Frank Musil
Encyclopedia
František Musil known mostly as Frank Musil, is a former professional ice hockey
player. Musil is a scout for the Edmonton Oilers
and assistant coach for the Czech national ice hockey team
.
, 38th overall, by the Minnesota North Stars
. He played on 1985 Gold Medal winning IIHF Men's World Championships for Czechoslovakia. In addition to playing in various professional European leagues, Musil played 797 games in the NHL
, for Minnesota as well as the Calgary Flames
, Ottawa Senators
and Edmonton Oilers
.
Musil's draft position fell, but not because of talent, as there was some uncertainty whether he would be able to escape Czechoslovakia
, then a Communist country. Musil obtained a holiday visa and travelled to Yugoslavia
with his girlfriend. Leaving her at the resort, Musil met with Minnesota General Manager Lou Nanne
and player agent Ritch Winter
, who had arranged for an American work visa. Winter and Nanne used the work visa to fool the border guards, who were unaware that Musil was a defecting hockey star. Thus, in the summer of 1986, Musil arrived in Minnesota
, and began his NHL career that fall.
Musil retired from hockey at the end of the 2000–01 season, and was hired by the Oilers as a scout. Musil is married to former professional tennis
player Andrea Holíková
, who is the sister of retired NHL player Bobby Holík
.
Musil's son, David
, was drafted by the Edmonton Oilers
in the 2nd round of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft
with the 31st pick of the draft. David is currently a defenseman with the Vancouver Giants
.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player. Musil is a scout for the Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
and assistant coach for the Czech national ice hockey team
Czech national ice hockey team
The Czech men's national ice hockey team is the national ice hockey team of the Czech Republic. It is one of the most successful national ice hockey teams in the world, currently ranked fifth by the IIHF, behind Finland. It is controlled by the Czech Ice Hockey Association...
.
Playing career
Musil was selected in the second round of the 1983 NHL Entry Draft1983 NHL Entry Draft
The 1983 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec, on June 8, 1983. The NHL Entry Draft is the primary means by which players arrive in the National Hockey League. The St. Louis Blues did not participate in this draft, shortly after the league blocked the franchise's...
, 38th overall, by the Minnesota North Stars
Minnesota North Stars
The Minnesota North Stars were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League for 26 seasons, from 1967 to 1993. The North Stars played their home games at the Met Center in Bloomington, and the team's colors for most of its history were green, yellow, gold and white...
. He played on 1985 Gold Medal winning IIHF Men's World Championships for Czechoslovakia. In addition to playing in various professional European leagues, Musil played 797 games in the NHL
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
, for Minnesota as well as the Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
, Ottawa Senators
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
and Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
.
Musil's draft position fell, but not because of talent, as there was some uncertainty whether he would be able to escape Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
, then a Communist country. Musil obtained a holiday visa and travelled to Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
with his girlfriend. Leaving her at the resort, Musil met with Minnesota General Manager Lou Nanne
Lou Nanne
Louis Vincent Nanne is a retired ice hockey defenceman and general manager who has made significant contributions to hockey in the United States.- Early life :...
and player agent Ritch Winter
Ritch Winter
Ritch Winter is an ice hockey sports agent. Founder and CEO of The Sports Corporation, based in Edmonton, Winter represents over 70 National Hockey League players, including Marian Hossa, and Dominik Hasek.- Biography :Winter received a law degree from the University of Calgary in 1983...
, who had arranged for an American work visa. Winter and Nanne used the work visa to fool the border guards, who were unaware that Musil was a defecting hockey star. Thus, in the summer of 1986, Musil arrived in Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, and began his NHL career that fall.
Musil retired from hockey at the end of the 2000–01 season, and was hired by the Oilers as a scout. Musil is married to former professional tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
player Andrea Holíková
Andrea Holíková
Andrea Holíková is a former Czechoslovak tennis player. She comes from the family of successful hockey players — she is the daughter Jaroslav Holík, the elder sister of Bobby Holík, and the niece of Jiří Holík. Holíková is married to former hockey player František "Frank" Musil.Holíková was a very...
, who is the sister of retired NHL player Bobby Holík
Bobby Holik
Robert Holík is a retired Czech-American professional ice hockey center who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League...
.
Musil's son, David
David Musil
David Musil a Canadian-Czech ice hockey player who is currently playing for the Vancouver Giants in the WHL. He was a first round draft pick, selected 12th overall by SKA Saint Petersburg, in the 2010 KHL Junior Draft...
, was drafted by the Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
in the 2nd round of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft
2011 NHL Entry Draft
The 2011 NHL Entry Draft was the 49th NHL Entry Draft. It was held on June 24–25, 2011, at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. It was the first time the Draft was held in the state of Minnesota since the Minnesota North Stars hosted the 1989 NHL Entry Draft.The top three picks consisted...
with the 31st pick of the draft. David is currently a defenseman with the Vancouver Giants
Vancouver Giants
The Vancouver Giants are a major junior ice hockey team playing in the Western Hockey League . Inaugurated in 2001–02, the Giants have won one President's Cup in 2006 and one Memorial Cup in 2007 in their ten-season history...
.
Awards
- World Junior Championship medals- silver (1982, 1983), bronze (1984)
- World Championship medals- silver (1983), gold (1985), and bronze (1992)
Further readings
- Pioneer Press, June 23, 2011: Frantisek Musil has returned to the Twin Cities for another big moment