Martin Straka (born September 3, 1972) is a Czech former ice hockey center who most recently played for HC Plzeň 1929 of the Czech Extraliga. He is also the club's general manager and co-owner, having bought a 70% share of the team in 2009.[1] Straka played in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1992 until 2008 with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Ottawa Senators, New York Islanders, Florida Panthers, Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers.

Martin Straka
Straka with the New York Rangers in 2008
Born (1972-09-03) September 3, 1972 (age 52)
Plzeň, Czechoslovakia
Height 5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Weight 180 lb (82 kg; 12 st 12 lb)
Position Forward
Shot Left
Played for Pittsburgh Penguins
Ottawa Senators
New York Islanders
Florida Panthers
Los Angeles Kings
New York Rangers
HC Plzeň 1929
National team  Czech Republic
NHL draft 19th overall, 1992
Pittsburgh Penguins
Playing career 1989–2014

Playing career

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Straka was drafted 19th overall by the Penguins in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft, and has played for several teams throughout his 15-year NHL career. After a productive first full season with the Penguins, the shortened 1994-95 season saw him produce only 4 goals and 16 points in 31 games, following which Straka was traded to the Ottawa Senators on April 7, 1995 for Norm MacIver and Troy Murray. The following season, on January 23, 1996, less than a year after being traded to Ottawa, he was traded again. Straka was traded to the New York Islanders in a three-way, five-player deal between Ottawa, New York and the Toronto Maple Leafs, that involved Straka, Kirk Muller, Ken Belanger, Don Beaupre, Bryan Berard, Damian Rhodes and Wade Redden. He would be placed on waivers and claimed by the Florida Panthers on March 15, 1996. Florida would not re-sign Straka after the 1996–97 season, which made him an unrestricted free agent. He then returned to Pittsburgh beginning in 1997–98.

In 1998-99 he set new career highs, logging 35 goals and 48 assists, but his second season was less successful, but he had established himself as one of the leagues premiere two-way players due to his explosive speed and on-ice vision. With the return of Mario Lemieux he would go on to have a career year during the 2000–2001 season for Pittsburgh as he amassed 27 goals and 95 points and in 82 games.

In the following season of 2001-02 his speedy reputation would be called into jeopardy after a season-ending injury in the form of a broken leg, an injury which would take him years to fully recover from. On November 30, 2003, in a cost-cutting move, the Penguins would deal Straka to the Los Angeles Kings for Russian prospect Sergei Anshakov and defenceman Martin Strbak. Straka would later sign as a free agent by the Rangers on August 2, 2005 and went on to have two productive 70 point seasons. On January 17, 2007, despite reports that he was considering retirement, Straka signed a one-year contract extension for the 2007–08 season.

On February 16, 2008 in a game against the Buffalo Sabres, Straka assisted on a goal to record his 700th NHL point.

He was a part of the gold medal-winning Olympic team at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano. He also won gold in the 2005 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships in Vienna.

In July 2008, Straka returned home to the Czech Extraliga, signing a one-year deal with HC Lasselsberger Plzeň (now HC Plzeň 1929).[2]

In the 2012–13 season, he won with HC Škoda Plzeň Czech Extraliga title. He scored a winning goal in 7th final play-off game versus PSG Zlín in second overtime.

On March 28, 2014, Straka announced his retirement from professional hockey.

Career statistics

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Regular season and playoffs

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Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1988–89 TJ Škoda Plzeň CSSR U18 34 37 34 71 42
1989–90 TJ Škoda Plzeň CSSR 1 0 3 3
1990–91 HC Škoda Plzeň CSSR 47 7 24 31 6
1991–92 HC Škoda Plzeň CSSR 50 27 28 55 20 14 4 4 8
1992–93 Cleveland Lumberjacks IHL 4 4 3 7 0
1992–93 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 42 3 13 16 29 11 2 1 3 2
1993–94 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 84 30 34 64 24 6 1 0 1 2
1994–95 HC Interconnex Plzeň CZE 19 10 11 21 18
1994–95 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 31 4 12 16 16
1994–95 Ottawa Senators NHL 6 1 1 2 0
1995–96 Ottawa Senators NHL 43 9 16 25 29
1995–96 New York Islanders NHL 22 2 10 12 6
1995–96 Florida Panthers NHL 12 2 4 6 6 13 2 2 4 2
1996–97 Florida Panthers NHL 55 7 22 29 12 4 0 0 0 0
1997–98 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 75 19 23 42 28 6 2 0 2 2
1998–99 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 80 35 48 83 26 13 6 9 15 6
1999–00 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 71 20 39 59 26 11 3 9 12 10
2000–01 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 82 27 68 95 38 18 5 8 13 8
2001–02 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 13 5 4 9 0
2002–03 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 60 18 28 46 12
2003–04 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 22 4 8 12 16
2003–04 Los Angeles Kings NHL 32 6 8 14 4
2004–05 HC Lasselsberger Plzeň CZE 45 16 18 34 76
2005–06 New York Rangers NHL 82 22 54 76 42 4 0 0 0 2
2006–07 New York Rangers NHL 76 29 41 70 24 10 2 8 10 2
2007–08 New York Rangers NHL 65 14 27 41 22 10 3 7 10 16
2008–09 HC Lasselsberger Plzeň CZE 51 22 30 52 20 17 8 13 21 2
2009–10 HC Plzeň 1929 CZE 35 17 26 43 32 6 2 2 4 4
2010–11 HC Plzeň 1929 CZE 51 17 44 61 12 4 3 2 5 0
2011–12 HC Plzeň 1929 CZE 51 17 30 47 20 12 2 11 13 4
2012–13 HC Škoda Plzeň CZE 47 15 39 54 18 20 8 12 20 8
CZE totals 299 114 198 312 196 59 23 40 63 18
NHL totals 954 257 460 717 360 106 26 44 70 52

International

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Medal record
Men's ice hockey
Representing   Czech Republic
Olympic Games
  1998 Nagano Team
  2006 Turin Team
World Championships
  2005 Vienna Team
Year Team Event   GP G A Pts PIM
1990 Czechoslovakia EJC 6 4 2 6 2
1991 Czechoslovakia WJC 6 1 5 6 0
1992 Czechoslovakia WJC 7 2 6 8 4
1994 Czech Republic WC 3 1 0 1 4
1996 Czech Republic WCH 1 0 0 0 0
1998 Czech Republic OG 6 1 2 3 0
2003 Czech Republic WC 9 6 4 10 4
2004 Czech Republic WC 7 2 2 4 4
2004 Czech Republic WCH 5 1 2 3 0
2005 Czech Republic WC 9 3 1 4 8
2006 Czech Republic OG 8 2 6 8 6
Junior totals 19 7 13 20 6
Senior totals 48 16 17 33 26

References

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  1. ^ EliteProspects.com: Martin Straka (staff profile)
  2. ^ "Straka signs one-year deal with Czech club". TSN. 2008-07-10.
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Preceded by Pittsburgh Penguins first round draft pick
1992
Succeeded by