Ladislav Benysek
Encyclopedia
Ladislav Benýšek is a Czech
professional ice hockey
defenceman
who has played parts of four seasons at the National Hockey League
level, with the Edmonton Oilers
and Minnesota Wild
. He currently plays for HC Asiago in Italy
's Serie A (ice hockey).
Benýšek was selected by the Oilers in the 11th round of the 1994 NHL Entry Draft
, 266th overall, after spending the previous season with his hometown HC Olomouc
of the Czech league. Following the draft, Benýšek came over to North America, and spent the 1994–95 season with the Cape Breton Oilers
, Edmonton's AHL
farm team.
Benýšek returned to Europe for the next two seasons, playing for Olomouc and Sparta Praha
. Electing to again spend a season in North America, Benýšek played his first NHL hockey in the 1997–98 season, going pointless in two games. Aside from that brief stint, however, Benýšek was again confined to the AHL, where he played for the Hamilton Bulldogs
. Despite eventually being claimed off waivers by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, Benýšek would spend the next three seasons back with Sparta Praha.
It was not until the 2000 NHL Expansion Draft
, when the newly formed Minnesota Wild
selected Benýšek from the Ducks that he got the opportunity to play regular minutes. For the next two seasons, Benýšek was an integral part of the Wild blueline. In his third season with the Wild, Benysek played only 14 games before being assigned to the AHL's Houston Aeros
. Following the completion of the season, Benýšek returned to Europe
, where he joined HIFK
in Finland
's SM-liiga
and also had a spell in Sweden
with Leksands IF
. In 2006, Benýšek rejoined Sparta Praha for a third spell which lasted just one season before he moved to France
's Ligue Magnus
for Dragons de Rouen
. In 2008, Benýšek moved to Denmark's Oddset Ligaen with TOTEMPO HvIK.
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...
professional 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...
who has played parts of four seasons at 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...
level, with 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 ....
and Minnesota Wild
Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
. He currently plays for HC Asiago in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
's Serie A (ice hockey).
Benýšek was selected by the Oilers in the 11th round of the 1994 NHL Entry Draft
1994 NHL Entry Draft
The 1994 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Hartford Civic Center on June 28–29, 1994.-Selections by round:Club teams are located in North America unless otherwise noted.-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:...
, 266th overall, after spending the previous season with his hometown HC Olomouc
HC Olomouc
HC Olomouc is an ice hockey team in the First National Hockey League from Olomouc. They won the Extraliga championship in the 1993/1994 season...
of the Czech league. Following the draft, Benýšek came over to North America, and spent the 1994–95 season with the Cape Breton Oilers
Cape Breton Oilers
The Cape Breton Oilers were a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. The team relocated from Halifax, Nova Scotia, in 1988 and was renamed for Cape Breton Island. Home games were played in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada, at Centre 200...
, Edmonton's 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...
farm team.
Benýšek returned to Europe for the next two seasons, playing for Olomouc and 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...
. Electing to again spend a season in North America, Benýšek played his first NHL hockey in the 1997–98 season, going pointless in two games. Aside from that brief stint, however, Benýšek was again confined to the AHL, where he played for the Hamilton Bulldogs
Hamilton Bulldogs
The Hamilton Bulldogs are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They play in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, at Copps Coliseum, nicknamed 'The Dog Pound'. They are the AHL affiliate of the NHL's Montreal Canadiens...
. Despite eventually being claimed off waivers by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, Benýšek would spend the next three seasons back with Sparta Praha.
It was not until the 2000 NHL Expansion Draft
2000 NHL Expansion Draft
The 2000 NHL Expansion Draft was held on June 23, 2000, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The draft took place to fill the rosters of the league's two expansion teams for the 2000–01 season, the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Minnesota Wild.-Rules:...
, when the newly formed Minnesota Wild
Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
selected Benýšek from the Ducks that he got the opportunity to play regular minutes. For the next two seasons, Benýšek was an integral part of the Wild blueline. In his third season with the Wild, Benysek played only 14 games before being assigned to the AHL's Houston Aeros
Houston Aeros
The Houston Aeros are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. The team plays in Houston, Texas, at the Toyota Center. They are the AHL affiliate of the NHL's Minnesota Wild.- History :...
. Following the completion of the season, Benýšek returned to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, where he joined HIFK
HIFK (ice hockey)
HIFK is an ice hockey team based in Helsinki, Finland. The team plays at Helsinki Ice Hall. It was founded in 1897...
in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
's SM-liiga
SM-liiga
The SM-liiga is the top professional ice hockey league in Finland. As of March 2008, it is ranked by the IIHF as the second strongest league in Europe. It was created in 1975 to replace the SM-sarja, which was fundamentally an amateur league. The SM-liiga is not directly overseen by the Finnish Ice...
and also had a spell in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
with Leksands IF
Leksands IF
Leksands Idrottsförening is a Swedish ice hockey team from the town of Leksand in the region of Dalarna. The team is currently playing in the second highest league in Sweden, HockeyAllsvenskan. Leksand has played 53 seasons in the top Swedish league – between 1951 to 2001, 2002 to 2004, and 2005–06...
. In 2006, Benýšek rejoined Sparta Praha for a third spell which lasted just one season before he moved to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
's Ligue Magnus
Ligue Magnus
-Former Teams:*Bisons de Neuilly-sur-Marne*Orques d'Anglet*Sangliers Arvernes*Corsaires de Dunkerque*Albatros de Brest*Jets de Viry-Essonne-Defunct Teams:*Diables Noirs de Tours*Hockey Club de Mulhouse*Séquanes de Besançon*Flammes Bleues de Reims...
for Dragons de Rouen
Dragons de Rouen
Rouen Hockey Élite 76 is a French ice hockey team based in Rouen playing in the Ligue Magnus. The team is also known as "Dragons de Rouen" .The team was founded in 1982 and plays home games at the Île Lacroix.-History:...
. In 2008, Benýšek moved to Denmark's Oddset Ligaen with TOTEMPO HvIK.