Vaclav Prospal
Encyclopedia
Václav "Vinny" Prospal is a Czech
professional ice hockey
left winger
who is currently a member of the Columbus Blue Jackets
in the National Hockey League
.
in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft
, third round, 71st overall. He has previously played for the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, Florida Panthers
, Ottawa Senators
, Tampa Bay Lightning
, and Flyers. 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 Senators; Prospal was unable to play in the 1998 Winter Olympics
. Ironically, Prospal was traded to the Senators a few months later. During The Lockout, Prospal played for his hometown team HC České Budějovice
, leading them in scoring and helping the team return to the Czech Extraliga
.
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. The Lightning signed Prospal to a four-year contract on June 30, which gave Philadelphia the conditional fourth-round pick in 2009.
On July 28, 2009, Prospal was bought out from the remaining three years of his contract with the Lightning and became a free agent. On August 16, 2009, Prospal signed a one-year, $1.1 million contract with the New York Rangers
. 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. After he was not re-signed, he agreed to a 1-year $1.75 million deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets
in the summer of 2011.
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....
professional 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...
left winger
Winger (ice hockey)
Winger, in the game of hockey, is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play on the ice is along the outer playing area. They typically work by flanking the centre forward. Originally the name was given to forward players who went up and down the sides of the rink...
who is currently a member of the Columbus Blue Jackets
Columbus Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio, United States. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
in the National Hockey League
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...
.
Playing career
Prospal was drafted by the Philadelphia FlyersPhiladelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft
1993 NHL Entry Draft
The 1993 NHL Entry Draft took place on June 26, 1993, at the Colisee de Quebec in Quebec City, Quebec.-Selections by round:Club teams are located in North America unless otherwise specified.-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:...
, third round, 71st overall. He has previously played for the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, Florida Panthers
Florida Panthers
The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in Sunrise, Florida, in the Miami metropolitan area. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their games at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise and are 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...
, Tampa Bay Lightning
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They have one Stanley Cup championship in their history, in 2003–04. They are often referred to as the...
, and Flyers. While with the Flyers, Prospal suffered a fractured arm during the 1997 playoffs
1997 Stanley Cup Playoffs
The 1997 Stanley Cup playoffs, the championship of the National Hockey League , began in April, 1997, following the 1996–97 NHL season. The sixteen teams that qualified, eight from each conference, played best-of-seven series for conference quarter-finals, semi-finals and championships, and then...
. 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
Lance Pitlick
Lance Eric Pitlick is an American former professional ice hockey player. He played in the NHL with the Ottawa Senators and Florida Panthers.-Playing career:...
during a game with the Senators; Prospal was unable to play in the 1998 Winter Olympics
1998 Winter Olympics
The 1998 Winter Olympics, officially the XVIII Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated from 7 to 22 February 1998 in Nagano, Japan. Seventy-two nations and 2,176 participans contested in seven sports and 72 events at 15 venues. The games saw the introduction of Women's ice...
. Ironically, Prospal was traded to the Senators a few months later. During The Lockout, Prospal played for his hometown team HC České Budějovice
HC Ceské Budejovice
HC Mountfield České Budějovice are a professional men's ice hockey club, based in České Budějovice in the Czech Republic. The club plays home games at Budvar Arena, and are members of the Czech Extraliga...
, leading them in scoring and helping the team return to 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....
.
At the beginning of the 2007-08 season
2007-08 NHL season
The 2007–08 NHL season was the 91st season of operation of the National Hockey League . It began on September 29, 2007, with the regular season ending April 6, 2008...
, 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
Alexandre R. Picard
Alexandre R. Picard is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who currently plays for the Pittsburgh Penguins organization.-Playing career:...
and a 2009
2009 NHL Entry Draft
The 2009 NHL Entry Draft was the 47th Entry Draft. It was held on June 26–27, 2009 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec. The Draft was part of the Montreal Canadiens centennial celebrations. National Hockey League teams took turns selecting amateur ice hockey players from junior, collegiate, or...
second-round draft pick.
On June 18, 2008, the Lightning acquired the rights to Prospal in exchange for the Nashville Predators
Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
' seventh-round pick (previously acquired), 196th overall, in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. The Lightning signed Prospal to a four-year contract on June 30, which gave Philadelphia the conditional fourth-round pick in 2009.
On July 28, 2009, Prospal was bought out from the remaining three years of his contract with the Lightning and became a free agent. On August 16, 2009, Prospal signed a one-year, $1.1 million contract with 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...
. 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. After he was not re-signed, he agreed to a 1-year $1.75 million deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets
Columbus Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio, United States. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
in the summer of 2011.
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... |
A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... |
Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... |
PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1993–94 1993–94 AHL season The 1993–94 AHL season was the 58th season of the American Hockey League. Sixteen teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The St. John's Maple Leafs finished first overall in the regular season... |
Hershey Bears Hershey Bears The Hershey Bears Hockey Club is a professional ice hockey team playing in the American Hockey League, and is currently the top affiliate of the NHL Washington Capitals. The hockey club is based in the unincorporated town of Hershey, Pennsylvania, located within Derry Township some 14 miles east of... |
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... |
55 | 14 | 21 | 35 | 38 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 1994–95 1994–95 AHL season The 1994–95 AHL season was the 59th season of the American Hockey League. The All-Star Game is revived, with All-Stars grouped into "Team Canada" and "Team USA." Sixteen teams played 80 games each in the schedule... |
Hershey Bears | AHL | 69 | 13 | 32 | 45 | 36 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | ||
| 1995–96 1995–96 AHL season The 1995–96 AHL season was the 60th season of the American Hockey League. The AHL expands by two teams and realigns into two conferences, and four divisions. The Northern Conference includes the North and Atlantic Divisions... |
Hershey Bears | AHL | 68 | 15 | 36 | 51 | 59 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 2 | ||
| 1996–97 1996–97 AHL season The 1996–97 AHL season was the 61st season of the American Hockey League. The league renames its divisions due to relocating teams. The Northern Conferences consists of the Atlantic Division becoming the Canadian Division, and the Central Division becoming the Empire State Division... |
Philadelphia Phantoms Philadelphia Phantoms The Philadelphia Phantoms were a professional ice hockey team that played in the American Hockey League from 1996 to 2009. The club was based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and played most of its home games at the Spectrum. During schedule conflicts or some Calder Cup playoff games, games were... |
AHL | 63 | 32 | 63 | 95 | 70 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 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... |
18 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 | ||||
| 1997–98 | Philadelphia Flyers | NHL | 41 | 5 | 13 | 18 | 17 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1997–98 | 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... |
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 | ||
| 1999–00 | 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 Florida Panthers The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in Sunrise, Florida, in the Miami metropolitan area. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their games at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise and are the... |
NHL | 34 | 4 | 12 | 16 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | Tampa Bay Lightning Tampa Bay Lightning The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They have one Stanley Cup championship in their history, in 2003–04. They are often referred to as the... |
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 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 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 2008–09 NHL season The 2008–09 NHL season was the 92nd season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the first season since prior to the 2004–05 lockout in which every team played each other at least once during the season, following three seasons where teams only played against two divisions in the... |
Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 82 | 19 | 26 | 45 | 52 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009–10 2009–10 NHL season The 2009–10 NHL season was the 93rd season of operation of the National Hockey League , and the 100th season since the founding of the predecessor National Hockey Association . It ran from October 1, 2009, including four games in Europe on October 2 and 3—until April 11, 2010, with the 2010... |
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... |
NHL | 75 | 20 | 38 | 58 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010–11 2010–11 NHL season The 2010–11 NHL season was the 94th season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the fourth consecutive season that opened in Europe with NHL Premiere . A record three events were scheduled, all in previous NHL Premiere cities: Helsinki, Finland; Stockholm, Sweden; and Prague, Czech... |
New York Rangers | NHL | 29 | 9 | 14 | 23 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| NHL totals | 978 | 227 | 453 | 680 | 513 | 65 | 10 | 25 | 35 | 26 | ||||