Jaroslav Špaček

Jaroslav Špaček
Born	(1974-02-11) February 11, 1974 (age 50) Rokycany, Czechoslovakia
Height	5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight	206 lb (93 kg; 14 st 10 lb)
Position	Defence
Shot	Left
Played for	HC Plzeň Färjestad BK Florida Panthers Chicago Blackhawks Columbus Blue Jackets HC Sparta Praha Edmonton Oilers Buffalo Sabres Montreal Canadiens Carolina Hurricanes
National team	Czech Republic
NHL draft	117th overall, 1998 Florida Panthers
Playing career	1992–2012
Medal record Representing  Czech Republic Ice hockey Winter Olympics 1998 Nagano 2006 Torino World Championships 1999 Lillehammer 2001 Nuremberg 2005 Vienna

Jaroslav Spacek (Czech pronunciation: [ˈjaroslaf ˈʃpatʃɛk]; born February 11, 1974) is a Czech former professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for over 13 seasons with the Florida Panthers, Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Edmonton Oilers, Buffalo Sabres, Montreal Canadiens and the Carolina Hurricanes.

Playing career

Špaček was drafted in the fifth round, 117th overall, by the Florida Panthers in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft.

On January 26, 2006, the Chicago Blackhawks traded Špaček to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for Tony Salmelainen. In 2005–06, Špaček was part of the Cinderella Edmonton Oilers team that made a run to the 2006 Stanley Cup Finals. However, the Oilers lost in Game 7 of the finals to the Carolina Hurricanes. Špaček had three goals and 11 assists in the 2006 Playoffs. He was only one victory away of joining the Triple Gold Club.

On July 5, 2006, Špaček signed a three-year contract with the Buffalo Sabres. In the 2006–07 season, he helped the Sabres reach the Eastern Conference Finals. Špaček was named an alternate captain for the month of December 2007 and captain for the month of January under the Sabres 2007–08 rotating captain and alternate captains system. In the 2008–09 season, Špaček tied a career-high with 45 points in 80 games for the Sabres.

On July 1, 2009, Špaček signed a three-year contract worth $11.5 million with the Montreal Canadiens.^[1]

In the final year of his contract in the 2011–12 season, on December 9, 2011, Montreal traded Špaček to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for defenceman Tomáš Kaberle.^[2]

A free agent, and with the 2012–13 NHL lockout in effect well into the 2012–13 season, Špaček effectively announced his retirement on November 19, 2012.^[3] He became assistant coach for HC Škoda Plzeň and was also added to Plzeň's roster before the trade deadline. He was forced into playing again in the final series due to injuries to Plzeň's defencemen, and he helped Plzeň win its first-ever Czech Extraliga title.^[4]

In 2014, Špaček was named assistant coach for the Czech team at the 2014 IIHF World Championship.^[5]

Špaček was inducted into the Czech Ice Hockey Hall of Fame on November 3, 2016.

