Jakub Voráček facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jakub Voráček
Voráček with the Philadelphia Flyers in December 2011
Born	(1989-08-15) 15 August 1989 (age 36) Kladno, Czechoslovakia
Height	6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight	214 lb (97 kg; 15 st 4 lb)
Position	Right wing
Shot	Left
Played for	HC Rabat Kladno Columbus Blue Jackets Philadelphia Flyers HC Lev Praha
National team	Czech Republic
NHL Draft	7th overall, 2007 Columbus Blue Jackets
Playing career	2005–2022

Jakub Voráček (born August 15, 1989) is a Czech former professional ice hockey player. He played as a right winger for 15 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). Jakub was chosen seventh overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. In 2011, he was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers for Jeff Carter. He played for the Flyers until 2021, when he was traded back to Columbus for Cam Atkinson. He also played in his home country, the Czech Republic, for HC Rabat Kladno and HC Lev Praha.

Jakub's Hockey Journey

Starting in Junior Hockey

Jakub Voráček was the first player picked in the 2006 Canadian Hockey League (CHL) Import Draft. He then played for two seasons with the Halifax Mooseheads in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). He also played for the Czech Republic at the World Junior Ice Hockey Championship in 2007 and 2008. On August 2, 2007, he signed his first professional contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets, the NHL team that drafted him.

Playing Professionally

First Time with the Columbus Blue Jackets

Voráček with the Blue Jackets in October 2009

Jakub Voráček played his first NHL game on October 10, 2008, against the Dallas Stars. He also scored his first NHL goal in that game against goalie Marty Turco. In his first season, Jakub scored 9 goals and made 29 assists, totaling 38 points in 80 games. He helped the Blue Jackets reach the Stanley Cup playoffs for the very first time in their history in 2009. He also had an assist on the first-ever playoff goal for the Blue Jackets, scored by R. J. Umberger.

Time with the Philadelphia Flyers

On June 23, 2011, Voráček was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers. The trade also included first and third-round draft picks in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, and the Flyers sent Jeff Carter to Columbus. A few days later, on July 1, Jakub signed a one-year contract with the Flyers. On the same day, his new team also signed Jaromír Jágr, another famous player from Kladno, Czech Republic.

In his first game with the Flyers against the Boston Bruins, Voráček scored a goal in the first period against goalie Tim Thomas. During the 2011–12 season, Jakub scored a new personal best of 18 goals. He later scored his first playoff goal in Game 1 of the Flyers' first-round series against the Pittsburgh Penguins. He beat Marc-André Fleury just over two minutes into the first overtime period.

After that season, on July 26, 2012, Voráček signed a four-year contract with the Flyers. He was expected to take the place of Jágr, who had left the team, on the Flyers' top line with Claude Giroux and Scott Hartnell.

During the 2012–13 NHL lockout, when NHL games were temporarily stopped, Voráček went back to the Czech Republic to play for HC Lev Praha in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). When the NHL season started again, on February 20, 2013, he scored his first career NHL hat-trick (three goals in one game) against Pittsburgh. On February 25, he was named the NHL's First Star of the Week because he scored four goals and made seven assists in four games.

Voráček with the Philadelphia Flyers in February 2016

In the 2014–15 season, Voráček scored the second-fastest overtime goal in Flyers history on December 22, 2014. This happened in a game against the Winnipeg Jets. The goal was scored just ten seconds into overtime against Jets goalie Ondřej Pavelec. This was only three seconds slower than a goal scored by former Flyer Simon Gagné in 2006.

Later that season, Voráček was chosen to play in the 2015 National Hockey League All-Star Game in Columbus, Ohio. In that game, he tied the record for most points scored in a single NHL All-Star Game with six points. He matched Mario Lemieux's record from 1988. Voráček played in all 82 regular season games for Philadelphia. He finished the year with 22 goals and 59 assists, for a career-high 81 points. This tied him for fourth in the NHL with Washington Capitals player Alexander Ovechkin.

In July 2015, Voráček signed a new eight-year contract with the Flyers. During the 2015–16 season, his scoring numbers went down a bit. However, he reached two big milestones: his 400th NHL point and his 600th career NHL game. He played his 600th NHL game against the Florida Panthers on April 4, 2016. The Flyers made it to the 2016 playoffs but lost to the Washington Capitals.

At the start of the 2017–18 season, Voráček played on the Flyers' top line with Claude Giroux and Sean Couturier. He finished the regular season with a career-high 85 points in 82 games. During this great year, Voráček became only the second Flyers player ever to score a tying goal with less than two minutes left in a game and then score the winning goal in overtime. He was also one of five Flyers players to score 20 or more goals that season, helping the Flyers reach the 2018 playoffs.

Returning to Columbus

Voráček (left) battling for puck possession against Nicklas Bäckström in February 2022

On July 24, 2021, the Flyers traded Voráček back to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for Cam Atkinson.

On January 6, 2022, Voráček played his 1,000th NHL game in a game against the New Jersey Devils.

On November 6, 2022, while playing in Finland, he got a concussion after being hit in the face. He missed the rest of the 2022–23 season.

Retirement from Hockey

On March 2, 2023, the Blue Jackets traded Voráček to the Arizona Coyotes. After this trade, it was generally thought that he had played his last NHL game. He officially announced his retirement on April 23, 2024.

Coaching Career

In September 2023, while still recovering from his injury, Voráček started working as an assistant coach for the Czech Extraliga (ELH) team Rytíři Kladno. As a coach, he helps players with their power play skills and helps young players develop. The team's owner and president is his former Philadelphia Flyers teammate, Jaromír Jágr.

Personal Life

When he was a child, Jakub Voráček wanted to be a garbage man. In 2017, his sister gave him a Christmas gift that allowed him to ride along with garbage collectors on their route. Jakub has two children. He is also a big fan of the musician Bruce Springsteen.

Awards and Honours

Images for kids

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  Voráček with the Philadelphia Flyers in December 2011

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  Voráček with the Blue Jackets in October 2009

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  Voráček with the Philadelphia Flyers in February 2016

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  Voráček (left) battling for puck possession against Nicklas Bäckström in February 2022