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 was a talented winger who played for several teams in the National Hockey League (NHL), including the Washington Capitals and Florida Panthers. He was known for his scoring ability and playmaking skills.

Tomáš Fleischmann's Hockey Journey

Early Days in Czech Republic

Tomáš Fleischmann started playing hockey in his home country, the Czech Republic. He played for HC Vitkovic as a junior. 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 with a team called HC Nový Jičín.

Drafted by the NHL

In 2002, Tomáš was chosen by the Detroit Red Wings in the NHL Draft. This is when NHL teams pick young players to join their clubs. He was the 63rd player picked overall. To chase his dream of playing in the NHL, Tomáš moved to North America. He joined the Moose Jaw Warriors in the Western Hockey League (WHL) for the 2002–03 season.

Life in the WHL

In his first season with the Warriors, Tomáš quickly became a key player. He scored 71 points in 65 games. He helped his team reach the second round of the playoffs. He was the team's top scorer in the playoffs with 15 points. The next season, he got even better, scoring 30 goals and 75 points. Because of his great play, he was named to the WHL East Second All-Star Team.

On February 27, 2004, his NHL rights were traded from the Red Wings to the Washington Capitals.

Starting in the Pros

On June 1, 2006, Tomáš signed his first big contract with the Capitals. He spent his first full professional season playing 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.

First NHL Games

In the 2005–06 season, Tomáš started with the Hershey Bears, another AHL team linked to the Capitals. He played very well, scoring 13 points in his first 10 games. This led to his first call-up to the Washington Capitals on November 3, 2005. He made his NHL debut that same day. A few days later, he got his first NHL point, an assist, in a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Even though he played well, he was sent back to the Hershey Bears. There, he became a top scorer, getting 30 goals in 57 games. He helped the Bears win the Calder Cup, which is the championship for the AHL. He led the league in assists during the playoffs.

Becoming a Regular Player

Tomáš didn't make the Capitals' main team at the start of the 2006–07 season. He played most of the first half with the Bears, scoring 51 points in 45 games. On February 24, 2007, he scored his first NHL goal against the New Jersey Devils. He stayed with the Capitals for the rest of the season. On March 18, 2007, he had his first game with multiple points, scoring two goals and two assists.

He continued to play well for the Capitals. In the 2007–08 season, 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 NHL playoff game on April 11, 2008.

Fleischmann as a member of the Capitals.

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

Facing Challenges and Moving Teams

In the 2008–09 season, Tomáš continued to improve, scoring 19 goals and 37 points. He scored his first playoff goal on April 15, 2009, against the New York Rangers.

Health Setback

Before the 2009–10 season, Tomáš faced a serious health issue. He developed a blood clot in his leg after a long flight. This meant he missed the start of the season. After a short time with the Hershey Bears to get back in shape, he returned to the Capitals. He had a great season, scoring a career-high 23 goals and 51 points.

New Teams, New Challenges

On November 30, 2010, Tomáš was traded to the Colorado Avalanche. He quickly made an impact, scoring 21 points in 22 games. On December 15, 2010, he scored his first career NHL hat-trick (three goals in one game) against the Chicago Blackhawks. However, his season ended early on January 20, 2011, when he was diagnosed with blood clots in his lungs.

After recovering, Tomáš signed a four-year contract with the Florida Panthers on July 1, 2011. He played for the Panthers until the 2014–15 season. His scoring numbers started to go down, and he was traded to the Anaheim Ducks on February 28, 2015. He played a smaller role with the Ducks and appeared in only 6 playoff games.

As a free agent, Tomáš joined the Montreal Canadiens for the 2015–16 season. He played well, scoring 10 goals and 10 assists in 57 games. He was then traded to the Chicago Blackhawks along with teammate Dale Weise.

End of His Playing Career

In September 2016, Tomáš tried out for the Minnesota Wild. However, he was released from the team on September 25, 2016, after failing his physical. Due to his history with blood clots, the Wild did not share details about the injury. Tomáš then returned to Florida with his family. He unofficially began his life after hockey by helping coach at youth hockey clinics for the Florida Panthers during the 2016–17 season.

International Hockey

Tomáš Fleischmann proudly represented the Czech Republic in many international tournaments.

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

Junior Tournaments

His first international experience was at the 2002 World Under 18 Championship. He helped the Czech Republic win a bronze medal by defeating Finland.

He also played in the World Junior Championship twice, in 2003 and 2004. In these tournaments, he scored four goals and two assists in 13 games.

Senior Team Appearances

After playing his first full season with the Capitals, Tomáš joined the senior Czech team for the 2008 World Championships. He scored his first goal for the senior team on May 8, 2008, against Switzerland. He finished the tournament with five points.

In 2010, he was chosen to play for the Czech team at the 2010 Winter Olympics. He scored three points in five games during the tournament. He also played in the 2013 World Championship.

Awards and Honours

Tomáš Fleischmann received several awards during his career: