Václav Prospal

Václav "Vinny" Prospal (born February 17, 1975) is a Czech former professional ice hockey player, currently a hockey coach. He played 16 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Philadelphia Flyers, Ottawa Senators, Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, New York Rangers and Columbus Blue Jackets. On January 24, 2014, he announced his retirement from professional hockey.[1] He is currently serving as the manager of Motor České Budějovice in the Czech hockey league.

Václav Prospal
Prospal with the Lightning in 2009
Born (1975-02-17) February 17, 1975
České Budějovice, Czechoslovakia
Height 6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight 198 lb (90 kg; 14 st 2 lb)
Position Left Wing
Centre
Shot Left
Played for Philadelphia Flyers
Ottawa Senators
Florida Panthers
Tampa Bay Lightning
Mighty Ducks of Anaheim
New York Rangers
Columbus Blue Jackets
HC České Budějovice
National team  Czech Republic
NHL Draft 71st overall, 1993
Philadelphia Flyers
Playing career 1993–2013

Playing career

Prospal was drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft, third round, 71st overall. While with the Flyers, Prospal suffered a fractured arm during the 1997 playoffs. Prospal and another player collided during the Flyers' practice session. During the 1997–98 season, Prospal, who was named to the 1998 Czech Olympic hockey team, broke his leg while fighting for the puck with Lance Pitlick during a game with the Ottawa Senators; Prospal was unable to play in the 1998 Winter Olympics. Prospal was traded to the Senators a few months later. During the 2004–05 lockout, Prospal played for his hometown team HC České Budějovice, leading them in scoring and helping the team return to the Czech Extraliga.

Prospal in 2007.

At the beginning of the 2007–08 season, while with the Lightning, Prospal posted 12 goals and 10 assists making it his best career start. On February 25, 2008, Prospal was dealt back to the Flyers for defenseman Alexandre Picard and a 2009 second-round draft pick.

On June 18, 2008, the Lightning acquired the rights to Prospal in exchange for the Nashville Predators' seventh-round pick (previously acquired), 196th overall, in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.[2] The Lightning signed Prospal to a four-year contract on June 30, in a deal worth $14 million overall to the player.[3]

On July 28, 2009, Prospal was bought out from the remaining three years of his contract with the Lightning and became a free agent.[4] On August 16, 2009, Prospal signed a one-year, $1.1 million contract with the New York Rangers.[5] He was named an alternate captain of the Rangers on November 3, 2009. On July 1, 2010, Prospal was re-signed by the Rangers to another one-year deal worth $2.1 million.[6] After he was not re-signed in 2011, he agreed to a 1-year $1.75 million deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets in the summer of 2011,[7] followed by one-year, $2.5 million contract for the 2012–13 season, after which Prospal announced his retirement from professional hockey.

Post-hockey career

Prospal worked as a scout for the New York Rangers until the end of the 2013–14 season. He currently lives with his wife and four children in Tampa, Florida. He also served as an assistant coach for the Czech national team in the World Cup of Hockey in September 2016. Now He is Manager of HC České Budějovice in Czech Extraliga.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs
    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1991–92 TJ Motor České Budějovice TCH U18 36 16 16 32 12 — — — — —
1992–93 HC České Budějovice TCH U18 36 26 31 57 24 — — — — —
1993–94 Hershey Bears AHL 55 14 21 35 38 2 0 0 0 2
1994–95 Hershey Bears AHL 69 13 32 45 36 2 1 0 1 4
1995–96 Hershey Bears AHL 68 15 36 51 59 5 2 4 6 2
1996–97 Philadelphia Phantoms AHL 63 32 63 95 70 — — — — —
1996–97 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 18 5 10 15 4 5 1 3 4 4
1997–98 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 41 5 13 18 17 — — — — —
1997–98 Ottawa Senators NHL 15 1 6 7 4 6 0 0 0 0
1998–99 Ottawa Senators NHL 79 10 26 36 58 4 0 0 0 0
1999–2000 Ottawa Senators NHL 79 22 33 55 40 6 0 4 4 4
2000–01 Ottawa Senators NHL 40 1 12 13 12 — — — — —
2000–01 Florida Panthers NHL 34 4 12 16 10 — — — — —
2001–02 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL 81 18 37 55 38 — — — — —
2002–03 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL 80 22 57 79 53 11 4 2 6 8
2003–04 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim NHL 82 19 35 54 54 — — — — —
2004–05 HC České Budějovice CZE II 39 28 60 88 82 16 15 15 30 32
2005–06 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL 81 25 55 80 50 5 0 2 2 0
2006–07 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL 82 14 41 55 36 6 1 4 5 4
2007–08 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL 62 29 28 57 31 — — — — —
2007–08 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 18 4 10 14 6 17 3 10 13 6
2008–09 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL 82 19 26 45 52 — — — — —
2009–10 New York Rangers NHL 75 20 38 58 32 — — — — —
2010–11 New York Rangers NHL 29 9 14 23 8 5 1 0 1 0
2011–12 Columbus Blue Jackets NHL 82 16 39 55 36 — — — — —
2012–13 HC Mountfield ELH 19 9 14 23 46 — — — — —
2012–13 Columbus Blue Jackets NHL 48 12 18 30 32 — — — — —
NHL totals 1,108 255 510 765 581 65 10 25 35 26

International
Medal record
Representing  Czech Republic
Ice hockey
Olympic Games
2006 Torino
World Championships
2005 Vienna
2000 Saint Petersburg
Year Team Event   GP G A Pts PIM
1993 Czech Republic EJC 6 4 7 11 2
1994 Czech Republic WJC 7 1 1 2 16
1995 Czech Republic WJC 7 3 7 10 2
2000 Czech Republic WC 9 3 4 7 8
2004 Czech Republic WC 7 3 4 7 2
2004 Czech Republic WCH 4 1 3 4 0
2005 Czech Republic WC 9 2 6 8 4
2006 Czech Republic OLY 8 4 2 6 2
Junior totals 20 8 15 23 20
Senior totals 37 13 19 32 16

See also
  • List of NHL players with 1000 games played

References
  1. "NHL veteran Prospal retires from pro hockey - Sportsnet.ca".
  2. "Lightning acquire rights to Prospal". Tampa Bay Lightning. 2008-06-18. Retrieved 2014-11-09.
  3. "Lightning sign Roberts and Prospal". USA Today. 2008-06-30. Archived from the original on 2014-10-01. Retrieved 2014-10-01.
  4. "Lightning buy out Prospal's contract". ESPN. 2009-07-28. Retrieved 2009-07-30.
  5. Brooks, Larry (2009-08-16). "Rangers bring in Prospal". New York Post. Archived from the original on 2009-08-19.
  6. "Vaclav Prospal". Rotoworld. 2010-07-01. Archived from the original on 2010-10-14. Retrieved 2010-07-26.
  7. "Vaclav Prospal". Scott Howson. 2011-07-23. Retrieved 2011-07-23.
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