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Václav Varaďa

Václav Varaďa
Václav Varaďa
Born (1976-04-26) April 26, 1976 (age 48)
Vsetín, Czechoslovakia
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 208 lb (94 kg; 14 st 12 lb)
Position Right Wing
Shot Left
Played for Buffalo Sabres
Ottawa Senators
NHL draft 89th overall, 1994
San Jose Sharks
Playing career 1992–2014

Václav Varaďa (Czech pronunciation: [ˈvaːtslaf ˈvaraɟa]; born April 26, 1976) is a Czech former professional ice hockey player and current coach. He formerly played in the National Hockey League (NHL) in a ten-year span. In his professional career, he has previously played for the Buffalo Sabres and the Ottawa Senators. Varaďa was known for his physicality in a third or fourth line role.

Playing career

Varaďa spent his young years with the Czech League from 1992 to 1994, and that year he became drafted. To get closer to earn a spot in the NHL, Varaďa moved up to the Western Hockey League (WHL), and then the NHL's affiliate, the American Hockey League (AHL). He was traded to the Buffalo Sabres in a deal for Doug Bodger, to Varaďa's original team, the San Jose Sharks.[1] Rotating from the AHL for a few years, he created a reputation as a pest and a solid checking line player.

He played some of his best hockey for the Buffalo Sabres during their trip to the Stanley Cup finals amassing 24 assists, three shy of his professional career. Despite the large help of Dominik Hašek, the Sabres lost to the Dallas Stars in six games by a controversial goal by winger Brett Hull.

He was later traded to the Ottawa Senators for Jakub Klepiš before the 2003 trade deadline in an attempt by the Senators to become a tougher and gritty team, en route to the Senators' first Eastern Conference championship series against the defensive-minded team, New Jersey Devils.[2] In a dramatic seven game series, New Jersey came out on top to eventually win the Stanley Cup.

After spending his career with the Vítkovice of the Czech League during the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Varaďa spent one more year with the Senators. In a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Varaďa was ready to check defenceman Carlo Colaiacovo skating down to the Senators' end. Varaďa collided with him, then Colaiacovo spun into the boards, hard enough for a concussion. After taken off by a stretcher, there were fans complaining about an intent to injure, especially with Colaiacovo's history of serious injuries. However, video has shown Colaiacovo was skating hard enough to actually rebound off Varaďa.

Once the playoffs came for the heavily-favoured Senators, the team fell to the Sabres in a five-game series, with Varaďa only totaling two assists. In August 2006, Varaďa signed with HC Davos of the Swiss National League A (NLA).[3]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1991–92 HC Kopřivnice CSSR U18 29 37 10 47 — — — — — —
1992–93 TJ Vítkovice CSSR 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
1993–94 HC Vítkovice ELH 26 6 8 14 12 3 1 0 1 4
1994–95 Tacoma Rockets WHL 68 50 38 88 108 4 4 3 7 11
1995–96 Kelowna Rockets WHL 59 39 46 85 100 6 3 3 6 16
1995–96 Buffalo Sabres NHL 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
1995–96 Rochester Americans AHL 5 3 0 3 4 — — — — —
1996–97 Buffalo Sabres NHL 5 0 0 0 2 — — — — —
1996–97 Rochester Americans AHL 53 23 25 48 81 10 1 6 7 27
1997–98 Buffalo Sabres NHL 27 5 6 11 15 15 3 4 7 18
1997–98 Rochester Americans AHL 45 30 26 56 74 — — — — —
1998–99 Buffalo Sabres NHL 72 7 24 31 61 21 5 4 9 14
1999–00 HC Vítkovice ELH 5 2 3 5 12 — — — — —
1999–00 Buffalo Sabres NHL 76 10 27 37 62 5 0 0 0 8
2000–01 Buffalo Sabres NHL 75 10 21 31 81 13 0 4 4 8
2001–02 Buffalo Sabres NHL 76 7 16 23 82 — — — — —
2002–03 Buffalo Sabres NHL 44 7 4 11 23 — — — — —
2002–03 Ottawa Senators NHL 11 2 6 8 8 18 2 4 6 18
2003–04 Ottawa Senators NHL 30 5 5 10 26 7 1 1 2 4
2004–05 HC Vítkovice ELH 44 8 19 27 83 11 3 3 6 35
2005–06 Ottawa Senators NHL 76 5 16 21 50 8 0 2 2 12
2006–07 HC Davos NLA 25 6 4 10 26 — — — — —
2007–08 SC Langnau NLA 37 12 20 32 56 — — — — —
2008–09 HC Vítkovice Steel ELH 16 5 5 10 22 4 2 2 4 2
2009–10 HC Vítkovice Steel ELH 19 2 8 10 12 — — — — —
2009–10 HC Kometa Brno ELH 14 4 4 8 10 — — — — —
2010–11 HC Oceláři Třinec ELH 51 12 25 37 42 18 2 9 11 38
2011–12 HC Oceláři Třinec ELH 16 6 7 13 20 5 0 2 2 4
2011–12 HC Slovan Ústečtí Lvi CZE.2 — — — — — 5 2 0 2 4
2012–13 HC Oceláři Třinec ELH 51 14 23 37 60 10 3 1 4 10
2013–14 HC Oceláři Třinec ELH 36 4 5 9 28 1 0 0 0 0
ELH totals 278 63 107 170 301 52 11 17 28 93
NHL totals 493 58 125 183 410 87 11 19 30 82

International

Year Team Event   GP G A Pts PIM
1994 Czech Republic EJC 5 3 3 6 6
1995 Czech Republic WJC 7 6 4 10 25
1996 Czech Republic WJC 6 5 1 6 8
2000 Czech Republic WC 9 2 4 6 6
2005 Czech Republic WC 9 1 0 1 2
Junior totals 18 14 8 22 39
Senior totals 18 3 4 7 8

References

  1. ^ Cooper, Tony (November 17, 1995). "Sharks Trade Unhappy Falloon / Three-team deal nets San Jose defenseman Bodger". SFGATE. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
  2. ^ "SENATORS ACQUIRE VACLAV VARADA FROM BUFFALO". Ottawa Senators. February 25, 2002. Archived from the original on February 25, 2004. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
  3. ^ "Vaclav Varada". TSN.ca. Archived from the original on May 9, 2007. Retrieved September 7, 2024. 10-Aug-06: Signed with the HC Davos of the Swiss National League.
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