Jakub Voráček Explained

Jakub Voráček
Birth Date:15 August 1989
Birth Place:Kladno, Czechoslovakia
Height Ft:6
Height In:2
Weight Lb:214
Position:Right wing
Shoots:Left
Ntl Team:CZE
Draft:7th overall
Draft Year:2007
Draft Team:Columbus Blue Jackets
Career Start:2005
Career End:2022

Jakub Voráček (in Czech pronounced as /ˈjakub ˈvoraːt͡ʃɛk/; born 15 August 1989) is a Czech former professional ice hockey right winger who played 15 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted seventh overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets at the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. In 2011, Voráček was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for Jeff Carter. He played for the Flyers until 2021 when he was traded back to Columbus in exchange for Cam Atkinson. He has also played in his native Czech Republic for HC Rabat Kladno and HC Lev Praha.

Playing career

Junior

Voráček was taken first overall in the 2006 Canadian Hockey League (CHL) Import Draft and played two seasons with the Halifax Mooseheads of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). He also represented the Czech Republic at the World Junior Ice Hockey Championship in 2007 and 2008. On 2 August 2007, he signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets, the NHL organization that drafted him seventh overall in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.[1]

Professional

Columbus Blue Jackets

Voráček made his NHL debut on 10 October 2008 against the Dallas Stars, also scoring his first career NHL goal in the game's first period on goaltender Marty Turco.[2] Voráček scored 9 goals and 29 assists for 38 points in 80 games during his rookie season, helping the Blue Jackets make the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in franchise history in 2009. He also had the lone assist on the first-ever playoff goal in Blue Jackets history, scored by R. J. Umberger.

Philadelphia Flyers

On 23 June 2011, Voráček was traded (along with first- and third-round picks in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft) to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for Jeff Carter.[3] Days later, on 1 July, Voráček signed a one-year contract with the Flyers,[4] the same day his new team signed fellow Kladno native and long-time NHL star Jaromír Jágr to a one-year contract.[5] In his Flyers debut against the Boston Bruins, Voráček scored a goal in the game's first period against goaltender Tim Thomas. In the 2011–12 season, Voráček set a new career-high with 18 goals scored, also later scoring his first career Stanley Cup playoff goal in Game 1 of the Flyers' opening round Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series against the Pittsburgh Penguins, beating Marc-André Fleury 2:23 into the first overtime period.

In the subsequent off-season, on 26 July 2012, Voráček signed a four-year, $17 million contract with the Flyers paying $4.25 million annually.[6] [7] Upon signing, Voráček was expected to fill the gap left by Jágr, who had departed weeks prior via free agency to Dallas, on the Flyers' top line, alongside Claude Giroux and Scott Hartnell.[8]

Voráček returned to the Czech Republic to play for HC Lev Praha of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) during the 2012–13 NHL lockout. On 20 February 2013, shortly after play resumed in the NHL for the 2012–13 season, in a game against Pittsburgh, he scored his first career NHL hat-trick.[9] On 25 February, he was then named the NHL's First Star of the Week after scoring four goals and seven assists in four games.[10]

During the 2014–15 season, Voráček scored the second-fastest overtime goal in Flyers history on 22 December 2014 in a game against the Winnipeg Jets. The goal, unassisted, was scored just ten seconds into overtime against Jets goaltender Ondřej Pavelec at the MTS Center in Winnipeg. It was scored just three seconds slower than former Flyer Simon Gagné's overtime-winning goal seven seconds into the 5 January 2006 game against the New York Rangers.[11] Later in the season, Voráček was named to the 2015 NHL All-Star Game in Columbus, Ohio.[12] In the game, he tied the single NHL All-Star Game record for most points scored with six, tying Mario Lemieux's record previously set in the 1988 edition.[13] Playing in all 82 regular season Philadelphia games, Voráček finished the year with 22 goals and 59 assists for a career-high 81 points, tying him for fourth in the NHL lead alongside the Washington Capitals' Alexander Ovechkin.[14]

In July 2015, Voráček signed a new eight-year, $66 million contract with the Flyers.[15] During the 2015–16 season, Voráček experienced a slump in number production while also recording his 400th NHL point and playing in his 600th career NHL game. During the season, Voráček only recorded 11 goals, the lowest in his NHL career since his rookie year. He played in his 600th NHL game against the Florida Panthers on 4 April 2016.[16] Voráček concluded the regular season with 55 points overall. The Flyers qualified for the 2016 playoffs where they lost to the Washington Capitals in six games.[17] Voráček recorded one goal over the six games.

