Josef Vašíček facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Josef Vašíček
Born	(1980-09-12)12 September 1980 Havlíčkův Brod, Czechoslovakia
Died	7 September 2011(2011-09-07) (aged 30) Yaroslavl, Russia
Height	6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Weight	220 lb (100 kg; 15 st 10 lb)
Position	Centre
Shot	Left
Played for	Carolina Hurricanes HC Slavia Prague Nashville Predators New York Islanders Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
National team	Czech Republic
NHL Draft	91st overall, 1998 Carolina Hurricanes
Playing career	2000–2011
Medal record Representing  Czech Republic Ice hockey World Championships Gold 2005 Austria World Junior Championships Gold 2000 Sweden

Josef Vašíček (born September 12, 1980 – died September 7, 2011) was a professional ice hockey player from the Czech Republic. He played as a centre. Josef was known for his strong play in the middle of the ice.

He played for seven seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). His teams included the Carolina Hurricanes, Nashville Predators, and New York Islanders. In 2008, he moved to Russia. There, he played for Lokomotiv Yaroslavl in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). Sadly, Josef passed away in a plane crash in 2011. The crash involved his team, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl.

Josef's Hockey Journey

Starting Out: Amateur Years

Josef began his hockey career with Slavia Prague's under-17 team. This was during the 1996–97 season. He scored 20 goals and had 60 points in 37 games. The next year, he moved up to Prague's junior team. He scored 13 goals and earned 33 points in 34 games.

In 1998, the Carolina Hurricanes picked him in the NHL Draft. He was the 91st player chosen overall. After the draft, Josef moved to North America. He joined the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). In his first OHL season (1998–99), he scored 21 goals. He also had 56 points in 66 games. His team made it to the playoffs.

Josef returned to the Greyhounds for the 1999–2000 season. He improved his scoring, getting 26 goals and 72 points. This made him second in team scoring. In the playoffs, he had 5 goals and 20 points in 17 games. He was named to the OHL Third All-Star Team.

Becoming a Pro: NHL and KHL

Josef made the Carolina Hurricanes' NHL team in September 2000. He played his first NHL game on October 7, 2000. On October 13, he scored his first NHL goal against the Florida Panthers. He finished his first season with 8 goals and 21 points in 76 games. He also played in his first Stanley Cup playoff game. He scored a goal in that game.

In the 2001–02 season, Josef got even better. He scored 14 goals and 31 points in 78 games. The Hurricanes made it to the 2002 Stanley Cup Finals. They lost to the Detroit Red Wings.

The 2002–03 season was tough for Josef. He missed 25 games because of injuries. Still, he scored 10 goals and 20 points in 57 games. On January 22, 2003, he scored two goals in one game for the first time.

Josef had his best NHL season in 2003–04. He played in all 82 games. He scored 19 goals and 45 points, leading his team in scoring. On October 28, 2003, he scored his first NHL hat-trick (three goals in one game).

During the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Josef played in the Czech Republic. He played for Slavia Prague. He led the team in scoring with 20 goals and 43 points.

When the NHL started again in 2005–06, Josef returned to Carolina. He got a serious knee injury in November 2005. He came back in April 2006 and scored two goals in his first game back. He played in 23 games that season. The Hurricanes went on to win the Stanley Cup in the Finals. On July 18, 2006, Josef was traded to the Nashville Predators.

Josef started the 2006–07 season with the Predators. He scored a goal in his first game with them. He struggled a bit in Nashville. On February 9, 2007, he was traded back to the Carolina Hurricanes. He quickly started getting points again with Carolina. He finished the season with 2 goals and 9 points in 25 games for the Hurricanes.

After the 2006–07 season, Josef became a free agent. On August 15, 2007, he signed with the New York Islanders. He scored a goal in his first game with them. He had a very good season, scoring 16 goals and 35 points in 81 games.

After that season, Josef decided to play in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). He joined Lokomotiv Yaroslavl for the 2008–09 season. He had 12 goals and 32 points in 56 games. His team made it to the KHL playoffs.

He continued to play for Yaroslavl in the 2009–10 season. He improved his scoring to 21 goals and 48 points. This made him the team's top scorer. In the 2010–11 season, he scored 24 goals and 55 points. He was second in team scoring and seventh in the KHL. He also had a KHL-high 22 points in the playoffs.

Josef was set to play for Lokomotiv Yaroslavl again in the 2011–12 season. However, he passed away with his teammates on September 7, 2011.

After his death, the Carolina Professional Hockey Writers Association changed the name of their "Good Guy Award." It is now called the Josef Vašíček Award. This award goes to a Hurricanes player who works well with the local media.

Playing for His Country: International Games

Josef proudly played for the Czech Republic.

• 2000 World Junior Championships: He played in Sweden. He scored 1 goal and 4 points. The Czech team won the gold medal.
• 2003 IIHF World Championship: He played in Finland. He had 2 assists. The Czechs finished fourth.
• 2004 World Cup of Hockey: He played in one game. His team won the bronze.
• 2005 IIHF World Championship: He played in Austria. He scored 1 goal and 2 points. His country won the gold medal.
• 2009 IIHF World Championship: He played in Switzerland. He scored 1 goal and 2 assists. The Czech Republic finished sixth.
• 2010 Winter Olympics: He played in Vancouver. He had no points in five games. The Czech Republic finished seventh.

Family Life

Josef was related to another NHL player, Thomas Vanek. Thomas Vanek's brother is married to Josef's sister.

A Sad Day: Josef's Passing

On September 7, 2011, Josef Vašíček was on a plane with his team, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. The plane crashed near Yaroslavl, Russia. The team was traveling to their first game of the season. Sadly, all the main players and coaching staff on the plane passed away.

Career Statistics

These tables show Josef's performance in different leagues. "GP" means Games Played, "G" means Goals, "A" means Assists, "Pts" means Points, and "PIM" means Penalty Minutes.

Regular season and playoffs

International

Awards and Achievements

• 1999–2000: Named to the Third All-Star Team in the OHL.
• 2005–06: Won the Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes in the NHL.

See also

• List of ice hockey players who died during their playing careers