Jaromír Jágr is a Czech professional ice hockey right winger for and the owner of HC Kladno of the Czech Extraliga (ELH). He has previously played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Dallas Stars, Boston Bruins, New Jersey Devils, Florida Panthers and Calgary Flames, serving as captain of the Penguins and the Rangers. After leaving the Rangers in 2008, he played three seasons in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) with Avangard Omsk. He returned to the NHL in 2011 with the Flyers and remained in the league for seven more years before being assigned by the Flames in 2018 to HC Kladno. Having played in 33 professional seasons and over 2,000 professional games, Jágr has had one of the longest careers in professional ice hockey history.
Dominik Hašek is a Czech former ice hockey goaltender. Widely regarded as one of the best goaltenders of all time, Hasek played for the Chicago Blackhawks, Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings and the Ottawa Senators in his 16-season National Hockey League career. During his years in Buffalo, he became one of the league's finest goaltenders, earning him the nickname "The Dominator". His strong play has been credited with establishing European goaltenders in a league previously dominated by North Americans. He is a two-time Stanley Cup champion, both with the Red Wings.
Tomáš Vokoun is a Czech former professional ice hockey goaltender. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals, Florida Panthers, Nashville Predators and the Montreal Canadiens, with whom he was originally drafted in the ninth round, 226th overall, in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft.
Milan Hejduk is a Czech-American former professional ice hockey forward. Nicknamed "the Duke", he spent his entire 14-year National Hockey League (NHL) career with the Colorado Avalanche and retired holding the record for most career games as an Avalanche player with 1,020. In 2003, he won the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy as the NHL's leading goal scorer. He is a member of Czech Ice Hockey Hall of Fame.
Václav "Vinny" Prospal is a Czech former professional ice hockey player, currently a hockey coach. He played 16 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Philadelphia Flyers, Ottawa Senators, Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, New York Rangers and Columbus Blue Jackets. On January 24, 2014, he announced his retirement from professional hockey. He is currently serving as the manager of Motor České Budějovice in the Czech hockey league.
Martin Erat is a Czech former professional ice hockey player. He played in the National Hockey League for the Nashville Predators, Washington Capitals and the Phoenix/Arizona Coyotes.
Patrik Eliáš is a Czech former professional hockey winger who played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the New Jersey Devils. Eliáš is the franchise's all-time leader in points, goals and assists, and he holds the franchise records for the most points in a season (96) along with most career game-winning goals (79). Eliáš won the Stanley Cup twice with the Devils, in 2000 and 2003. He also ranks second in points by a Czech-born player in the NHL behind Jaromír Jágr. Internationally Eliáš represented the Czech national team in multiple tournaments, including four Winter Olympics and four World Championships, winning one Olympic bronze medal and two more at the World Championships.
Petr Čech is a Czech former professional footballer who is a technical and performance advisor for English club Chelsea. He also plays semi-professional ice hockey as a goaltender for Guildford Phoenix. Described by numerous players, pundits and managers as one of the greatest goalkeepers in history, he is argued, alongside Peter Schmeichel, to be the greatest goalkeeper in Premier League history.
David Výborný is a Czech former professional ice hockey player who last played for BK Mladá Boleslav of the Czech Extraliga. He played for the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Aleš Hemský is a Czech former professional ice hockey player. He most recently played for the Montreal Canadiens in the National Hockey League (NHL).
Jaroslav Modrý is a Czech former professional ice hockey defenseman who played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New Jersey Devils, Ottawa Senators, Los Angeles Kings, Atlanta Thrashers, Dallas Stars and Philadelphia Flyers.
Martin Straka is a Czech former ice hockey centre who most recently played for HC Plzeň 1929 of the Czech Extraliga. He is also the club's general manager and co-owner, having bought a 70% share of the team in 2009. Straka played in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1992 until 2008 with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Ottawa Senators, New York Islanders, Florida Panthers, Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers.
Tomáš Kaberle is a Czech former professional ice hockey defenceman. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL), most notably for the Toronto Maple Leafs, as well as for the Boston Bruins, with whom he won the Stanley Cup, Carolina Hurricanes and the Montreal Canadiens. Kaberle also played in the Czech Extraliga for HC Kladno and HC Kometa Brno.
Tomáš Plekanec is a Czech professional ice hockey centre currently playing for Rytíři Kladno of the Czech Extraliga (ELH). He has played most of his professional career for the Montreal Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL), but also briefly played for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Hockey Club Sparta Praha, commonly known as HC Sparta Prague, is a Prague-based Czech ice hockey team playing in the Czech Extraliga. The club has won four Czech championships (most recently in 2007) and four Czechoslovak championships, as well as two Spengler Cups, making it one of the most successful hockey clubs in Czech history. The team HC Sparta Praha plays its home games at O2 Arena, the largest arena in the country.
František "Frank" Kaberle is a Czech former professional ice hockey defenceman. His playing career extended over 20 seasons, most notably in the National Hockey League with the Los Angeles Kings, Atlanta Thrashers, and the Carolina Hurricanes.
Jaroslav Spacek is a Czech former professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for over 13 seasons with the Florida Panthers, Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Edmonton Oilers, Buffalo Sabres, Montreal Canadiens and the Carolina Hurricanes.
Milan Hnilička is a Czech former ice hockey goalie who played in the National Hockey League for the New York Rangers, Atlanta Thrashers and the Los Angeles Kings and politician. He was a member of the Chamber of Deputies since 2017, but resigned in January 2021 after attending a party in breach of coronavirus restrictions. He was drafted 70th overall by the New York Islanders in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft. In 2000, Milan won the Calder Cup while playing for the Hartford Wolf Pack. He last played in the Czech Extraliga for Bílí Tygři Liberec. He announced his retirement in August 2010. Internationally Hnilička represented the Czechoslovakian national junior team and the Czech national senior team at multiple tournaments, including the 2006 Winter Olympics, where he won a bronze medal.
Hokejový Klub Dukla Trenčín is a professional Slovak ice hockey club based in Trenčín, playing in the Slovak Extraliga. The club has won three Slovak league championships and one Czechoslovak league championship (1992). The team is nicknamed Vojaci, meaning "Soldiers" in English.
The Czech Extraliga is the highest-level ice hockey league in the Czech Republic. It was created by the 1993 split of the Czechoslovak First Ice Hockey League following the breakup of Czechoslovakia. The league's season usually takes place between September and April and features 14 teams. It is ranked by the IIHF as the fourth-best league in Europe and the fifth-best in the world.
Czech Republic