Martin Havlát facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Martin Havlát |
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Havlát with the New Jersey Devils in 2015
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| Born | April 19, 1981 Mladá Boleslav, Czechoslovakia |
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| Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) | ||
| Weight | 217 lb (98 kg; 15 st 7 lb) | ||
| Position | Right wing | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for | Oceláři Třinec Ottawa Senators Chicago Blackhawks Minnesota Wild San Jose Sharks New Jersey Devils St. Louis Blues |
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| National team |  Czech Republic |
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| NHL Draft | 26th overall, 1999 Ottawa Senators |
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| Playing career | 1998–2015 | ||
Martin Havlát, born on April 19, 1981, is a former professional ice hockey player from the Czech Republic. He played for 14 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) between 2000 and 2016.
Contents
Playing Career Highlights
Starting with the Ottawa Senators
Havlát was chosen by the Ottawa Senators in the first round of the 1999 NHL Entry Draft. He was the 26th player picked overall. He played one more season in the Czech Republic before joining the Senators for his first NHL season in 2000–01.
In his first year, Havlát scored 19 goals and earned 42 points. He was a finalist for the Calder Memorial Trophy, which is given to the best rookie player in the league. Fans called him "Mach 9" because of his amazing speed and the number 9 jersey he wore.
In his third year, he scored 24 goals and had 59 points. He helped the Senators reach the Eastern Conference Finals in the 2003 playoffs. The Senators beat the Philadelphia Flyers but lost to the New Jersey Devils, who later won the Stanley Cup. Havlát finished those playoffs with 11 points in 18 games.
During the 2003–04 NHL season, Havlát was suspended twice for a total of four games. This was for kicking and high-sticking. Even with these suspensions, he had his best season with the Senators, scoring 31 goals and 68 points in 68 games.
Because of the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Havlát played in the Czech Republic and Russia for a season. When the NHL started again in 2005–06, he was suspended again for five games. This was after another kicking incident. He also had a shoulder injury that needed surgery, keeping him out for 59 games. When he returned, he had a great playoff run in 2006, scoring 13 points in ten games.
Time with the Chicago Blackhawks
In 2006, Havlát was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks. He signed a three-year contract with them. Since his usual number 9 was retired by the Blackhawks for Hall of Famer Bobby Hull, he chose to wear number 24.
Havlát had a fantastic debut with the Blackhawks on October 5, 2006. He scored two goals and two assists in an 8–6 win. He was one of the top scorers in the league early in the season. However, he got an ankle sprain and later a shoulder injury that needed surgery. Despite injuries, he still scored 57 points in 56 games.
In the 2007–08, Havlát played only 35 games due to more injuries. However, young stars like Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews began to shine for the Blackhawks. The next season, 2008–09, Havlát led the team in scoring with a career-high 77 points in 81 games. The Blackhawks made the playoffs for the first time since 2002.
In the playoffs, Havlát scored two goals in the first game against the Calgary Flames, including the game-winner in overtime. The Blackhawks won that series and then beat the Vancouver Canucks. They faced the Detroit Red Wings in the Western Conference Finals. Havlát was injured in game three after a hit from a Red Wings player.
Even though he was named the team's MVP for the 2008–09 season, the Blackhawks did not re-sign Havlát. He felt that the team had "left him" rather than him leaving them.
Moving to Minnesota and San Jose
On July 1, 2009, Havlát signed a six-year contract with the Minnesota Wild. He wore number 14 in his first season and then changed to 24.
On July 3, 2011, Havlát was traded to the San Jose Sharks. He faced more injury challenges with the Sharks. In December 2011, he tore his hamstring after falling on the ice. He returned in March 2012 and scored an overtime game-winning goal against the Detroit Red Wings.
In May 2013, Havlát got another injury that kept him out of the playoffs. He returned for a game but was injured again. In June 2013, he had surgery. His time with the Sharks was often affected by injuries and less scoring. In 2014, the Sharks bought out the rest of his contract.
Later Career: New Jersey and St. Louis
After leaving the Sharks, Havlát signed a one-year contract with the New Jersey Devils on July 1, 2014. He hoped to show what he could do.
