Martin Straka

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. 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.

Playing career Straka was drafted 19th overall by the Penguins in the 1992 NHL entry draft, and 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 four goals and 16 points in 31 games, after 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, involving Straka, Kirk Muller, Ken Belanger, Don Beaupre, Bryan Berard, Damian Rhodes and Wade Redden. He was later placed on waivers and claimed by the Florida Panthers on March 15, 1996. Florida did not re-sign Straka after the 1996–97 season, making him an unrestricted free agent. He then returned to Pittsburgh beginning in 1997–98.

In 1998–99, he set new career highs, recording 35 goals and 48 assists. His second season was less successful, but he had established himself as one of the league's premier two-way players due to his speed and on-ice vision. With the return of Mario Lemieux, he went on to have a career year during the 2000–01 season for Pittsburgh, amassing 27 goals and 95 points in 82 games.

In the 2001–02 season, his reputation for speed was affected by a season-ending injury in the form of a broken leg, from which it took him years to fully recover. On November 30, 2003, in a cost-cutting move, the Penguins dealt Straka to the Los Angeles Kings for Russian prospect Sergei Anshakov and defenceman Martin Strbak. Straka later signed as a free agent with 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).

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 Regular season and playoffs Regular seasonPlayoffs 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

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