Martin Erat facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Martin Erat
Erat with the Nashville Predators in 2005
Born	(1981-08-29) August 29, 1981 (age 43) Třebíč, Czechoslovakia
Height	6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight	201 lb (91 kg; 14 st 5 lb)
Position	Right wing
Shot	Left
Played for	Nashville Predators Washington Capitals Arizona Coyotes HC Zlín Avangard Omsk HC Kometa Brno
National team	Czech Republic
NHL Draft	191st overall, 1999 Nashville Predators
Playing career	1999–2020

Martin Erat (born August 29, 1981) is a former professional ice hockey player from the Czech Republic. He played as a right wing. Martin Erat played for many years in the National Hockey League (NHL). He was part of the Nashville Predators, Washington Capitals, and Phoenix/Arizona Coyotes teams.

Playing Career

Martin Erat was chosen by the Nashville Predators in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft. He was the 191st player picked overall. This was the team's 12th choice in that draft.

Early NHL Years

Erat started his NHL career in the 2001–02 season. He quickly became known as part of the "vowel line" with two other players. His first NHL point was a game-winning goal on October 11, 2001. That year, he set new records for a Nashville rookie. He played 80 games, had 24 assists, and scored 33 points.

In his second season, 2002–03, Erat spent most of his time with the Milwaukee Admirals. This team is part of the American Hockey League (AHL). His play got much better in his third season, 2003–04. He scored 16 goals and made 33 assists, totaling 49 points. He also had a great plus-minus rating of +10. Erat got his first Stanley Cup playoff point in 2004.

Erat playing for the Predators in 2010

Time in Europe and Return to NHL

During the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Erat played in the Czech Extraliga for HC Zlín. He was one of the top scorers in that league. In the 2005–06 season, Erat returned to the Predators. He scored a career-high 20 goals and 49 points. He also played for the Czech national team at the 2006 Winter Olympics. There, he helped his team win a bronze medal.

Becoming a Top Player

During the 2006–07 season, Erat became a key player for the Predators. He scored 57 points in 68 games. He often played on the team's top line with Paul Kariya and David Legwand. Erat had to miss the last five weeks of that season due to an injury.

In 2007–08, Erat set a new career high with 23 goals. He also had 34 assists, reaching 57 points again. After this season, he signed a big seven-year contract with the Predators. He scored two "hat-tricks" (three goals in one game) in his career.

Trades and Later Career

On April 3, 2013, the Predators traded Erat to the Washington Capitals. He was traded along with Michael Latta for Filip Forsberg. Erat had asked to be traded from Nashville.

Later, on November 25, 2013, Erat asked for another trade. This was only eight months after joining the Capitals. He felt it was "time to move on." On March 4, 2014, Erat was traded again. He went to the Phoenix Coyotes.

After playing 13 seasons and 881 games in the NHL, Erat left North America. He signed a one-year contract with a Russian team, Avangard Omsk, in 2015. In May 2016, he went back to the Czech Extraliga. He signed with HC Kometa Brno. On April 19, 2017, Erat helped his team win their 12th championship. This was their first championship in 51 years. Martin Erat officially retired from playing hockey on May 30, 2019.

International Play

Martin Erat played for the Czech Republic national team many times.

Junior and Olympic Success

He played in the 2001 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. His team won the gold medal there. In 2006, he was part of the Czech team that won a bronze medal at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin. That same year, he also won a silver medal at the 2006 IIHF World Championship in Riga.

Later Olympic Appearances

Erat was chosen to play for the Czech team at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. He also played for the Czech team at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang.

Medal record
Representing  Czech Republic
Winter Olympics
Bronze	2006 Turin
World Championships
Silver	2006 Riga
Bronze	2012 Helsinki
World Junior Championships
Gold	2001 Moscow

Personal Life

Martin Erat has an older brother named Roman Erat. Roman also played ice hockey for HC Kometa Brno in the Czech Extraliga.

Awards

• Martin Erat won several awards during his career:
  • He was named the WHL Eastern Conference Player of the Month in November 2000.
  • He was also named the WHL Player of the Week from November 13–19, 2000.
  • The NHL named him the Third Star of the Week from November 12–18, 2007.
  • He was named the NHL Second Star of the Week from March 12–18, 2012.

See also

In Spanish: Martin Erat para niños