Tomáš Plekanec facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tomáš Plekanec |
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Plekanec with the Montreal Canadiens in 2015
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| Born | 31 October 1982 Kladno, Czechoslovakia |
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| Height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) | ||
| Weight | 195 lb (88 kg; 13 st 13 lb) | ||
| Position | Centre | ||
| Shot | Left | ||
| Played for | Rytíři Kladno Montreal Canadiens Toronto Maple Leafs HC Kometa Brno |
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| National team |  Czech Republic |
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| NHL Draft | 71st overall, 2001 Montreal Canadiens |
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| Playing career | 1998–2023 | ||
Tomáš Plekanec, born on October 31, 1982, is a former professional ice hockey player from the Czech Republic. He was a centre, which is a key position in hockey. He spent most of his career in the National Hockey League (NHL) playing for the Montreal Canadiens. He also played a short time for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Tomáš started his hockey journey with Rytíři Kladno in his home country. The Montreal Canadiens picked him in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. He moved to North America in 2002. Before joining the Canadiens full-time, he played three seasons for their minor league team, the Hamilton Bulldogs. By the time he retired from the NHL, he had played over 1,000 NHL games. This is a huge achievement for any hockey player! He is also seventh all-time in games played for the Canadiens.
During his time in the NHL, Tomáš was known for wearing a turtleneck undershirt.
Contents
Playing Career Highlights
Starting in Junior Hockey
Tomáš Plekanec began playing junior ice hockey in the Czech Republic. He played for the HC Kladno team. He first played for the main senior team in 1998–99. He appeared in three games in the Czech Extraliga, which is the top league in the Czech Republic.
Becoming a Professional Player
Two years later, in 2000–01, Tomáš joined the senior team full-time. He scored 42 points in 53 games. After this great season, the Montreal Canadiens chose him in the third round of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. He was the 71st player picked overall. He stayed in the Czech Extraliga for another season, scoring 30 points in 43 games during 2001–02.
Moving to North America
In 2002, Tomáš moved to North America to play in the Canadiens' system. He was sent to the Hamilton Bulldogs, their minor league team in the American Hockey League (AHL). He scored 46 points in 77 games in his first AHL season. He got even better in 2003–04, scoring 66 points with the Bulldogs. That same season, he played his first two NHL games with the Canadiens.
Because of a lockout in the NHL during the 2004–05 season, Tomáš stayed with the Hamilton Bulldogs for a third AHL season. He continued to play well, scoring 64 points in 80 games.
Joining the Montreal Canadiens
In the 2005–06 season, Tomáš Plekanec became a regular player for the Montreal Canadiens. He scored 29 points in his first full NHL season. He improved to 47 points the next season and scored his first 20 goals in a season. On February 29, 2008, he scored his first NHL hat-trick (three goals in one game) in a 6–2 win against the Buffalo Sabres. He finished the 2007–08 season with 29 goals and 69 points.
In the summer of 2009, he signed a new one-year contract with the Canadiens. That season, he had his best year yet, with 45 assists and 70 points. In June 2010, he signed a big six-year contract to stay with the Canadiens. He scored 22 goals during the 2010–11 season.
During the 2012–13 NHL lockout, Tomáš played for Kladno in the Czech Republic.
On September 15, 2014, Tomáš was named an alternate captain for the Canadiens. This means he was one of the team leaders. In October 2015, he signed another contract extension to stay with the Canadiens until the end of the 2017–18 season.
Trade to Toronto Maple Leafs
The Canadiens had a tough season in 2017–18. As the trade deadline got closer, there were rumors that Tomáš might be traded. On February 25, 2018, he was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs. He played seven games for the Maple Leafs in the playoffs, scoring two goals and four points. The Maple Leafs were eventually eliminated by the Boston Bruins.
Returning to Montreal and Retirement
On July 1, 2018, Tomáš Plekanec returned to the Canadiens, signing a one-year contract. On October 15, 2018, he played in his 1,000th regular season NHL game. This is a very special milestone for a hockey player! He also scored his first goal of the season in that game.
On November 9, 2018, the Canadiens announced that Tomáš was retiring from the NHL. This was a mutual decision.
After leaving the NHL, Tomáš signed with HC Kometa Brno in the Czech Extraliga. He also played for Rytíři Kladno. On October 28, 2023, Tomáš Plekanec announced his retirement from playing hockey completely due to health reasons.
International Play
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Representing Czech Republic |
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| Ice hockey | ||
| World Championships | ||
| Silver | 2006 Latvia | |
| Bronze | 2011 Slovakia | |
| Bronze | 2012 Finland | |
| World Junior Championships | ||
| Gold | 2001 Russia | |
Tomáš Plekanec played in many international tournaments for the Czech Republic. He played in three junior tournaments. He helped the Czech team win a gold medal at the 2001 World Junior Championships. He also played in the 2002 World Junior Championships.
After his first NHL season, Tomáš played in the 2006 World Championships. The Czech Republic won a silver medal there. He also played in the 2007 and 2008 World Championships. He was part of the Czech team that won bronze medals in the 2011 and 2012 World Championships.
In 2010, Tomáš was chosen to play for the Czech team at the Winter Olympics in Vancouver. He scored three points in five games. On January 6, 2014, he was named captain of the Czech Republic team for the 2014 Winter Olympics. He also played for the Czech national inline hockey team.
