# Jiří Sekáč

Jiří Sekáč (born 10 June 1992) is a Czech professional ice hockey player for HC Lugano of the National League (NL). Originally undrafted by teams in the National Hockey League (NHL), Sekáč has previously played for the Montreal Canadiens, Anaheim Ducks, Chicago Blackhawks, and Arizona Coyotes.

## Playing career

As a youth, Sekáč played in the 2005 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a team from Chomutov.
Sekáč later played with HC Lev Praha in the Kontinental Hockey League and HC Sparta Praha in the Czech Extraliga. On 1 July 2014 Sekáč signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Canadiens worth $1,850,000. In his first North American season in 2014–15 he scored his first NHL goal on 16 October 2014 against Tuukka Rask of the Boston Bruins.
On 13 January 2015 Sekáč was invited to the 2015 Honda NHL All-Star Skills Competition as a replacement for Los Angeles Kings' forward Tanner Pearson. Known for his skating speed, he was drafted by Team Foligno, along with Canadiens' teammate Carey Price, and participated in the Bridgestone NHL Fastest Skater race, beating Aaron Ekblad with a time of 13.683s, making him the 6th fastest of the event.
After 50 games with the Canadiens on 24 February 2015 he was traded to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for Devante Smith-Pelly.
In the following 2015–16 season, Sekáč was unable to secure a regular forward role and appeared in 22 games for 3 points with the Ducks before he was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for Ryan Garbutt on 21 January 2016. Sekáč was used sparingly in 6 games with the Blackhawks registering one assist before being placed on waivers and claimed by the Arizona Coyotes on 27 February 2016. Sekac closed out the season with the Coyotes, appearing 11 games for two assists.
On 6 June 2016 Sekáč headed back to Europe and signed a one-year deal with Ak Bars Kazan in a return to the Kontinental Hockey League.
On 1 May 2019, after three productive seasons with Ak Bars, Sekáč was traded to reigning champions HC CSKA Moscow in exchange for Igor Ozhiganov's KHL rights. He registered 25 points in 45 regular season games, before ending his season through injury.
A free agent from CSKA, Sekáč continued his career in the KHL, agreeing to a one-year contract with Avangard Omsk on 16 July 2020.
On 28 July 2021, Sekáč joined Lausanne HC of the National League (NL) on a three-year deal through the end of the 2023–24 season.

## Career statistics
### Regular season and playoffs

| | | | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs |
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 2007–08 | HC GEUS OKNA Kladno | CZE U18 | 45 | 6 | 9 | 15 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2008–09 | HC GEUS OKNA Kladno | CZE U18 | 46 | 38 | 49 | 87 | 48 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 6 |
| 2009–10 | Peterborough Petes | OHL | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2009–10 | Youngstown Phantoms | USHL | 38 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 35 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2010–11 | Youngstown Phantoms | USHL | 58 | 18 | 27 | 45 | 27 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2011–12 | Tatranskí Vlci | MHL | 6 | 8 | 2 | 10 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2011–12 | HC Lev Poprad | KHL | 36 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2012–13 | HC Sparta Praha | ELH | 21 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2012–13 | HC Lev Praha | KHL | 26 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2013–14 | HC Lev Praha | KHL | 47 | 11 | 17 | 28 | 18 | 21 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 24 |
| 2014–15 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 50 | 7 | 9 | 16 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2014–15 | Anaheim Ducks | NHL | 19 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2015–16 | Anaheim Ducks | NHL | 22 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2015–16 | San Diego Gulls | AHL | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2015–16 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2015–16 | Arizona Coyotes | NHL | 11 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2016–17 | Ak Bars Kazan | KHL | 47 | 13 | 14 | 27 | 41 | 15 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 2 |
| 2017–18 | Ak Bars Kazan | KHL | 50 | 16 | 26 | 42 | 16 | 15 | 4 | 9 | 13 | 2 |
| 2018–19 | Ak Bars Kazan | KHL | 60 | 23 | 24 | 47 | 16 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 2019–20 | CSKA Moscow | KHL | 45 | 12 | 13 | 25 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2020–21 | Avangard Omsk | KHL | 34 | 10 | 11 | 21 | 22 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2021–22 | Lausanne HC | NL | 50 | 19 | 27 | 46 | 24 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 6 |
| 2022–23 | Lausanne HC | NL | 43 | 15 | 17 | 32 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2023–24 | Lausanne HC | NL | 43 | 8 | 17 | 25 | 70 | 19 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 41 |
| KHL totals | KHL totals | KHL totals | 345 | 87 | 114 | 201 | 137 | 64 | 14 | 20 | 34 | 30 |
| NHL totals | NHL totals | NHL totals | 108 | 10 | 19 | 29 | 38 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |

### International

| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 2009 | Czech Republic | IH18 | 5th | | 1 | | | |
| 2010 | Czech Republic | WJC18 | 6th | 6 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
| 2012 | Czech Republic | WJC | 5th | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| 2014 | Czech Republic | WC | 4th | 10 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| 2018 | Czech Republic | OG | 4th | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 2021 | Czech Republic | WC | 7th | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Junior totals | Junior totals | Junior totals | Junior totals | 12 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 4 |
| Senior totals | Senior totals | Senior totals | Senior totals | 20 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 8 |

## Awards and honours

| Award | Year | Ref |
| KHL |||
| Gagarin Cup champion | 2018, 2021 | |