Vaclav Varada

Václav Varaďa (; born April 26, 1976) is a Czech professional ice hockey player currently playing for HC Oceláři Třinec of the Czech Extraliga. He formerly played in the National Hockey League (NHL) in a ten-year span. In his professional career, he has previously played for the Buffalo Sabres and the Ottawa Senators. Varaďa is known for his physicality in a third or fourth line role.
== Playing career ==
Varaďa spent his young years with the Czech League from 1992 to 1994, and that year he became drafted. To get closer to earn a spot in the NHL, Varaďa moved up to the Western Hockey League (WHL), and then the NHL's affiliate, the American Hockey League (AHL). He was traded to the Buffalo Sabres in a deal for Doug Bodger, to Varaďa's original team, the San Jose Sharks. Rotating from the AHL for a few years, he created a reputation as a pest and a solid checking line player. 
He played some of his best hockey for the Buffalo Sabres during their trip to the Stanley Cup finals amassing 24 assists, three shy of his professional career. Despite the large help of Dominik Hašek, the Sabres lost to the Dallas Stars in six games by a controversial goal by winger Brett Hull.
He was later traded to the Ottawa Senators for Jakub Klepiš before the 2003 trade deadline in an attempt by the Senators to become a tougher and gritty team, en route to the Senators' first Eastern Conference championship series against the defensive-minded team, New Jersey Devils. In a dramatic seven game series, New Jersey came out on top to eventually win the Stanley Cup. 
After spending his career with the Vítkovice of the Czech League during the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Varaďa spent one more year with the Senators. In a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Varaďa was ready to check defenceman Carlo Colaiacovo skating down to the Senators' end. Varaďa collided with him, then Colaiacovo spun into the boards, hard enough for a concussion. After taken off by a stretcher, there were fans complaining about an intent to injure, especially with Colaiacovo's history of serious injuries. However, video has shown Colaiacovo was skating hard enough to actually rebound off Varaďa. 
Once the playoffs came for the heavily-favoured Senators, the team fell to the Sabres in a five game series, with Varaďa only totaling two assists. In August 2006, Varaďa signed with HC Davos of the Swiss National League A (NLA).
== Career statistics ==
  	  	  	 	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	 	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs
Season 	Team 	League 	 	GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	+/- 	PIM 	 	GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	+/- 	PIM
1992–93 	HC Vítkovice 	Czech 	 	1 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1993–94 	HC Vítkovice 	Czech 	 	29 	7 	8 	15 	— 	0 	 	4 	4 	3 	7 	— 	11
1994–95 	Tacoma Rockets 	WHL 	 	68 	50 	38 	88 	— 	108 	 	6 	3 	3 	6 	— 	16
1995–96 	Kelowna Rockets 	WHL 	 	59 	39 	46 	85 	— 	100 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1995–96 	Rochester Americans	AHL 	 	5 	3 	0 	3 	— 	4 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1995–96 	Buffalo Sabres 	NHL 	 	1 	0 	0 	0 	0 	0 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1996–97 	Buffalo Sabres 	NHL 	 	5 	0 	0 	0 	— 	2 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	-- 	—
1997–98 	Rochester Americans	AHL 	 	45 	30 	26 	56 	— 	74 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1997–98 	Buffalo Sabres 	NHL 	 	27 	5 	6 	11 	0 	15 	 	15 	3 	4 	7 	+3 	18
1998–99 	Buffalo Sabres 	NHL 	 	72 	7 	24 	31 	+11 	61 	 	21 	5 	4 	9 	+2 	14
1999–00 	Vítkovice HC 	Czech 	 	5 	2 	3 	5 	— 	12 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1999–00 	Buffalo Sabres 	NHL 	 	76 	10 	27 	37 	+12 	62 	 	5 	0 	0 	0 	+1 	8
2000–01 	Buffalo Sabres 	NHL 	 	75 	10 	21 	31 	-2 	81 	 	13 	0 	4 	4 	+2 	8
2001–02 	Buffalo Sabres 	NHL 	 	76 	7 	16 	23 	-7 	82 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2002–03 	Buffalo Sabres 	NHL 	 	44 	7 	4 	11 	-2 	23 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2002–03 	Ottawa Senators 	NHL 	 	11 	2 	6 	8 	+3 	8 	 	18 	2 	4 	6 	+4 	18
2003–04 	Ottawa Senators 	NHL 	 	30 	5 	5 	10 	+2 	26 	 	7 	1 	1 	2 	0 	4
2004–05 	Vítkovice HC 	Czech 	 	44 	8 	19 	27 	— 	83 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2005–06 	Ottawa Senators 	NHL 	 	76 	5 	16 	21 	+2 	50 	 	4 	0 	2 	2 	0 	8
2006–07 	HC Davos 	NLA 	 	30 	5 	5 	10 	+2 	26 	 	7 	1 	1 	2 	0 	4
2007–08 	HC Langnau 	NLA 	 	37 	12 	30 	32 	— 	56 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2008–09 	HC Vítkovice 	Czech 	 	16 	5 	5 	10 	— 	22 	 	4 	2 	2 	4 	 	2
NHL totals 	NHL totals 	NHL totals 	 	493 	58 	125 	183 	+19 	410 	 	87 	11 	19 	30 	+12 	78
Czech League totals	Czech League totals	Czech League totals	 	79 	17 	30 	47 	— 	47 	 	11 	3 	3 	6 	— 	37
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
== External links ==
* Current Stats
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Category:Born in 1976
Category:Buffalo Sabres players
Category:Czech ice hockey players
Category:HC Davos players
Category:HC Vítkovice players
Category:HC Oceláři Třinec players
Category:Kelowna Rockets alumni
Category:Ottawa Senators players
Category:Rochester Americans players
Category:San Jose Sharks draft picks
Category:SCL Tigers players
Category:Tacoma Rockets alumni