Personal life

Špaček's son, David, is a professional ice hockey player who was drafted in the fifth round, 153rd overall, by the Minnesota Wild in the 2022 NHL entry draft.^[6]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1991–92	TJ Škoda Rokycany	TCH U20		34	7	14	21	—		—	—	—	—	—
1992–93	TJ Škoda Rokycany	TCH U20		19	12	8	20	—		—	—	—	—	—
1992–93	HC Škoda Plzeň	TCH		16	1	3	4	—		—	—	—	—	—
1993–94	HC Škoda Plzeň	ELH		34	2	10	12	37		—	—	—	—	—
1994–95	HC Interconnex Plzeň	ELH		38	4	8	12	14		3	1	0	1	2
1995–96	HC ZKZ Plzeň	ELH		40	3	9	12	30		3	0	1	1	4
1996–97	HC ZKZ Plzeň	ELH		52	9	29	38	44		—	—	—	—	—
1997–98	Färjestad BK	SEL		45	10	16	26	63		12	2	5	7	14
1998–99	Florida Panthers	NHL		63	3	12	15	28		—	—	—	—	—
1998–99	Beast of New Haven	AHL		14	4	8	12	15		—	—	—	—	—
1999–2000	Florida Panthers	NHL		82	10	26	36	53		4	0	0	0	0
2000–01	Florida Panthers	NHL		12	2	1	3	8		—	—	—	—	—
2000–01	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		50	5	8	13	20		—	—	—	—	—
2001–02	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		60	3	10	13	29		—	—	—	—	—
2001–02	Columbus Blue Jackets	NHL		14	2	3	5	24		—	—	—	—	—
2002–03	Columbus Blue Jackets	NHL		81	9	36	45	80		—	—	—	—	—
2003–04	Columbus Blue Jackets	NHL		58	5	17	22	45		—	—	—	—	—
2004–05	HC Lasselsberger Plzeň	ELH		30	3	8	11	26		—	—	—	—	—
2004–05	HC Slavia Praha	ELH		17	4	9	13	29		7	0	2	2	8
2005–06	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL		45	7	17	24	72		—	—	—	—	—
2005–06	Edmonton Oilers	NHL		31	5	14	19	24		24	3	11	14	24
2006–07	Buffalo Sabres	NHL		65	5	16	21	62		16	0	0	0	10
2007–08	Buffalo Sabres	NHL		60	9	23	32	42		—	—	—	—	—
2008–09	Buffalo Sabres	NHL		80	8	37	45	38		—	—	—	—	—
2009–10	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		74	3	18	21	50		10	1	3	4	6
2010–11	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		59	1	15	16	45		7	0	0	0	4
2011–12	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		12	0	3	3	2		—	—	—	—	—
2011–12	Carolina Hurricanes	NHL		34	5	7	12	6		—	—	—	—	—
2012–13	HC Škoda Plzeň	ELH		—	—	—	—	—		3	0	1	1	0
ELH totals				211	25	73	98	180		20	1	6	7	22
NHL totals				880	82	263	345	628		61	4	14	28	44

International

Year	Team	Event		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1994	Czech Republic	WJC		7	2	0	2	8
1998	Czech Republic	OG		6	0	0	0	4
1999	Czech Republic	WC		12	1	5	6	8
2001	Czech Republic	WC		9	0	3	3	4
2002	Czech Republic	OG		4	0	0	0	0
2002	Czech Republic	WC		7	1	2	3	8
2003	Czech Republic	WC		9	1	5	6	4
2004	Czech Republic	WC		6	2	1	3	6
2004	Czech Republic	WCH		4	0	0	0	0
2005	Czech Republic	WC		9	1	0	1	0
2006	Czech Republic	OG		8	0	1	1	2
Senior totals				72	6	17	23	36

References

1. "Habs ink Jaroslav Spacek". Montreal Canadiens. 2009-07-01. Archived from the original on 2009-07-04. Retrieved 2009-07-13.
2. "Canadiens acquire Kaberle from Hurricanes for Spacek". ' 'TSN' '. 2011-12-09. Archived from the original on 2012-01-07. Retrieved 2011-12-09.
3. "Spacek wanted at Philadelphia, What did he say? Ends career..." isport.cz (in Czech). 2012-11-19. Retrieved 2012-11-19.
4. "Nejprve trenér, později i hráč. A nyní spálím výstroj, plánuje po zisku titulu Jaroslav Špaček - Hokej.cz". Archived from the original on 2014-05-03. Retrieved 2014-05-03.
5. Spacek named assistant coach
6. McKay, Tyson (10 March 2023). "Wild's David Spacek Looking Like Another Late-Round Steal". thehockeywriters.com. Retrieved 23 May 2024.

External links

• Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Eurohockey.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database

Sporting positions
Preceded by Brian Campbell	Buffalo Sabres captain January 2008	Succeeded by Jochen Hecht