After Retirement from Playing
Just days after retiring as a player, Tomáš Plekanec joined the coaching staff of the Czech national team on November 1, 2023. In 2024, he was an assistant coach for the Czech team that won the gold medal at the IIHF World Championship in Prague.
On March 3, 2025, Tomáš was announced as the director of hockey operations for Rytíři Kladno. He continues his coaching role with the Czech national team.
Personal Life
Tomáš Plekanec was married to Czech singer and actress Lucie Vondráčková. They divorced in 2019. Tomáš was allowed to take their two sons, Matyáš and Adam, to the Czech Republic.
Since August 2018, Tomáš has been in a relationship with professional tennis player Lucie Šafářová. They welcomed their daughter, Lea, in December 2019. Tomáš and Lucie Šafářová got married in September 2021.
Career Statistics
Regular Season and Playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1998–99 | HC Velvana Kladno | CZE U20 | 53 | 22 | 20 | 42 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1998–99 | HC Velvana Kladno | ELH | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1999–2000 | HC Velvana Kladno | CZE U20 | 43 | 14 | 16 | 30 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1999–2000 | HK Lev Slaný | CZE.3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1999–2000 | HK Kralupy nad Vltavou | CZE.3 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2000–01 | HC Vagnerplast Kladno | CZE U20 | 9 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2000–01 | HC Vagnerplast Kladno | ELH | 47 | 9 | 9 | 18 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2000–01 | HC Mladá Boleslav | CZE.3 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | HC Vagnerplast Kladno | ELH | 48 | 7 | 16 | 23 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2002–03 | Hamilton Bulldogs | AHL | 77 | 19 | 27 | 46 | 74 | 13 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 8 | ||
| 2003–04 | Hamilton Bulldogs | AHL | 74 | 23 | 43 | 66 | 90 | 10 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 6 | ||
| 2003–04 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2004–05 | Hamilton Bulldogs | AHL | 80 | 29 | 35 | 64 | 68 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 6 | ||
| 2005–06 | Hamilton Bulldogs | AHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 67 | 9 | 20 | 29 | 32 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 6 | ||
| 2006–07 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 81 | 20 | 27 | 47 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 81 | 29 | 40 | 69 | 38 | 12 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 2 | ||
| 2008–09 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 80 | 20 | 19 | 39 | 54 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||
| 2009–10 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 82 | 25 | 45 | 70 | 50 | 19 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 20 | ||
| 2010–11 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 77 | 22 | 35 | 57 | 60 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2 | ||
| 2011–12 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 81 | 17 | 35 | 52 | 56 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2012–13 | Rytíři Kladno | ELH | 32 | 21 | 25 | 46 | 38 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2012–13 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 47 | 14 | 19 | 33 | 24 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 2 | ||
| 2013–14 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 81 | 20 | 23 | 43 | 38 | 17 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 8 | ||
| 2014–15 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 82 | 26 | 34 | 60 | 46 | 12 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 6 | ||
| 2015–16 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 82 | 14 | 40 | 54 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2016–17 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 78 | 10 | 18 | 28 | 24 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 2017–18 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 60 | 6 | 18 | 24 | 39 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2017–18 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 17 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | ||
| 2018–19 | Montreal Canadiens | NHL | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2018–19 | Rytíři Kladno | CZE.2 | 10 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 4 | 11 | 15 | 14 | ||
| 2018–19 | HC Kometa Brno | ELH | 16 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2019–20 | HC Kometa Brno | ELH | 50 | 13 | 20 | 33 | 68 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2020–21 | Rytíři Kladno | CZE.2 | 33 | 15 | 19 | 34 | 52 | 16 | 6 | 11 | 17 | 2 | ||
| 2021–22 | Rytíři Kladno | ELH | 56 | 17 | 36 | 53 | 46 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2022–23 | Rytíři Kladno | ELH | 52 | 16 | 33 | 49 | 34 | 16 | 6 | 11 | 17 | 2 | ||
| 2023–24 | Rytíři Kladno | ELH | 9 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 1,001 | 233 | 375 | 608 | 543 | 94 | 18 | 35 | 53 | 52 | ||||
International Play Statistics
| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Czech Republic | WJC18 | 6th | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | |
| 2001 | Czech Republic | WJC |  |
7 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | |
| 2002 | Czech Republic | WJC | 7th | 7 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2006 | Czech Republic | WC |  |
9 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 20 | |
| 2007 | Czech Republic | WC | 7th | 7 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 2 | |
| 2008 | Czech Republic | WC | 5th | 4 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 | |
| 2009 | Czech Republic | WC | 6th | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | |
| 2010 | Czech Republic | OG | 7th | 5 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | |
| 2011 | Czech Republic | WC |  |
8 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 6 | |
| 2012 | Czech Republic | WC | |
10 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 4 | |
| 2013 | Czech Republic | WC | 7th | 2 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 2 | |
| 2014 | Czech Republic | OG | 6th | 5 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2015 | Czech Republic | WC | 4th | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2016 | Czech Republic | WC | 5th | 8 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 8 | |
| 2016 | Czech Republic | WCH | 6th | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2017 | Czech Republic | WC | 7th | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | |
| 2018 | Czech Republic | WC | 7th | 8 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Junior totals | 20 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 8 | ||||
| Senior totals | 86 | 22 | 27 | 49 | 56 | ||||
See also
- List of NHL players with 1,000 games played
