Aleš Kotalík Explained

Played For:NHL


Edmonton Oilers
New York Rangers
Calgary Flames
Buffalo Sabres
Czech


HC České Budějovice
HC Bílí Tygři Liberec

Position:Right wing
Shoots:Right
Height Ft:6
Height In:1
Weight Lb:225
Ntl Team:CZE
Birth Date:23 December 1978
Birth Place:Jindřichův Hradec, Czechoslovakia
Draft:164th overall
Draft Year:1998
Draft Team:Buffalo Sabres
Career Start:1997
Career End:2013

Aleš Kotalík (born 23 December 1978) is a former professional ice hockey right winger, who is Assistant GM for HC Mountfield České Budějovice of the Czech Extraliga.[1]

Playing career

Kotalík was drafted 164th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft. In the 2005–06 NHL season, he had a career high in 25 goals, 37 assists and 62 points. The recent 2006–07 NHL season he was 5 for 7 in shootouts and second in the NHL with four shootout deciding goals. He was out for 16 games because of an injured right knee. In the Calgary Flames All-Star games, he showed his ability to strike hard with a slap shot speed of 105.3 being the second hardest shooter in the NHL.

On 4 March 2009, Kotalík was traded by the Sabres to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for a 2nd round pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.[2] Kotalík finished the season in Edmonton before being signed as a free agent by the New York Rangers on 9 July 2009 to a three-year, $9 million contract.[3] Due to his lack of goal scoring, which he was expected to bring and being a healthy scratch for numerous games, he was traded on 1 February 2010 to the Calgary Flames along with Chris Higgins in exchange for Olli Jokinen and Brandon Prust.

Placed on waivers in the off-season by the Calgary Flames, Kotalík cleared waivers on 29 June 2010.[4] At the time, he had two years and $6 million remaining on his contract.[5] On 27 January 2011, he was placed back on waivers by the Flames and subsequently assigned to the Abbotsford Heat of the American Hockey League.[6] On 25 June, along with Robyn Regehr and a second round 2012 draft pick, Kotalík was traded back to the Sabres for Paul Byron and Chris Butler.[7]

On 24 September 2011, Kotalík was placed on waivers by the Buffalo Sabres in a salary cap move. After initially reporting to the Rochester Americans, Kotalík instead returned to his hometown in the Czech Republic to play for HC Mountfield České Budějovice.[8]

International play

Kotalík played his first game for the national team in 2000, and has played 21 times for the Czech national team including the 2006 Winter Olympics and the 2008 and 2009 World Championships.[9]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

  Regular season Playoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGPGAPtsPIMGPGAPtsPIM
1995–96HC České BudějoviceCZE Jr286713
1996–97HC České BudějoviceCZE Jr3615163124
1997–98HC České BudějoviceELH45961514
1998–99HC České BudějoviceELH39713201630000
1999–2000HC České BudějoviceELH43712193430116
1999–2000SHC Vajgar Jindřichův HradecCZE II22242
2000–01HC České BudějoviceELH5219294854
2001–02Rochester AmericansAHL681825435510000
2001–02Buffalo SabresNHL131342
2002–03Rochester AmericansAHL80224
2002–03Buffalo SabresNHL6821143530
2003–04Buffalo SabresNHL6215112641
2004–05Bílí Tygři LiberecELH258816461225712
2005–06Buffalo SabresNHL82253762621847118
2006–07Buffalo SabresNHL6616223862162248
2007–08Buffalo SabresNHL7923204358
2008–09Buffalo SabresNHL5613193228
2008–09Edmonton OilersNHL1974116
2009–10New York RangersNHL458142238
2009–10Calgary FlamesNHL2632529
2010–11Calgary FlamesNHL264268
2010–11Abbotsford HeatAHL256121810
2011–12HC MountfieldELH30816242051340
2012–13ČEZ Motor České BudějoviceELH5114223670501116
2013–14ČEZ Motor České BudějoviceCZE II5116153138
NHL totals54213614828434834691516
ELH totals28572106178254283101334

International

YearTeamEvent GPGAPtsPIM
1998Czech RepublicWJC73140
2006Czech RepublicOG40000
2008Czech RepublicWC75270
2009Czech RepublicWC72134
Senior totals1873104

Notes and References

  1. Web site: ČEZ Motor – Klub – Vedení klubu. www.hcmotor.cz.
  2. Web site: O'Sullivan and Kotalik headed to Edmonton on deadline day . National Hockey League . 2009-03-04 . 2009-03-04.
  3. Web site: Rangers sign Kotalik . National Hockey League . 2009-07-09 . 2009-07-09.
  4. Web site: Macfarlane . Steve . Buying Kotalik out a solid move | Hockey | Sports . Ottawa Sun . 2010-07-03.
  5. Web site: Report: Cheechoo, Kotalik waived - 2010 Offseason News . Nhl.com . 2010-06-28 . 2010-07-03.
  6. Web site: Kotalik sent to AHL.
  7. Web site: Flames deal Regehr, Kotalik to Sabres for Butler, Byron. The Sports Network. 25 June 2011.
  8. Hamilton, Paul. Sabres Kotalik assigned to Europe. Kaleta not mad at Vanek . WGR. Retrieved 30 September 2011.
  9. http://hokej.cz/index.php?lng=CZ&webid=472&view=hrac_info&idh=264 Stats at hokej.cz