Martin Straka

Martin Straka (born on September 3, 1972 in Plzeň) is a retired Czech ice hockey center who is an assistant coach of the Czech National Team. He is also the general manager and franchise owner of his youth team HC Plzeň.
Straka was selected 19th overall in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft by Pittsburgh Penguins.
==Club career==
Straka began his senior career with TJ Škoda Plzeň (later HC Škoda Plzeň) of the 1. NHL.
In 1992, Straka signed with Pittsburgh Penguins of the NHL and in his first NHL season, Straka scored 16 points in 42 regular season games and another 3 points in 11 play-off games. He also played 4 games for Cleveland Lumberjacks of the IHL. 
In the 1993-94 season, Straka recorded 64 points in 84 games in the regular season and 1 point in 6 play-off games.
During the 1994-95 NHL lockout, Straka played for HC Interconnex Plzeň of the Extraliga. Then Straka returned to Pittsburgh. After producing only 4 goals and 16 points in 31 games, Straka was traded to the Ottawa Senators on April 7, 1995 for Norm MacIver and Troy Murray and Straka finished the season with Senators.
The following season, on January 23, 1996, less than a year after being traded to Ottawa, he was traded again. Straka, along with Don Beaupre and former #1 overall pick Bryan Berard was traded to the New York Islanders for Damian Rhodes and Wade Redden. He would be placed on waivers and claimed by the Florida Panthers on March 15, 1996. All in all, in the 1995-96 season, Straka played 43 games for the Senators, 22 games for the Islanders and 12 games for the Panthers.
Straka continued with Panthers in the 1996-97 season recording 29 points in 59 games.
Florida would not re-sign Straka after the 1996–97 season, which made him an unrestricted free agent. He then returned to Pittsburgh beginning in 1997-98.
He would go on to have a career year during the 2000–2001 season for Pittsburgh as he amassed 27 goals and 95 points and establish himself as one of the leagues premiere two-way players due to his explosive speed and on-ice vision. However, the following season his speedy reputation would be called into jeopardy as Straka would suffer a season-ending injury in the form of a broken leg, an injury which would take him years to recover from. On November 30, 2003, in a cost-cutting move, the Penguins would deal Straka to the Los Angeles Kings for Russian prospect Sergei Anshakov and defenceman Martin Štrbák. Straka finished the 2003-04 season with Kings. 
During the 2004-05 NHL lockout, Straka played again for HC Lasselsberger Plzeň of the Extraliga.
Straka would later sign as a free agent by the Rangers on August 2, 2005. 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.
After the 2007-08 season, Straka moved back to Europe to sign with HC Lasselsberger Plzeň (later HC Plzeň 1929 and even later HC Plzeň) and he eventually became the captain of the team. Straka retired there after the 2013-14 season.
== International career ==
As a junior, Straka played for Czechoslovak National Team at the 1990 European U18 Championship and at the 1991 and 1992 World Junior Championships.
After the dissolution of Czechoslovakia, Straka participated as a member of the Czech National Team at the 1994 World Championship and at the 1996 World Cup of Hockey.
He was a part of the gold medal-winning Olympic team at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano.
Later, Straka participated at the 2003 World Championship and at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey. Also in 2004, Straka led the Czech Republic as the captain at the 2004 World Championship in Prague. 
One year later, Straka won the gold medal at the 2005 World Championship.
In 2006, Straka played at the 2006 Olympics where the Czech Republic received the bronze medal.
==Career statistics==
  	  	  	 	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
1989–90 	Plzeň 	Czechoslovak 	 	1 	0 	3 	3 	0 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1990–91 	Plzeň 	Czechoslovak 	 	47 	7 	24 	31 	6 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1991–92 	Plzeň 	Czechoslovak 	 	36 	26 	14 	40 	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 	Plzeň 	Czech 	 	19 	10 	11 	21 	0 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
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 	Plzeň 	Czech 	 	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 	Plzeň 	Czech 	 	51 	22 	30 	52 	20 	 	17 	8 	13 	21 	2
2009–10 	Plzeň 	Czech 	 	35 	17 	26 	43 	32 	 	6 	2 	2 	4 	4
2010–11 	Plzeň 	Czech 	 	51 	17 	44 	61 	12 	 	-- 	-- 	-- 	-- 	--
NHL totals 	NHL totals 	NHL totals 	 	954 	257 	460 	717 	360 	 	106 	26 	44 	70 	52
Czechoslovak/Czech Extraliga totals	Czechoslovak/Czech Extraliga totals	Czechoslovak/Czech Extraliga totals	 	285 	115 	170 	285 	166 	 	37 	14 	19 	33 	6
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
==International statistics==
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
Season	Team 	Event		GP	G	A	P	PIM
1998 	CzechRep	Oly 		6 	1	2	3	0
2005 	CzechRep	WC 		9 	3	1	4	8
2006 	CzechRep	Oly 		8 	2	6	8	6
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
== Team Staff career ==
Role 	Team 	Years 	Notes
General manager	HC Plzeň 	2008 - present	
Franchise owner	HC Plzeň 	2009 - present	In 2009 - 2012 he was a majority owner with 70%
Coach 	HC Plzeň 	2016 - 2017 	
Head coach 	HC Plzeň 	2017 - 2018 	
Assitant coach 	Czech National Team	2020 - present	
==External links==
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Category:Born in 1972
Category:Cleveland Lumberjacks players
Category:Czech ice hockey players
Category:Florida Panthers players
Category:HC Plzeň players
Category:1998 Olympian
Category:2006 Olympian
Category:Los Angeles Kings players
Category:National Hockey League All-Stars
Category:National Hockey League first round draft picks
Category:New York Islanders players
Category:New York Rangers players
Category:Olympic ice hockey players of the Czech Republic
Category:Ottawa Senators players
Category:Pittsburgh Penguins draft picks
Category:Pittsburgh Penguins playersCategory:IIHF Player