Jan Benda
Encyclopedia
Jan Benda is a German
ice hockey
player who currently plays for HC Plzeň 1929 of Extraliga
.
to Czech parents, Benda started his career in the OHL
with the Oshawa Generals
, where he played with future NHL stars such as Eric Lindros
, Jason Arnott
, and Stephane Yelle
. In his final year with the Generals, he would finish with 35 points in 61 games. After playing 2 seasons in Germany, Benda would return to North America for the 1994-95 season to play for the Richmond Renegades
. He would finish the season with 60 points in 62 games, which ranked fifth on the team that season. That season, he also briefly played for Binghamton Rangers
, the AHL
affiliate of the New York Rangers
. The next two seasons, Benda would play for HC Sparta Praha
.
Benda would later return to North America for the 1997-98 season, where he was assigned to the Washington Capitals AHL affiliate in Portland. He was later recalled to play for the Washington Capitals
, where he would score three assists in nine games. Upon completion of the 1997-98 season, Benda would return to Europe. He would play the next three seasons in SM-Liiga
, where he would lead his team in points during the 1998-99 season (with Assat Pori) and in 1999-2000 (with Jokerit
). Benda would leave SM-Liiga
in 2001 to sign with Kazan Ak-Bars of the Russian Superleague
. He would spend the next three seasons in Kazan and would split his final year between Khimik Voskresensk and Cherepovets Severstal
.
Benda played in the Czech Republic
for BK Mladá Boleslav
, whom he joined in 2008 where he was currently the captain. Before joining BK Mladá Boleslav
, he had played with HC Litvínov from 2006-08.
Benda has represented Germany at the World Championships (2002), World Cup (1996), and the Winter Olympics (1994, 1998, 2002).
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
ice hockey
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 who currently plays for HC Plzeň 1929 of Extraliga
Czech Extraliga
The Czech Extraliga is the highest-level ice hockey league in the Czech Republic. As of 2009, it is ranked by the IIHF as the third strongest league in Europe....
.
Career
Born in BelgiumBelgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
to Czech parents, Benda started his career in the OHL
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada....
with the Oshawa Generals
Oshawa Generals
The Oshawa Generals are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. They are based in Oshawa, Ontario. The team is named for General Motors, an early sponsor which has its Canadian headquarters in Oshawa. The Generals are one of the most successful franchises in Canadian Hockey League...
, where he played with future NHL stars such as Eric Lindros
Eric Lindros
Eric Bryan Lindros is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. Lindros played junior hockey in the OHL for the Oshawa Generals prior to being selected first overall in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft by the Quebec Nordiques...
, Jason Arnott
Jason Arnott
Jason William Arnott is a professional ice hockey centre for the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League. He began his NHL career with the Edmonton Oilers in 1993–94 after being selected seventh overall in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft and was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team...
, and Stephane Yelle
Stephane Yelle
Stéphane Yelle is a former Canadian professional ice hockey centre. He won two Stanley Cups with the Colorado Avalanche, and also played in the National Hockey League with the Calgary Flames, Boston Bruins and the Carolina Hurricanes....
. In his final year with the Generals, he would finish with 35 points in 61 games. After playing 2 seasons in Germany, Benda would return to North America for the 1994-95 season to play for the Richmond Renegades
Richmond Renegades
The Richmond Renegades was a SPHL ice hockey team in Richmond, Virginia. The team, owned by Allan B. Harvie Jr., the founder of the former ECHL Renegades franchise, began play in October 2006 at the Richmond Coliseum. The team's first head coach was John Brophy...
. He would finish the season with 60 points in 62 games, which ranked fifth on the team that season. That season, he also briefly played for Binghamton Rangers
Binghamton Rangers
The Binghamton Rangers were an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Binghamton, New York, USA at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena.-History:The market was previously served by:-Playoffs:-Single Season:...
, the AHL
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
affiliate of the New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
. The next two seasons, Benda would play for HC Sparta Praha
HC Sparta Praha
HC Sparta Praha is a Prague based Czech ice hockey team playing in Czech Extraliga.-Team History:Founded in 1903 by Canadian expatriate Lyle P. O'Connor, HC Sparta Praha was among the first bandy teams to play on a semi-professional level in the Austro-Hungarian Empire...
.
Benda would later return to North America for the 1997-98 season, where he was assigned to the Washington Capitals AHL affiliate in Portland. He was later recalled to play for the Washington Capitals
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Since their founding in 1974, "The Caps" have won one conference championship to reach the 1998 Stanley Cup...
, where he would score three assists in nine games. Upon completion of the 1997-98 season, Benda would return to Europe. He would play the next three seasons in SM-Liiga
SM-liiga
The SM-liiga is the top professional ice hockey league in Finland. As of March 2008, it is ranked by the IIHF as the second strongest league in Europe. It was created in 1975 to replace the SM-sarja, which was fundamentally an amateur league. The SM-liiga is not directly overseen by the Finnish Ice...
, where he would lead his team in points during the 1998-99 season (with Assat Pori) and in 1999-2000 (with Jokerit
Jokerit
Jokerit is an ice-hockey team from Helsinki, Finland, playing in the Finnish Elite League, SM-liiga. The team has won 6 league championships...
). Benda would leave SM-Liiga
SM-liiga
The SM-liiga is the top professional ice hockey league in Finland. As of March 2008, it is ranked by the IIHF as the second strongest league in Europe. It was created in 1975 to replace the SM-sarja, which was fundamentally an amateur league. The SM-liiga is not directly overseen by the Finnish Ice...
in 2001 to sign with Kazan Ak-Bars of the Russian Superleague
Russian Superleague
The Russian Superleague , commonly abbreviated as RSL, was the highest division of the main professional ice hockey league in Russia. It was considered the second best league in the world, after the National Hockey League of North America...
. He would spend the next three seasons in Kazan and would split his final year between Khimik Voskresensk and Cherepovets Severstal
Severstal Cherepovets
HC Severstal Cherepovets is a professional ice hockey team based in Cherepovets, Vologda Oblast, Russia. They are members of the Tarasov Division in the Kontinental Hockey League.-History:Founded in 1956, the club was originally known as Stroitel Cherepovets...
.
Benda played in the Czech Republic
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
for BK Mladá Boleslav
BK Mladá Boleslav
BK Mladá Boleslav is an ice hockey team in the Czech Extraliga. They play their home games at Ško-Energo Aréna.-History:...
, whom he joined in 2008 where he was currently the captain. Before joining BK Mladá Boleslav
BK Mladá Boleslav
BK Mladá Boleslav is an ice hockey team in the Czech Extraliga. They play their home games at Ško-Energo Aréna.-History:...
, he had played with HC Litvínov from 2006-08.
Benda has represented Germany at the World Championships (2002), World Cup (1996), and the Winter Olympics (1994, 1998, 2002).