Vladimír Sobotka facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Vladimír Sobotka |
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Sobotka with the St. Louis Blues in February 2011
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| Born | 2 July 1987 Třebíč, Czechoslovakia |
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| Height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) | ||
| Weight | 183 lb (83 kg; 13 st 1 lb) | ||
| Position | Center | ||
| Shoots | Left | ||
| ELH team Former teams |
HC Dynamo Pardubice Slavia Prague Boston Bruins St. Louis Blues Avangard Omsk Buffalo Sabres SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers HC Sparta Praha |
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| National team |  Czech Republic |
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| NHL Draft | 106th overall, 2005 Boston Bruins |
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| Playing career | 2004–present | ||
Vladimír Sobotka was born on July 2, 1987. He is a professional ice hockey player from the Czech Republic. He plays as a center. Currently, he plays for Sparta Praha in the Czech Extraliga (ELH).
Sobotka has also played in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played for the Boston Bruins, St. Louis Blues, and Buffalo Sabres. He also played in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) for Avangard Omsk. The Boston Bruins chose Sobotka in the fourth round of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. He was the 106th player picked overall.
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Playing Career Highlights
Vladimír Sobotka played his first NHL game in the 2007–08 NHL season. This was on November 24, 2007, against the New York Islanders. He scored his first NHL goal on February 13, 2008. This goal was against Ty Conklin of the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Time with the St. Louis Blues
On June 26, 2010, the Boston Bruins traded Sobotka to the St. Louis Blues. He scored his first goal for the Blues against his old team, the Boston Bruins, on November 6, 2010. On November 30, he had a great game. He made three assists, helping his teammates score three goals. He finished the 2010–11 NHL season with 29 points in 65 games.
On June 15, 2011, Sobotka signed a new three-year contract with the Blues. On March 9, 2013, he scored his first "hat-trick" in the NHL. A hat-trick means scoring three goals in one game. This happened against the San Jose Sharks.
After the 2013–14 NHL season, Sobotka decided to play in the KHL. He signed a three-year contract with Avangard Omsk. The Blues still kept his rights in the NHL. This meant if he came back to the NHL, he would play for them first.
Return to the NHL and Other Teams
After playing three seasons in the KHL, Sobotka returned to the St. Louis Blues. This was in April 2017, just in time for the end of the 2016–17 NHL season and the playoffs. He then signed a new three-year contract with the Blues.
On July 1, 2018, Sobotka was traded to the Buffalo Sabres. He was part of a big trade that involved several players and draft picks. After his contract with the Sabres ended, Sobotka left the NHL. He played a short time in Switzerland for SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers. Then, he returned to the Czech Extraliga. He now plays for HC Sparta Praha.
International Play
Vladimír Sobotka has played for the Czech Republic men's national ice hockey team. He was chosen for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. However, he got a leg injury and could not play in the Olympics.
He has also represented the Czech Republic in other big tournaments. These include the IIHF World Championship and the World Cup of Hockey. He also played in junior tournaments, winning a bronze medal at the 2004 IIHF World U18 Championships.
Career Statistics Summary
Sobotka has played many games in different leagues. Here are his total stats:
- Czech Extraliga (ELH) Totals: 274 games played, 62 goals, 116 assists, 178 points, 171 penalty minutes.
- National Hockey League (NHL) Totals: 548 games played, 53 goals, 118 assists, 171 points, 362 penalty minutes.
- Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) Totals: 138 games played, 37 goals, 65 assists, 102 points, 103 penalty minutes.
International Statistics Summary
Sobotka has also played for his country in many international games:
- Junior International Totals: 26 games played, 8 goals, 6 assists, 14 points, 65 penalty minutes.
- Senior International Totals: 34 games played, 6 goals, 8 assists, 14 points, 22 penalty minutes.