At the beginning of the 2017–18 season, Voráček was on the Flyers' top line alongside Claude Giroux and Sean Couturier.[18] [19] Despite occasionally being moved to a different line,[20] he ended the regular season with a career-high 85 points in 82 games. During his career year, Voráček became only the second Flyers player in franchise history (the first being Joni Pitkänen) to score the tying goal in a game with less than two minutes left and score in overtime.[21] Voráček was also one of five Flyers players to end the regular season with 20 or more goals to help push the Flyers to the 2018 playoffs.[22]

Return to Columbus

On 24 July 2021, Voráček was traded by the Flyers back to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for Cam Atkinson.[23]

On 6 January 2022, Voráček played his 1,000th NHL game in a 3–1 loss to the New Jersey Devils.[24] [25] [26]

On 6 November 2022, while playing in the 2022 NHL Global Series in Tampere, Finland, he sustained a concussion after being hit in the face with a high stick by Dryden Hunt of the Colorado Avalanche, and missed the remainder of the 2022–23 season.[27]

Retirement

On 2 March 2023, the Blue Jackets traded Voráček and a sixth-round pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft to the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for Jon Gillies.[28] The trade helped Arizona reach the salary floor, although Arizona discussed the possibility of his salary being covered by insurance.[29]

After the trade, it was widely assumed that he had played his last NHL game and would likely retire when his contract expired after the 2023–24 season.[30] After spending the entire 2023–24 season on the Coyotes' long-term injured reserve list,[31] [32] Voráček formally announced his retirement on 23 April 2024.[33] [34]

Coaching career

In September 2023, while still on injured reserve with the Arizona Coyotes, Voráček took a position as an assistant coach with the Czech Extraliga (ELH) team Rytíři Kladno. As a coach, his focus is on the power play and on development of young players.[35] The team's owner and president is his former Philadelphia Flyers teammate and two-time Stanley Cup winner Jaromír Jágr.[36]

Personal life

As a child, Voráček wanted to be a garbage man. In 2017, his sister gave him a Christmas gift of the opportunity to ride a trash truck while the garbage men worked their route.[37] Voráček has two children – a son with former girlfriend,[38] and a son with current girlfriend.[39] He is a big fan of Bruce Springsteen.[40]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGPGAPtsPIMGPGAPtsPIM
2003–04HC Rabat KladnoCZE U18523024542820002
2004–05HC Rabat KladnoCZE U183023396244754914
2004–05HC Rabat KladnoCZE U20165712611012
2005–06HC Rabat KladnoCZE U204621385954674112
2005–06HC Rabat KladnoELH10000
2005–06HC Rabat KladnoCZE U18213431
2006–07Halifax MooseheadsQMJHL592363862612717246
2007–08Halifax MooseheadsQMJHL53336810142155131814
2008–09Columbus Blue JacketsNHL80929384440118
2009–10Columbus Blue JacketsNHL8116345026
2010–11Columbus Blue JacketsNHL8014324626
2011–12Philadelphia FlyersNHL78183149321128108
2012–13HC Lev PrahaKHL237132022
2012–13Philadelphia FlyersNHL4822244635
2013–14Philadelphia FlyersNHL822339622272244
2014–15Philadelphia FlyersNHL8222598178
2015–16Philadelphia FlyersNHL731144553861014
2016–17Philadelphia FlyersNHL8220416156
2017–18Philadelphia FlyersNHL822065855060336
2018–19Philadelphia FlyersNHL7820466625
2019–20Philadelphia FlyersNHL69124456311545924
2020–21Philadelphia FlyersNHL539344318
2021–22Columbus Blue JacketsNHL796566244
2022–23Columbus Blue JacketsNHL111560
NHL totals1,058223583806525499192854

