Tomas Kopecky
Encyclopedia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
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...
right winger
Winger (ice hockey)
Winger, in the game of hockey, is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play on the ice is along the outer playing area. They typically work by flanking the centre forward. Originally the name was given to forward players who went up and down the sides of the rink...
, an alternate captain for the Florida Panthers
Florida Panthers
The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in Sunrise, Florida, in the Miami metropolitan area. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their games at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise and are the...
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).
Detroit Red Wings
After being drafted by the Detroit Red WingsDetroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft
2000 NHL Entry Draft
The 2000 NHL Entry Draft was held from June 24 to 25 at the Pengrowth Saddledome in Calgary, Alberta, following the 2000 NHL Expansion Draft on June 23 for the Columbus Blue Jackets and Minnesota Wild...
, Kopecký played two seasons of junior hockey with the Lethbridge Hurricanes
Lethbridge Hurricanes
The Lethbridge Hurricanes are a junior ice hockey team in the Eastern Conference of the Western Hockey League in Lethbridge, Alberta. They play their home games at the ENMAX Centre.-History:...
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...
(WHL). He turned professional with the American Hockey League
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...
(AHL), initially with the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks
Cincinnati Mighty Ducks
The Cincinnati Mighty Ducks were an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, at the Cincinnati Gardens.-History:...
before being assigned to the Grand Rapids Griffins
Grand Rapids Griffins
The Grand Rapids Griffins are a professional hockey team in the American Hockey League . They play in Grand Rapids, Michigan at the Van Andel Arena. They are the AHL affiliate to the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League....
.
Kopecký played four seasons with the Griffins before making his NHL debut with the Red Wings in 2005–06, appearing in one game. The following season, on December 14, 2006, in a game against 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...
, Kopecký was injured a minute into the third period of the Red Wings' 3–2 victory. Kopecký lost his footing and hit the boards as he approached the Chicago blue line and Blackhawks defenseman Jim Vandermeer
Jim Vandermeer
James Patrick "Jim" Vandermeer is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League . Jim was born and raised in Caroline, Alberta.-Playing career:...
then fell on top of him. Kopecký was motionless on the ice for a few minutes before being helped to the dressing room by members of the Detroit training staff. He had surgery
Surgery
Surgery is an ancient medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.An act of performing surgery may be called a surgical...
the next day to repair a broken clavicle
Clavicle
In human anatomy, the clavicle or collar bone is a long bone of short length that serves as a strut between the scapula and the sternum. It is the only long bone in body that lies horizontally...
. As a result of this injury he was limited to just 26 games in 2006–07 NHL season. Kopecký had previously worn the number 28 with Detroit, but switched to 82 after the Red Wings acquired free agent defenseman Brian Rafalski
Brian Rafalski
Brian Christopher Rafalski is a retired American professional ice hockey defenseman who played 15 professional ice hockey seasons for five teams: 11 in the National Hockey League for two teams , three in SM-liiga for two teams prior to entering the NHL, and one in Elitserien for...
.
On April 3, 2008, near the end of the 2007–08 NHL season, Kopecký tore his Anterior cruciate ligament
Anterior cruciate ligament
The anterior cruciate ligament is a cruciate ligament which is one of the four major ligaments of the human knee. In the quadruped stifle , based on its anatomical position, it is referred to as the cranial cruciate ligament.The ACL originates from deep within the notch of the distal femur...
during a game against the Columbus Blue Jackets
Columbus Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio, United States. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
. This injury was repaired during surgery on April 22, 2008. On June 4, 2008, he won the Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
with the Red Wings, though he did not play a game in the postseason.
Chicago Blackhawks
On July 1, 2009, Kopecky signed a two-year deal with the Chicago BlackhawksChicago 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...
, paying $1.2 million per season. He played in 74 games for the Blackhawks in his first year with the team, posting 21 points, 28 PIM, 2 game winning goals, and a shooting percentage of 10.5%. It was his most productive season to date in the NHL. Into the postseason, Kopecky was a regular starter on Chicago's third or fourth line of forwards. He scored a crucial goal to put Chicago up by 2 in the Western Semifinals against Vancouver, but his most crucial would be in his first game back in the lineup after being a healthy scratch for all four games of the sweep of the San Jose Sharks
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, United States. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
. Replacing the injured Andrew Ladd
Andrew Ladd
Andrew Ladd is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger and captain of the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League . He was originally drafted in 2004 by the Carolina Hurricanes and won the Stanley Cup with them in 2006...
