Roman Horák

Roman Horák (born May 21, 1991) is a Czech ice hockey player currently playing for HC Sparta Praha of the Czech Extraliga (ELH). He previously played nine games in the Czech Extraliga with HC České Budějovice before coming to North America to play two WHL seasons with the Chilliwack Bruins. He was selected by the New York Rangers in the fifth round, 127th overall, of the 2009 NHL entry draft, and joined the Calgary Flames organization via trade in 2011. In 2014, he was traded by the Flames for a brief stint with the Edmonton Oilers.

Playing career Horák began his professional career with his hometown team HC České Budějovice of the Czech Extraliga, appearing in one game with the club in 2007–08 and eight more in 2008–09. He was selected by the New York Rangers in the fifth round, 127th overall, at the 2009 NHL entry draft. Additionally, Horák was selected by the Western Hockey League's (WHL) Chilliwack Bruins with the eighth overall pick in the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) import draft. Though he had little knowledge of English, Horák moved to Canada to join the Bruins for the 2009–10 WHL season.

In his first season in Chilliwack, Horák scored 21 goals and 47 points. He improved to 26 goals and 78 points in 2010–11. He returned to the team for the 2011 tournament, recording one assist in five games in that tournament.

Horák signed a contract with the New York Rangers on May 6, 2011. However, before he played a game with the NHL team, he was traded to the Calgary Flames on June 1, along with two draft picks, in exchange for defenceman Tim Erixon. The Flames discovered Horák while scouting his teammate, and their draft pick, Ryan Howse. The team realized that Howse, a 50-goal scorer in 2010–11, had become far less effective when Horák suffered an injury.

Initially expected to join the Flames' minor league affiliate, the Abbotsford Heat of the American Hockey League (AHL), to begin the 2011–12 season, Horák exceeded the team's expectations and earned a spot with the Flames. He scored his first NHL goal on October 26 against Jean-Sébastien Giguère of the Colorado Avalanche.

On November 8, 2013, Horák was traded to the Edmonton Oilers alongside goaltender prospect Laurent Brossoit in exchange for Ladislav Šmíd and minor league goalie Olivier Roy. He was subsequently reassigned by the Oilers to their AHL affiliate, the Oklahoma City Barons.

With his NHL rights still owned by the Oilers, Horák opted to return to Europe by signing a one-year contract with Russian club Vityaz Podolsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) on May 12, 2014.

Horák played two seasons in the Swedish Hockey League with the Växjö Lakers before opting to return to his native Czech Republic as a free agent. On 13 May 2020, he secured a one-year contract with HC Sparta Praha of the ELH, in which he had not played since the 2008–09 season.

Personal life His father, Roman Horák, also played hockey in European elite leagues for 14 seasons.

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 2004–05 HC České Budějovice CZE U18 20000 ————— 2005–06 HC České Budějovice CZE U18 3453810 30004 2006–07 HC Mountfield CZE U18 2422163838 21014 2006–07 HC Mountfield CZE U20 161456 ————— 2007–08 HC Mountfield CZE U18 23250 ————— 2007–08 HC Mountfield CZE U20 3417112814 30110 2007–08 HC Mountfield ELH 10000 ————— 2008–09 HC Mountfield CZE U20 3116173314 20000 2008–09 HC Mountfield ELH 80000 ————— 2009–10 Chilliwack Bruins WHL 6621264739 62464 2010–11 Chilliwack Bruins WHL 6426527860 51230 2011–12 Calgary Flames NHL 61381114 ————— 2011–12 Abbotsford Heat AHL 142246 80332 2012–13 Abbotsford Heat AHL 5916143024 ————— 2012–13 Calgary Flames NHL 202572 ————— 2013–14 Abbotsford Heat AHL 132576 ————— 2013–14 Calgary Flames NHL 10000 ————— 2013–14 Oklahoma City Barons AHL 53 21 27 48 16 3 1 0 1 0 2013–14 Edmonton Oilers NHL 2 1 0 1 0 ————— 2014–15 HC Vityaz KHL 53 18 13 31 26 — — — — — 2015–16 HC Vityaz KHL 57 15 12 27 32 — — — — — 2016–17 HC Vityaz KHL 60 16 15 31 30 4 0 1 1 2 2017–18 HC Vityaz KHL 54 10 16 26 18 — — — — — 2018–19 Växjö Lakers SHL 50 15 18 33 24 7 1 4 5 4 2019–20 Växjö Lakers SHL 52 11 19 30 18 — — — — — 2020–21 HC Sparta Praha ELH 51 17 30 47 6 11 3 6 9 2 2021–22 HC Sparta Praha ELH 51 21 26 47 24 16 3 3 6 6 ELH totals 111 38 56 94 30 27 6 9 15 8 NHL totals 84 6 13 19 16 — — — — — KHL totals 224 59 56 115 106 4 0 1 1 2

International Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM 2007 Czech Republic IH18 6th 4 2 2008 Czech Republic WJC18 D1 11th 5 1 4 5 0 2008 Czech Republic IH18 5th 4 1 2009 Czech Republic WJC18 6th 6 2 1 3 4 2010 Czech Republic WJC 7th 6 1 1 2 0 2011 Czech Republic WJC 7th 5 0 1 1 4 2017 Czech Republic WC 7th 8 3 3 6 0 2018 Czech Republic OG 4th 6 0 4 4 0 2018 Czech Republic WC 7th 8 3 0 3 0 Senior totals 22 6 7 13 0