 14 | 14 | 28 | 72 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | ||
| 2009–10 | Bílí Tygři Liberec | CzRep | 35 | 15 | 20 | 35 | 94 | 15 | 8 | 9 | 17 | 16 | ||
| 2010–11 | Bílí Tygři Liberec | CzRep | 45 | 14 | 41 | 55 | 74 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 10 | 12 | ||
| NHL totals | 982 | 310 | 407 | 717 | 708 | 71 | 19 | 23 | 42 | 64 | ||||
| Czech Extraliga totals | 209 | 87 | 96 | 183 | 390 | 40 | 17 | 19 | 36 | 116 | ||||
| IHL totals | 16 | 11 | 13 | 24 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
International play
International statistics
| Year | Event | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993–94 | Canada | 17 | 19 | 12 | 31 | 16 | |
| 1994 1994 Winter Olympics The 1994 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVII Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated from 12 to 27 February 1994 in and around Lillehammer, Norway. Lillehammer failed to win the bid for the 1992 event. Lillehammer was awarded the games in 1988, after having beat... |
Winter Olympics Ice hockey at the Olympic Games Ice hockey tournaments have been staged at the Olympic Games since 1920. The men's tournament was introduced at the 1920 Summer Olympics and was transferred permanently to the Winter Olympic Games programme in 1924. The women's tournament was first held at the 1998 Winter Olympics... |
Canada | 8 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 6 |
| 1996 1996 World Cup of Hockey The first World Cup of Hockey , or 1996 World Cup of Hockey, replaced the Canada Cup as one of the premier championships for professional ice hockey .... |
World Cup of Hockey World Cup of Hockey The World Cup of Hockey is an international ice hockey tournament. Inaugurated in 1996, it is the successor to the previous Canada Cup, which ran from 1976 to 1991... |
Czech Republic | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 |
| Int'l Totals | 28 | 24 | 14 | 38 | 30 | ||
External links
- "New-look Anyang Halla adds western flavor" nhl.com, July 31, 2008