International

YearTeamEventResultGPGAPtsPIM
2005Czech RepublicU1851
2006Czech RepublicWJC1873366
2006Czech RepublicU185th44
2007Czech RepublicWJC5th61234
2007Czech RepublicWJC189th41232
2008Czech RepublicWJC5th60664
2010Czech RepublicWC90226
2011Czech RepublicWC91232
2013Czech RepublicWC7th81672
2014Czech RepublicOG6th51122
2016Czech RepublicWCH6th31124
2017Czech RepublicWC7th81566
2019Czech RepublicWC4th10412162
Junior totals235131816
Senior totals6212364830

Awards and honours

AwardYear
QMJHL
All-Rookie Team2007
RDS Cup2007
Michel Bergeron Trophy2007
Second All-Star team2008
NHL
NHL All-Star Game2015
NHL first All-Star team2015
Philadelphia Flyers
Bobby Clarke Trophy2013, 2015
Gene Hart Memorial Award2015
Pelle Lindbergh Memorial Trophy2013
Yanick Dupre Memorial Class Guy Award2014
Czech Republic
Golden Hockey Stick2015

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Blue Jackets sign 2007 first round pick Voracek . Columbus Blue Jackets . 3 August 2007 . 23 June 2011 .
  2. Web site: Blue Jackets vs. Stars – 10/10/2008 – Columbus Blue Jackets – Recap. Columbus Blue Jackets. 10 October 2008. 26 July 2012. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20130605134457/http://bluejackets.nhl.com/club/recap.htm?id=2008020015. 5 June 2013. dmy-all.
  3. Web site: Flyers Acquire Voracek, 8th overall pick. Philadelphia Flyers. 23 June 2011. 28 June 2011.
  4. Web site: Flyers add (D) Lilja, Sign Voracek. Philadelphia Flyers. 1 July 2011. 1 July 2011.
  5. Web site: Jagr Lands in Philly. Philadelphia Flyers. 1 July 2011. 1 July 2011.
  6. Web site: Jakub Voracek agrees to extension. ESPN.com. 5 April 2018. 26 July 2012.
  7. Web site: Flyers re-sign Jakub Voracek to four-year deal. https://archive.today/20130120042934/http://www.csnphilly.com/hockey-philadelphia-flyers/flyers-talk/Flyers-re-sign-Jakub-Voracek-to-four-yea?blockID=746571&feedID=704. dead. 20 January 2013. CSNPhilly.com. Sarah Baicker. 26 July 2012. 26 July 2012.
  8. News: Morreale . Mike G. . Flyers keep Jakub Voracek with four-year deal . NHL . 26 July 2012 . 28 May 2015 .
  9. Web site: Voracek's hat trick lifts Flyers to 6–5 win. NHL.com. Chris Adamski. 20 February 2013. 20 February 2013.
  10. Web site: Voracek, Stamkos, Bishop named NHL 'Three Stars' . NHL.com . 6 January 2024 . 25 February 2013.
  11. News: Miller . Randy . WATCH: Jakub Voracek scores Flyers' second-fastest OT goal ever to beat Winnipeg Jets . NJ.com. 22 December 2014 . 27 May 2015.
  12. News: Kimelman . Adam . Flyers' Voracek excited for All-Star homecoming . NHL . 16 January 2015 . 27 May 2015.
  13. News: Basu . Arpon . Flyers' Voracek ties All-Star record with six points . NHL . 25 January 2015 . 27 May 2015.
  14. News: Cullen . Scott . Off-Season Game Plan: Philadelphia Flyers . . 11 May 2015 . 27 May 2015.
  15. Web site: McCullen. Sean. Voracek agrees to multiyear extension with Flyers. NHL.com. 5 April 2018. 30 July 2015.
  16. Web site: Panthers clinch playoff berth; Blues, Blackhawks gain. NHL.com. 5 April 2018. 4 April 2016.
  17. Web site: Kimelman. Adam. Capitals defeat Flyers to advance to second round. NHL.com. 5 April 2018. 24 April 2016.
  18. Web site: Hagerman. Craig. Flyers 1st line secretly among NHL's elite. thescore.com. 19 April 2018. 1 November 2017.
