Roman Turek facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Roman Turek
Turek with HC Mountfield in 2007
Born	(1970-05-21) May 21, 1970 (age 55) Strakonice, Czechoslovakia
Height	6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Weight	220 lb (100 kg; 15 st 10 lb)
Position	Goaltender
Caught	Right
Played for	HC České Budějovice Nürnberg Ice Tigers Dallas Stars St. Louis Blues Calgary Flames
National team	Czechoslovakia and  Czech Republic
NHL Draft	113th overall, 1990 Minnesota North Stars
Playing career	1988–2010
Medal record Representing  Czechoslovakia European Junior Championships Gold 1988 Czechoslovakia World Junior Championships Bronze 1989 United States Bronze 1990 Finland Representing  Czech Republic World Championships Gold 1996 Austria

Roman Turek (born May 21, 1970) is a former professional ice hockey goaltender from the Czech Republic. He played for nine years in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Dallas Stars, St. Louis Blues, and Calgary Flames. He also played in the Czech Extraliga for HC České Budějovice.

Playing Career

Dallas Stars

Roman Turek was picked by the Minnesota North Stars in the 1990 NHL Entry Draft. He moved with the team when it became the Dallas Stars. At first, he was a third-string goalie, meaning he was behind two other goalies. Later, he became the main backup goalie to Ed Belfour.

In 1999, Turek helped the Dallas Stars win the Stanley Cup, which is the biggest trophy in ice hockey. Even as a backup, he also won a gold medal with the Czech Republic national team at the 1996 World Championships. That same year, he also played in Germany for the Nürnberg Ice Tigers.

St. Louis Blues

To prevent losing Turek in a special draft for new teams, the Stars traded him to the St. Louis Blues in 1999. This gave Turek a chance to be a starting goalie. In his first season with the Blues, he led the league with seven shutouts (games where he didn't let any goals in). He also won the William M. Jennings Trophy for letting in the fewest goals.

The Blues had a great season and won the Presidents' Trophy for being the best team in the regular season. However, in the 2000 playoffs, they lost to the San Jose Sharks. Some fans were upset because they felt Turek let in some easy goals. He played a second season with the Blues, still doing well, and helped them reach the playoffs again. This time, they beat the Sharks and then swept his old team, the Dallas Stars. But in the next round against the Colorado Avalanche, the Blues lost, and some people again blamed Turek for letting in some soft goals.

Calgary Flames

Turek with the Calgary Flames in 2004

After his time with the Blues, Turek was traded to the Calgary Flames.

In the 2003–04 season, Turek was the Flames' starting goalie. But after he got injured, the team brought in another goalie named Miikka Kiprusoff. Kiprusoff played incredibly well, and Turek became the backup goalie. Even though he was a backup, Turek was a very reliable player. He helped the Flames reach the 2004 Stanley Cup Finals, where they played against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

In 2004, Turek changed his contract to lower his salary. This helped the Calgary Flames save a lot of money. On August 9, 2005, Roman Turek announced he was retiring from the NHL.

Mask Design

Roman Turek's goalie masks always had a special design: they featured "Eddie", the famous mascot of the band Iron Maiden. A designer named Ray Bishop created the artwork for his masks.

International Play

Roman Turek also played for his country, the Czech Republic, in many important international tournaments:

• 1994: Played for the Czech Republic at the 1994 Winter Olympics.
• 1994: Played for the Czech Republic at the World Championships.
• 1996: Won a gold medal for the Czech Republic at the World Championships.
• 1996: Played for the Czech Republic at the World Cup of Hockey.

Awards and Honours

Roman Turek received several awards and honors during his hockey career:

See also

In Spanish: Roman Turek para niños