, Kopecky netted the 6-5 game winning goal in the game one victory of the Stanley Cup Finals. Ladd returned the next game, but Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville
Joel Quenneville
Joel Norman Quenneville is the head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks professional ice hockey team. He is a former ice hockey defenseman and former head coach of the Colorado Avalanche and St. Louis Blues...
kept Kopecky in the lineup to play every game of the six game series. He finished the playoffs with solid statistics. In 17 games, he tallied six points, 8 PIM, 1 game winning goal, and a shooting percentage of 14.3%. On June 9, 2010, at the age of 28, he won the Stanley Cup with the Blackhawks and hoisted the Cup for the second time in his life.
Kopecky entered the 2010–11 NHL season
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...
in the last year of his contract with the Stanley Cup defending champion 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...
. He opened the first game of the year on the team's first line with Jonathan Toews
Jonathan Toews
Jonathan Bryan Toews is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who plays for and is captain of the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League . He is currently the youngest captain in the NHL, having been appointed in 2008....
and Marian Hossa
Marian Hossa
Marián Hossa is a Slovak professional ice hockey player who currently plays for the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League . Hossa was drafted by the Ottawa Senators in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft; after playing for the Senators, he played for the Atlanta Thrashers, Pittsburgh Penguins, and...
, putting in over twice the amount of time on the ice that he had averaged the year before. On December 26, 2010, in his 36th game of the year, Kopecky tallied his 21st point of the season, matching his career high total for a single season. Kopecky played in the Blackhawks' last game of the season on April 10, 2011, against his former team the Red Wings. Chicago needed a win to decisivley clinch a playoff spot. The Hawks lost the game 4-3, but still clinched the 8th seed of the playoffs due to a 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...
loss on the same day. Kopecky ended the season with career highs in games played, goals, assists, points, shots, and PIM, and has been on a playoff-bound team for five consecutive seasons. Kopecky was taken out of Game 1 with an upper-body injury of the Blackhawks' first playoff series. He never returned and the Blackhawks lost in 7 games to 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,...
.
Florida Panthers
Following the 2010–11 season, Kopecky was poised to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2011, however, on June 27, 2011, the Blackhawks traded Kopecky to the Florida PanthersFlorida Panthers
The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in Sunrise, Florida, in the Miami metropolitan area. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their games at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise and are the...
who obtained the exclusive negotiating rights with the player until he becomes a free agent. In return the Blackhawks received from the Panthers a 7th round pick in either the 2012
2012 NHL Entry Draft
The 2012 NHL Entry Draft will be the 50th NHL Entry Draft. The draft will be held on June 22–23, 2012 at the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is the first time Pittsburgh will host the draft since the 1997 NHL Entry Draft....
or 2013 NHL Entry Draft
2013 NHL Entry Draft
The 2013 NHL Entry Draft will be the 51st NHL Entry Draft. Date and location are still to be determined. -Traded picks:The order of the 2013 Entry Draft will be finalized upon the conclusion of the 2012–13 NHL season. However, some teams have already exchanged picks for this draft via trade...
. On June 29, 2011, the Florida Panthers
Florida Panthers
The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in Sunrise, Florida, in the Miami metropolitan area. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their games at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise and are the...
signed Kopecky to a 4 year deal worth a total of $12,000,000.
