# František Kučera

František Kučera (born February 3, 1968) is a Czech former professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Chicago Blackhawks, Hartford Whalers, Vancouver Canucks, Philadelphia Flyers, Columbus Blue Jackets, Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals.

## Playing career

Originally drafted in 1986 by the Chicago Blackhawks, Kučera played parts of four seasons with Chicago before he was traded to the Hartford Whalers. He would also play for the Vancouver Canucks and Philadelphia Flyers before he returned to play hockey in the Czech Republic at the end of the 1996–97 NHL season.
Three years later, when the NHL expanded again, Kučera returned to North America and signed with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Midway through the season, he was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins. He was traded again, this time to the Washington Capitals in the deal that also sent Jaromír Jágr to Washington. After playing a season, he once again returned to the Czech Republic to play hockey.
Kučera played 465 NHL games, scoring 24 goals and 95 assists. In 1998, he was a member of the Czech Olympic Team and won the golden Olympic medal.

## 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 |
| 1985–86 | TJ Sparta ČKD Praha | TCH Jr | 25 | 2 | 16 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1985–86 | TJ Sparta ČKD Praha | TCH | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1986–87 | TJ Sparta ČKD Praha | TCH | 34 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 14 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | — |
| 1987–88 | TJ Sparta ČKD Praha | TCH | 45 | 7 | 2 | 9 | 30 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1988–89 | ASD Dukla Jihlava | TCH | 34 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 28 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 7 | — |
| 1989–90 | ASD Dukla Jihlava | TCH | 40 | 9 | 10 | 19 | 42 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 1990–91 | Indianapolis Ice | IHL | 35 | 8 | 19 | 27 | 23 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 15 |
| 1990–91 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 40 | 2 | 12 | 14 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1991–92 | Indianapolis Ice | IHL | 7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1991–92 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 61 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 36 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1992–93 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 71 | 5 | 14 | 19 | 59 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1993–94 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 60 | 4 | 13 | 17 | 34 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1993–94 | Hartford Whalers | NHL | 16 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1994–95 | HC Sparta Praha | ELH | 16 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1994–95 | Hartford Whalers | NHL | 48 | 3 | 17 | 20 | 30 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1995–96 | Hartford Whalers | NHL | 30 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1995–96 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 24 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1996–97 | Houston Aeros | IHL | 12 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1996–97 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1996–97 | Syracuse Crunch | AHL | 42 | 6 | 29 | 35 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1996–97 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1996–97 | Philadelphia Phantoms | AHL | 9 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 10 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 20 |
| 1997–98 | HC Sparta Praha | ELH | 42 | 8 | 11 | 19 | 44 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 53 |
| 1998–99 | HC Sparta Praha | ELH | 41 | 3 | 12 | 15 | 92 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 34 |
| 1999–2000 | HC Sparta Praha | ELH | 51 | 7 | 26 | 33 | 46 | 9 | 1 | 9 | 10 | 4 |
| 2000–01 | Columbus Blue Jackets | NHL | 48 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2000–01 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 7 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2001–02 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 56 | 1 | 13 | 14 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2001–02 | HC Sparta Praha | ELH | 10 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2002–03 | HC Slavia Praha | ELH | 44 | 4 | 15 | 19 | 26 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2003–04 | HC Slavia Praha | ELH | 11 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 16 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| 2004–05 | HC Slavia Praha | ELH | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| TCH totals | TCH totals | TCH totals | 168 | 26 | 20 | 46 | 124 | 18 | 6 | 3 | 9 | — |
| NHL totals | NHL totals | NHL totals | 465 | 24 | 95 | 119 | 251 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| ELH totals | ELH totals | ELH totals | 223 | 26 | 69 | 95 | 234 | 48 | 4 | 15 | 19 | 97 |

### International

| Year | Team | Event | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1985 | Czechoslovakia | EJC | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 1986 | Czechoslovakia | EJC | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| 1987 | Czechoslovakia | WJC | 7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| 1988 | Czechoslovakia | WJC | 7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| 1989 | Czechoslovakia | WC | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| 1991 | Czechoslovakia | CC | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 1994 | Czech Republic | WC | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1998 | Czech Republic | OG | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998 | Czech Republic | WC | 8 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 4 |
| 1999 | Czech Republic | WC | 10 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| 2000 | Czech Republic | WC | 9 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| Junior totals | Junior totals | Junior totals | 24 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 10 |
| Senior totals | Senior totals | Senior totals | 48 | 6 | 9 | 15 | 28 |