Tomáš Fleischmann facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tomáš Fleischmann
Born	(1984-05-16) May 16, 1984 (age 41) Kopřivnice, Czechoslovakia
Height	6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight	192 lb (87 kg; 13 st 10 lb)
Position	Left wing
Shot	Left
Played for	Washington Capitals Colorado Avalanche Florida Panthers Anaheim Ducks Montreal Canadiens Chicago Blackhawks
National team	Czech Republic
NHL Draft	63rd overall, 2002 Detroit Red Wings
Playing career	2004–2016

Tomáš Fleischmann (born May 16, 1984) is a former professional ice hockey player from the Czech Republic. He played as a winger and is best known for his time in the National Hockey League (NHL) with teams like the Washington Capitals and Florida Panthers.

Tomáš Fleischmann's Hockey Journey

Tomáš Fleischmann started his hockey career in the Czech Republic. He played for HC Vitkovic as a junior player. He was a great scorer, playing at both the under-18 and under-20 levels. In the 2002–03 season, he got his first chance to play professional hockey. He played eight games for HC Nový Jičín, a third-division team.

Drafted by the Detroit Red Wings

In 2002, Tomáš was picked by the Detroit Red Wings in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft. He was the 63rd player chosen overall. Tomáš wanted to play in the NHL, so he moved to North America. He joined the Moose Jaw Warriors in the Western Hockey League (WHL) for the 2002–03 season.

In his first season with the Warriors, Tomáš became a key player for their offense. He scored 71 points in 65 games. He also helped Moose Jaw reach the second round of the playoffs. He led his team with 11 assists and 15 points in 12 playoff games.

Moving to the Washington Capitals

During the 2003–04 season, Tomáš improved his scoring even more. He scored 30 goals and 75 points in 60 games for Moose Jaw. He was even chosen for the WHL East Second All-Star Team. On February 27, 2004, his NHL rights were traded. The Red Wings sent him to the Washington Capitals in exchange for another player, Robert Lang.

Fleischmann as a member of the Capitals.

On June 1, 2006, the Capitals signed Tomáš to his first big contract. In his first full professional season, he played for the Portland Pirates. This team was the Capitals' minor league affiliate in the American Hockey League (AHL). He scored 19 points in 53 games during the 2004–05 season.

Making His NHL Debut

In the 2005–06 season, Tomáš started with the Hershey Bears, the Capitals' new AHL team. He scored 13 points in his first 10 games. This led to his first call-up to the Capitals on November 3, 2005. He played his first NHL game that same day. In his third NHL game, he got his first point, an assist, on November 6.

Even though he stayed with the Capitals for almost a month, he was sent back to Hershey. There, under Coach Bruce Boudreau, he became a top scorer. He led the team with 30 goals in just 57 games. In the Calder Cup playoffs, Tomáš helped the Bears win the championship. He led the league with 21 assists and his team with 32 points in 20 games.

Becoming an NHL Regular

Tomáš did not make the Capitals' team at the start of the 2006–07 season. He spent most of the first half of the season with the Bears, scoring 51 points in 45 games. On February 24, 2007, he scored his first NHL goal. He stayed with Washington for the rest of the season. On March 18, 2007, he had his first multi-point game. He scored two goals and had two assists in a big win.

He returned to the AHL to help the Bears try to win another Calder Cup. Tomáš again led the team in playoff scoring with 21 points in 19 games. Even though they lost in the finals, he led the AHL in assists for the second year in a row.

Before the 2007–08 season, the Capitals signed Tomáš to a new contract. He became an important player for the Capitals. He scored 10 goals and 30 points in 75 games. The Capitals made the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in four seasons. Tomáš played in his first playoff game on April 11, 2008.

Fleischmann, on the right, skating against the New York Rangers in the 2009 Stanley Cup playoffs.

In the 2008–09, Tomáš played in 73 games. He improved his scoring to 19 goals and 37 points. He scored his first playoff goal on April 15, 2009. He played in all 14 playoff games for Washington, scoring three goals and one assist.

Health Challenges and New Teams

After going back to the Czech Republic in the off-season, Tomáš had a health issue. He developed a blood clot in his leg. This meant he missed the pre-season and the start of the 2009–10 season. After a short time with the Hershey Bears to get back in shape, he returned to the Capitals. In this season, he had his best year yet, scoring 23 goals and 51 points in 69 games. However, he had a tough time in the playoffs.

On July 27, 2010, the Capitals re-signed Tomáš. He was moved to play center at the start of the 2010–11 season. On November 30, 2010, he was traded to the Colorado Avalanche. He went back to playing left wing. In his fourth game with the Avalanche, he scored his first goal. Five days later, he scored his first career NHL hat-trick (three goals in one game).

Tomáš started very well with the Avalanche, scoring 21 points in 22 games. But on January 20, he was diagnosed with a serious health issue involving blood clots. He had to miss the rest of the 2010–11 season.

Later Career and Retirement

On July 1, 2011, Tomáš signed a four-year contract with the Florida Panthers.

In his last year with the Panthers, during the 2014–15 season, his scoring had gone down. He was traded to the Anaheim Ducks on February 28, 2015. Tomáš played a supporting role with the Ducks, scoring 6 points in 14 games. In the playoffs, he played in only 6 games.

After that season, Tomáš was a free agent. On September 12, 2015, he joined the Montreal Canadiens for a tryout. He signed a one-year contract with them on October 4, 2015. In the 2015–16 season, he helped the Canadiens start strong. He scored 10 goals and 10 assists in 57 games. He was then traded to the Chicago Blackhawks with teammate Dale Weise.

In September 2016, Tomáš signed a tryout contract with the Minnesota Wild. However, on September 25, 2016, he was released by the Wild. He did not pass his physical exam, likely due to his past health issues with blood clots. Tomáš later returned to Florida with his family. He started helping out at Florida Panthers youth hockey clinics, beginning his life after playing professional hockey.

International Play

Medal record
Representing  Czech Republic
Ice hockey
IIHF U18 Championships
Bronze	2002 Piešťany

Tomáš first played for the Czech Republic in 2002. He was part of the 2002 World Under 18 Championship team. In eight games, he scored one goal and two assists. The Czech Republic won the bronze medal by beating Finland.

While playing for the Moose Jaw Warriors, Tomáš was chosen for the Czech World Junior Championship teams in 2003 and 2004. In these tournaments, the Czech Republic finished sixth and fourth. In 13 games combined, Tomáš scored four goals and two assists.

After his first full NHL season in 2007–08, Tomáš joined the senior Czech team. He played in the 2008 World Championships. He scored his first senior goal on May 8, 2008, in a win against Switzerland. He finished the tournament with five points in seven games.

In 2009–10, Tomáš was chosen for the Czech team for the 2010 Winter Olympics. He scored three points in five games for the Czech Republic.

Career Statistics

Regular Season and Playoffs

International Play Statistics

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2002	Czech Republic	WJC18			8	1	2	3	2
2003	Czech Republic	WJC	6th		6	2	0	2	0
2004	Czech Republic	WJC	4th		7	2	2	4	2
2008	Czech Republic	WC	5th		7	2	3	5	0
2010	Czech Republic	OG	7th		5	1	2	3	2
2013	Czech Republic	WC	7th		8	2	0	2	0
Junior totals					21	5	4	9	4
Senior totals					20	5	5	10	2

Awards and Honours