After his contract with the Devils ended, Havlát tried to join the Florida Panthers and then the St. Louis Blues. He signed a one-year contract with the Blues in November 2015. He scored a game-winning goal in his first game with the Blues against his former team, the New Jersey Devils. However, after only two games, Havlát asked the Blues to end his contract for personal reasons.
In August 2016, Havlát said he asked to leave the Blues because of a groin injury. He wanted to return to the NHL but could not attract interest from teams. He officially announced his retirement from hockey on February 8, 2017.
International Play
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Representing Czech Republic |
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| World Championships | ||
| Gold | 2000 Saint Petersburg | |
| Bronze | 2011 Bratislava | |
| World Junior Hockey Championship | ||
| Gold | 2000 Umeå/Skellefteå | |
As a young player, Havlát helped the Czech Republic junior team win a gold at the 2000 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. He also won a gold medal with the senior Czech team at the 2000 IIHF World Championship.
Havlát played for the Czech Republic at the 2002 Winter Olympics, scoring three goals. He missed the 2006 Winter Olympics due to a shoulder injury. In the 2011 World Championships, he helped the Czech team win a bronze medal.
Personal Life
Martin Havlát has two siblings, a sister named Lenka and a brother named Slava. He can speak both English and Czech. He lives in Brno, Czech Republic, during the off-season. His nephew, Borek Sedlák, is a Czech ski jumper.
Career Statistics
Regular Season and Playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1997–98 | HC Ytong Brno | CZE U18 | 27 | 29 | 26 | 55 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1997–98 | HC Ytong Brno | CZE U20 | 5 | 9 | 3 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1998–99 | HC Železárny Třinec | CZE U20 | 31 | 28 | 23 | 51 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1998–99 | HC Železárny Třinec | ELH | 24 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 1999–00 | HC Oceláři Třinec | CZE U20 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1999–00 | HC Oceláři Třinec | ELH | 46 | 13 | 29 | 42 | 48 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 8 | ||
| 2000–01 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 73 | 19 | 23 | 42 | 20 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 2001–02 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 72 | 22 | 28 | 50 | 66 | 12 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 14 | ||
| 2002–03 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 67 | 24 | 35 | 59 | 30 | 18 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 14 | ||
| 2003–04 | HC Sparta Praha | ELH | 5 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003–04 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 68 | 31 | 37 | 68 | 46 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 2004–05 | HC Znojemští Orli | ELH | 12 | 10 | 4 | 14 | 16 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 4 | ||
| 2004–05 | Dynamo Moscow | RSL | 10 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2004–05 | HC Sparta Praha | ELH | 9 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 37 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | ||
| 2005–06 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 18 | 9 | 7 | 16 | 4 | 10 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 4 | ||
| 2006–07 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 56 | 25 | 32 | 57 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 35 | 10 | 17 | 27 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 81 | 29 | 48 | 77 | 30 | 16 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 8 | ||
| 2009–10 | Minnesota Wild | NHL | 73 | 18 | 36 | 54 | 34 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010–11 | Minnesota Wild | NHL | 78 | 22 | 40 | 62 | 52 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2011–12 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 39 | 7 | 20 | 27 | 22 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 8 | ||
| 2012–13 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 40 | 8 | 10 | 18 | 30 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2013–14 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 48 | 12 | 10 | 22 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2014–15 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 40 | 5 | 9 | 14 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2015–16 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| ELH totals | 96 | 31 | 43 | 74 | 111 | 17 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 38 | ||||
| NHL totals | 790 | 242 | 352 | 594 | 404 | 75 | 21 | 31 | 52 | 52 | ||||
International Play Statistics
| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Czech Republic | WJC18 | 5th | 6 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | |
| 2000 | Czech Republic | WJC |  |
7 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 4 | |
| 2000 | Czech Republic | WC | |
9 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | |
| 2002 | Czech Republic | OG | 7th | 4 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 27 | |
| 2004 | Czech Republic | WCH |  |
5 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 2 | |
| 2004 | Czech Republic | WC | 5th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | |
| 2010 | Czech Republic | OG | 7th | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2011 | Czech Republic | WC | |
6 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 4 | |
| Junior totals | 13 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 12 | ||||
| Senior totals | 32 | 10 | 11 | 21 | 39 | ||||
