Lubomir Vaic
Encyclopedia
Lubomir Vaic is a professional ice hockey
player, who briefly played in the NHL
for the Vancouver Canucks
and currently plays for HC Slovan Bratislava
in the Slovak hockey league.
Drafted by the Canucks 227th overall in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft
, Vaic came to North America a year later. Small, quick, and feisty, he scored 27 points in 50 games for the Syracuse Crunch
, Vancouver's AHL
affiliate. He also earned a 5-game callup to the Canucks, where he scored his first (and to this date, only) NHL goal, and added an assist.
Vaic returned to Slovakia for another year before returning to the Canucks organization for the 1999–2000 season. However, he would find himself in much the same situation, scoring 42 points in 63 games for Syracuse, and being held pointless in 4 NHL games in Vancouver. Following the season, he was released by the Canucks, who considered him too small to be a significant NHL contributor.
Returning to Europe, Vaic became something of a nomad, appearing with five clubs in five different major European leagues over the next five seasons. He was, however, a consistent offensive performer, and helped Metallurg Magnitogorsk
to the Russian league championship in 2003–04. He would finally find a long-term home in the Czech Extraliga
, after signing with HC Bílí Tygři Liberec
in 2004. In 2005–06, he finished 2nd in scoring in the Extraliga, and helped Liberec to the league championship. At the end of the 2006-07 season he joined HC Sparta Prague.
Vaic has appeared in 9 NHL games, recording a goal and an assist for two points. He has also represented Slovakia at three World Championships
, winning a bronze medal in 2003.
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 briefly played 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 the Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
and currently plays for HC Slovan Bratislava
HC Slovan Bratislava
Hockey Club Slovan Bratislava is a professional ice hockey team in the Slovak Extraliga from the Slovak capital Bratislava. They play their home games at Samsung Arena....
in the Slovak hockey league.
Drafted by the Canucks 227th overall in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft
1996 NHL Entry Draft
The 1996 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Kiel Center in St. Louis, Missouri, on June 22, 1996.- Selections by round :Club teams are located in North America unless otherwise noted.- Round one :- Round two :...
, Vaic came to North America a year later. Small, quick, and feisty, he scored 27 points in 50 games for the Syracuse Crunch
Syracuse Crunch
The Syracuse Crunch are a minor league professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They play in Syracuse, New York, at the War Memorial at Oncenter...
, Vancouver's 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. He also earned a 5-game callup to the Canucks, where he scored his first (and to this date, only) NHL goal, and added an assist.
Vaic returned to Slovakia for another year before returning to the Canucks organization for the 1999–2000 season. However, he would find himself in much the same situation, scoring 42 points in 63 games for Syracuse, and being held pointless in 4 NHL games in Vancouver. Following the season, he was released by the Canucks, who considered him too small to be a significant NHL contributor.
Returning to Europe, Vaic became something of a nomad, appearing with five clubs in five different major European leagues over the next five seasons. He was, however, a consistent offensive performer, and helped Metallurg Magnitogorsk
Metallurg Magnitogorsk
Metallurg Magnitogorsk is a professional ice hockey team based in Magnitogorsk, Chelyabinsk Oblast, Russia. They are members of the Kharlamov Division of the Kontinental Hockey League...
to the Russian league championship in 2003–04. He would finally find a long-term home in the Czech 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....
, after signing with HC Bílí Tygři Liberec
HC Bílí Tygri Liberec
HC Bílí Tygři Liberec , sometimes called the "Tigers", is an ice hockey team in the Czech Extraliga. Their home arena is Tipsport Arena in Liberec...
in 2004. In 2005–06, he finished 2nd in scoring in the Extraliga, and helped Liberec to the league championship. At the end of the 2006-07 season he joined HC Sparta Prague.
Vaic has appeared in 9 NHL games, recording a goal and an assist for two points. He has also represented Slovakia at three World Championships
Ice Hockey World Championships
The Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation . First officially held at the 1920 Summer Olympics, it is the sport's highest profile annual international tournament. The IIHF was created in 1908 while the European...
, winning a bronze medal in 2003.