Frantisek Kucera

František Kučera (born February 3, 1968) is a retired Czech professional ice hockey defenseman 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 in the Windy City 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 ws 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 Olympic gold medal.
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Category:Born in 1968
Category:Chicago Blackhawks draft picks
Category:Chicago Blackhawks players
Category:Columbus Blue Jackets players
Category:Czech ice hockey players
Category:Hartford Whalers players
Category:Houston Aeros (IHL) players
Category:Indianapolis Ice players
Category:Philadelphia Flyers players
Category:Philadelphia Phantoms players
Category:Pittsburgh Penguins players
Category:Syracuse Crunch players
Category:Vancouver Canucks players
Category:Washington Capitals players
Category:1998 Olympian
Category:HC Sparta Praha players
Category:HC Slavia Praha players
Category:Olympic ice hockey players of the Czech Republic
Category:Retired in 2005