Personal life
Tomas is married to Maria and has two sons named Jakub (born February 8, 2004) and Tobias (born February 20, 2009).Awards and achievements
- 2008 Stanley Cup Champion
- 2010 Member of the Slovakia Winter Olympic Team
- 2010 Stanley Cup Champion
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 | ||
| 2000–01 | Lethbridge Hurricanes Lethbridge Hurricanes The Lethbridge Hurricanes are a junior ice hockey team in the Eastern Conference of the Western Hockey League in Lethbridge, Alberta. They play their home games at the ENMAX Centre.-History:... |
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... |
49 | 22 | 28 | 50 | 52 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | ||
| 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... |
Cincinnati Mighty Ducks Cincinnati Mighty Ducks The Cincinnati Mighty Ducks were an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA, at the Cincinnati Gardens.-History:... |
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... |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | Lethbridge Hurricanes | WHL | 60 | 34 | 42 | 76 | 94 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 15 | ||
| 2001–02 2001–02 AHL season The 2001–02 AHL season was the 66th season of the American Hockey League. It was the season of the biggest growth in the AHL's history, as it accepted eight new teams. The demise of the International Hockey League brought six teams transferring from the defunct league, in addition to two expansion... |
Cincinnati Mighty Ducks | AHL | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2002–03 2002–03 AHL season The 2002–03 AHL season was the 67th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-eight teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Hamilton Bulldogs finished first overall in the regular season... |
Grand Rapids Griffins Grand Rapids Griffins The Grand Rapids Griffins are a professional hockey team in the American Hockey League . They play in Grand Rapids, Michigan at the Van Andel Arena. They are the AHL affiliate to the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League.... |
AHL | 70 | 17 | 21 | 38 | 42 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | ||
| 2003–04 2003–04 AHL season The 2003–04 AHL season was the 68th season of the American Hockey League. The league introduces the Willie Marshall Award in honour the career points leader in the AHL, and awards it to the annual top goal scorer.... |
Grand Rapids Griffins | AHL | 48 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 28 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 2004–05 2004–05 AHL season The 2004–05 AHL season was the 69th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-eight teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Rochester Americans finished first overall in the regular season... |
Grand Rapids Griffins | AHL | 48 | 8 | 8 | 16 | 35 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 2005–06 AHL season The 2005–06 AHL season was the 70th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-seven teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Hershey Bears won the Calder Cup, defeating the Milwaukee Admirals in the finals.... |
Grand Rapids Griffins | AHL | 77 | 32 | 40 | 72 | 123 | 16 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 25 | ||
| 2005–06 | Detroit Red Wings Detroit Red Wings The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York... |
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... |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 26 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 22 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | ||
| 2007–08 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 77 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 43 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 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... |
Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 79 | 6 | 13 | 19 | 46 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 | ||
| 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... |
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 | 74 | 10 | 11 | 21 | 28 | 17 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 8 | ||
| 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... |
Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 81 | 15 | 27 | 42 | 60 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| NHL totals | 338 | 37 | 58 | 95 | 201 | 30 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 21 | ||||
International
| Year | Team | Comp | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 2000 IIHF World U18 Championships -Quarterfinals:-Semifinals:-Fifth place game:-Bronze medal game:-Gold medal game:-Final standings: is relegated to Division I for the 2001 IIHF World U18 Championships.-Scoring leaders:-Goaltending leaders:... |
Slovakia Slovakia men's national junior ice hockey team The Slovak men's national under 20 ice hockey team is the national under-20 ice hockey team in Slovakia. The team represents Slovakia at the International Ice Hockey Federation's IIHF World U20 Championship.-2011 World Junior Championship roster:... |
WJC18 IIHF World U18 Championships The IIHF World U18 Championship is an annual event organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation for national under-18 ice hockey teams from around the world. The tournament is usually played in April and is organized according to a system similar to Ice Hockey World Championships and World... |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2000 2000 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships -Group B:All times local .-Relegation round:-10-minute tie break game: was relegated to Division I for the 2001 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.-Final round:‡ Shootout victory.All times local .... |
Slovakia | 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 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 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:... |
Slovakia | WJC | 7 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 16 |
| 2002 2002 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships The 2002 IIHF World U20 Championship, commonly referred as the 2002 World Junior Hockey Championships , was the 26th edition of the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships... |
Slovakia | WJC | 7 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 22 |
| 2010 Ice hockey at the 2010 Winter Olympics Ice hockey at the 2010 Winter Olympics was held at Canada Hockey Place, home of the National Hockey League's Vancouver Canucks, and at UBC Winter Sports Centre, home of the Canadian Interuniversity Sport's UBC Thunderbirds. Twelve teams competed in the men's event and eight teams competed in the... |
Slovakia | OG 2010 Winter Olympics The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University... |
7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Junior int'l totals | 22 | 5 | 9 | 14 | 42 | ||
| Senior int'l totals | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | ||