Radim Vrbata
Encyclopedia
Radim Vrbata is a Czech
professional ice hockey
player currently playing for the Phoenix Coyotes
of the National Hockey League
(NHL).
in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft
. He won the 2001 World Junior Championship and the 2005 World Championships with the Czech Republic.
In March 2003, Vrbata was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes
in exchange for Bates Battaglia
. He was acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes
by the Chicago Blackhawks
on December 30, 2005 for future considerations. After two subpar seasons in Chicago, he was traded to the Phoenix Coyotes
on August 11, 2007 for Kevyn Adams
. During his 1st year in Phoenix, he set career highs in goals, and assists, and lead the team in scoring.
On July 1, 2008, Vrbata, as a free agent, signed a three-year contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning
. After starting the 2008–09
season out of form and citing confidence issues, and the fact that his wife was having difficulty during pregnancy, Vrbata asked, and was granted permission to return home to the Czech Republic on December 8, 2008. On January 2, 2009 he joined hometown team, BK Mladá Boleslav
. Vrbata's stint with Boleslav was cut short when he was sent on loan to HC Bílí Tygři Liberec
on January 29, 2009.
After finishing the season in the Czech Republic, Vrbata advised the Lightning he intended to return to the NHL for the second year of his contract in the 2009–10
season. Having filled Vrbata's roster spot the Lightning had no interests in retaining Vrbata and his agent, Rich Evans, was given permission to work out a trade. On July 21, 2009, Vrbata was traded by the Lightning back to the Coyotes in exchange for David Hale and Todd Fedoruk
for a second stint with the team.
Vrbata is from the same city as former Blackhawks teammate Martin Havlát
, Mladá Boleslav
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....
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...
player currently 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....
of 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...
(NHL).
Playing career
Vrbata was drafted in the eighth round, 212th overall, by the Colorado AvalancheColorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Avalanche have won the Stanley Cup twice, in 1995–96 and 2000–01. The franchise...
in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft
1999 NHL Entry Draft
The 1999 NHL Entry Draft was held on June 26 at the FleetCenter in Boston, Massachusetts. According to Sports Illustrated and other sports news agencies, at the time the 1999 draft was considered one of the deepest in talent in years, headed by Patrik Stefan and the Sedin twins. However, the...
. He won the 2001 World Junior Championship and the 2005 World Championships with the Czech Republic.
In March 2003, Vrbata was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes
Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League , and play their home games at the 18,680-seat RBC Center...
in exchange for Bates Battaglia
Bates Battaglia
-International:-Personal life:Battaglia lives in Raleigh, North Carolina, the home of his former team, the Carolina Hurricanes. He owns a neighborhood bar called "Lucky B's Around The Corner," located in the heart of Raleigh's Glenwood South District. He is the grandson of Chicago Outfit loanshark...
. He was acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes
Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League , and play their home games at the 18,680-seat RBC Center...
by the Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
on December 30, 2005 for future considerations. After two subpar seasons in Chicago, he was traded to 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....
on August 11, 2007 for Kevyn Adams
Kevyn Adams
Kevyn W. Adams is a retired professional ice hockey center in the National Hockey League who played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Columbus Blue Jackets, Florida Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes, Phoenix Coyotes and the Chicago Blackhawks, and is currently the Associate Coach for the Buffalo Sabres...
. During his 1st year in Phoenix, he set career highs in goals, and assists, and lead the team in scoring.
On July 1, 2008, Vrbata, as a free agent, signed a three-year contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They have one Stanley Cup championship in their history, in 2003–04. They are often referred to as the...
. After starting the 2008–09
2008–09 NHL season
The 2008–09 NHL season was the 92nd season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the first season since prior to the 2004–05 lockout in which every team played each other at least once during the season, following three seasons where teams only played against two divisions in the...
season out of form and citing confidence issues, and the fact that his wife was having difficulty during pregnancy, Vrbata asked, and was granted permission to return home to the Czech Republic on December 8, 2008. On January 2, 2009 he joined hometown team, BK Mladá Boleslav
BK Mladá Boleslav
BK Mladá Boleslav is an ice hockey team in the Czech Extraliga. They play their home games at Ško-Energo Aréna.-History:...
. Vrbata's stint with Boleslav was cut short when he was sent on loan to 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...
on January 29, 2009.
After finishing the season in the Czech Republic, Vrbata advised the Lightning he intended to return to the NHL for the second year of his contract in the 2009–10
2009–10 NHL season
The 2009–10 NHL season was the 93rd season of operation of the National Hockey League , and the 100th season since the founding of the predecessor National Hockey Association . It ran from October 1, 2009, including four games in Europe on October 2 and 3—until April 11, 2010, with the 2010...
season. Having filled Vrbata's roster spot the Lightning had no interests in retaining Vrbata and his agent, Rich Evans, was given permission to work out a trade. On July 21, 2009, Vrbata was traded by the Lightning back to the Coyotes in exchange for David Hale and Todd Fedoruk
Todd Fedoruk
Todd Fedoruk is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger. He is currently an assistant coach with the Trenton Titans of the ECHL.-Playing career:...
for a second stint with the team.
Vrbata is from the same city as former Blackhawks teammate Martin Havlát
Martin Havlat
Martin Havlát is a Czech professional ice hockey player currently playing for the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
, Mladá Boleslav
Mladá Boleslav
Mladá Boleslav is a city in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic, on the left bank of the Jizera river about 50 km northeast of Prague.Founded in the second half of the 10th century by King Boleslav II as a royal castle...
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....
.
Regular season and playoffs
| 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 | ||
| 1998–99 1998–99 QMJHL season The 1998–99 QMJHL season was the 30th season in the history of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The league continued its trend of teams relocating into the Atlantic Canada market, when Laval moved to Bathurst, New Brunswick. Fifteen teams played 70 games each in the schedule... |
Hull Olympiques | QMJHL Quebec Major Junior Hockey League The Quebec Major Junior Hockey League is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League... |
54 | 22 | 38 | 60 | 16 | 23 | 6 | 13 | 19 | 6 | ||
| 1999–00 1999–2000 QMJHL season The 1999–2000 QMJHL season was the 31st season in the history of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The league grants the Montreal Rocket an expansion franchise, returning a team to the most populous city in Quebec. The QMJHL splits into four divisions, retaining the names Lebel and Dilio for... |
Hull Olympiques | QMJHL | 59 | 29 | 45 | 74 | 26 | 15 | 3 | 9 | 12 | 8 | ||
| 2000–01 2000–01 QMJHL season The 2000–01 QMJHL season was the 32nd season in the history of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Sixteen teams played 72 games each in the schedule... |
Shawinigan Cataractes Shawinigan Cataractes The Shawinigan Cataractes are a junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The team is based out of Shawinigan, Quebec. The Cataractes have been previously known as the Shawinigan Bruins until 1973, and were called the Shawinigan Dynamos from 1973–78.The Cataractes play their... |
QMJHL | 55 | 56 | 64 | 120 | 67 | 10 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 4 | ||
| 2000–01 2000–01 AHL season The 2000–01 AHL season was the 65th season of the American Hockey League. The league realigns its divisions again. The Atlantic division is renamed the Canadian division. The Empire State division is replaced by the South division, with many teams shifting from the Mid-Atlantic division.Twenty... |
Hershey Bears Hershey Bears The Hershey Bears Hockey Club is a professional ice hockey team playing in the American Hockey League, and is currently the top affiliate of the NHL Washington Capitals. The hockey club is based in the unincorporated town of Hershey, Pennsylvania, located within Derry Township some 14 miles east of... |
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... |
20 | 8 | 14 | 22 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | Colorado Avalanche Colorado Avalanche The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Avalanche have won the Stanley Cup twice, in 1995–96 and 2000–01. The franchise... |
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... |
52 | 18 | 12 | 30 | 14 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2002–03 | Colorado Avalanche | NHL | 66 | 11 | 19 | 30 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2002–03 | Carolina Hurricanes Carolina Hurricanes The Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League , and play their home games at the 18,680-seat RBC Center... |
NHL | 10 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003–04 | Carolina Hurricanes | NHL | 80 | 12 | 13 | 25 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2004–05 | 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... |
CZE 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.... |
45 | 18 | 21 | 39 | 91 | 13 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 0 | ||
| 2004–05 | BK Mladá Boleslav BK Mladá Boleslav BK Mladá Boleslav is an ice hockey team in the Czech Extraliga. They play their home games at Ško-Energo Aréna.-History:... |
Czech 1. 1. národní hokejová liga The 1. národní hokejová liga is the second-level ice hockey league in the Czech Republic under the Extraliga. It began in 1993.-Format in 2008-09 season:... |
2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | Carolina Hurricanes | NHL | 16 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | Chicago Blackhawks Chicago Blackhawks The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10... |
NHL | 45 | 13 | 21 | 34 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 77 | 14 | 27 | 41 | 26 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 | 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 | 76 | 27 | 29 | 56 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 2008–09 NHL season The 2008–09 NHL season was the 92nd season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the first season since prior to the 2004–05 lockout in which every team played each other at least once during the season, following three seasons where teams only played against two divisions in the... |
Tampa Bay Lightning Tampa Bay Lightning The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They have one Stanley Cup championship in their history, in 2003–04. They are often referred to as the... |
NHL | 18 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 | BK Mladá Boleslav | CZE | 11 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 | HC Bílí Tygři Liberec | CZE | 7 | 7 | 2 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 2009–10 2009–10 NHL season The 2009–10 NHL season was the 93rd season of operation of the National Hockey League , and the 100th season since the founding of the predecessor National Hockey Association . It ran from October 1, 2009, including four games in Europe on October 2 and 3—until April 11, 2010, with the 2010... |
Phoenix Coyotes | NHL | 82 | 24 | 19 | 43 | 24 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | ||
| 2010–11 2010–11 NHL season The 2010–11 NHL season was the 94th season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the fourth consecutive season that opened in Europe with NHL Premiere . A record three events were scheduled, all in previous NHL Premiere cities: Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; and Prague, Czech... |
Phoenix Coyotes | NHL | 79 | 19 | 29 | 48 | 20 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 0 | ||
| NHL totals | 601 | 148 | 175 | 323 | 170 | 20 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 4 | ||||
International
| Year | Team | Comp | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 2001 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships -Group B:All times local .-Relegation round: was relegated to Division I for the 2002 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.-Final round:† Overtime victory.-Quarterfinals:January 2-Consolation round:... |
Czech Republic | WJC World Junior Ice Hockey Championships The International Ice Hockey Federation World Under 20 Championship is an annual event organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation for national under-20 ice hockey teams from around the world... |
7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 2003 2003 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships -Relegation round: avoids relegation by defeating 4-1 in the 2004 IIHF World Championship Far East Qualification game. and are demoted to Division I at the 2004 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships.-Scoring leaders:-Goaltending leaders:-Group A:... |
Czech Republic | WC | 9 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 2 |
| 2005 2005 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships The 2005 Men's Ice Hockey Championships were held March 7 - May 15, 2005, in 7 cities in 6 countries: Vienna and Innsbruck, Austria ; Debrecen, Hungary ; Eindhoven, the Netherlands ; Zagreb, Croatia ; Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro ; Mexico City, Mexico... |
Czech Republic | WC | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2008 2008 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships The 2008 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships was the 72nd such event hosted by the International Ice Hockey Federation. Teams representing 48 countries will participate in four levels of competition. The competition will also serve as qualifications for the 2009 competition... |
Czech Republic | WC | 7 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 4 |
| Junior int'l totals | 7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | ||
| Senior int'l totals | 19 | 8 | 6 | 14 | 6 | ||