  19. Web site: O'Leary. Sean. Superstar showdown: How do the Penguins' and Flyers' cores stack up?. thescore.com. 19 April 2018. 11 April 2018.
  20. Web site: Boruk. John. Is this the spark Nolan Patrick needs?. nbcsports.com. 19 April 2018. 28 December 2017.
  21. Web site: Kimelman. Adam. Voracek propels Flyers to OT win against Canadiens. 19 April 2018. 20 February 2018.
  22. Web site: Kimelman. Adam. Flyers will ride Giroux to Stanley Cup. NHL.com. 19 April 2018. 8 April 2018.
  23. Web site: CBJ acquire Jakub Voracek from Philly in exchange for Cam Atkinson . . 24 July 2021 . 24 July 2021.
  24. Web site: Morreale . Mike G. . Hughes has goal, two assists for Devils in win against Blue Jackets . NHL.com . 6 January 2024 . 6 January 2022.
  25. Web site: Svoboda . Jeff . Voracek in rarefied air by reaching 1,000-game milestone . NHL.com . 6 January 2024 . 5 January 2022.
  26. Web site: Kreda . Allan . Voracek's 1,000th game spoiled as Blue Jackets fall to Devils 3-1 . Bally Sports . 6 January 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221103235604/https://www.ballysports.com/nhl/news/devils-beat-blue-jackets-3-1-for-4th-win-in-5-games . 3 November 2022 . 6 January 2022.
  27. Web site: Johnson . Bailey . 'Very slim' chance Jakub Voracek returns to ice for Columbus Blue Jackets this season . The Columbus Dispatch . 6 January 2024 . 5 December 2022.
  28. Web site: Coyotes Acquire 2023 6th Round Draft Pick From Columbus for Jon Gillies . NHL.com . 3 March 2023 . 2 March 2023.
  29. Web site: Gould . Mike . Arizona Coyotes acquire Jakub Voracek's contract from Columbus Blue Jackets . Daily Faceoff . 6 January 2024 . 2 March 2023.
  30. Web site: Coyotes' Jakub Voracek: Contract traded with career likely over . CBSSports.com . 6 January 2024 . 2 March 2023.
  31. Web site: Arizona Coyotes injuries . puckpedia.com . 6 January 2024.
  32. Web site: Jakub Voracek Injury Updates . CapFriendly . 6 January 2024.
  33. Web site: Jandová . Martina . Voráček ukončil kariéru. Na led už nemůžu, smířil jsem se s tím, říká v exkluzivním rozhovoru . . 23 April 2024 . 23 April 2024 . cs.
  34. Web site: Nolan . Siobhan . Former Flyer Jakub Voracek Retires At Age 34 . The Hockey News . 23 April 2024 . 23 April 2024.
  35. Web site: Jakub Voráček se na Kladno vrací jako mentor. Pomůže hlavně s přesilovkami . rytirikladno.cz . 6 January 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230930210113/https://rytirikladno.cz/clanek.asp?id=Jakub-Voracek-se-na-Kladno-vraci-jako-mentor-Pomuze-hlavne-s-presilovkami-8743 . 30 September 2023 . cs-CZ . 23 September 2023.
  36. Web site: Jakub Voracek Takes Coaching Job with Jaromir Jagr's Kladno Team . Yardbarker . 6 January 2024 . 24 September 2023.
  37. Web site: Čeladník . Jiří . O co tady proboha jde? Miliónový hokejista Voráček jezdil s popeláři . Super.cz . 6 April 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210917222306/https://www.super.cz/507457-o-co-tady-proboha-jde-milionovy-hokejista-voracek-jezdil-s-popelari.html . 17 September 2021 . cs-CZ . 12 June 2017.
  38. Web site: Maňas . Petr . Podruhé tátou! Dva roky tajili lásku, teď Voráček s Markétou čeká dítě! . Blesk sport . 6 April 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210128204055/https://isport.blesk.cz/clanek/blesk-sport/359342/podruhe-tatou-dva-roky-tajili-lasku-ted-voracek-s-marketou-ceka-dite.html . 28 January 2021 . cs-CZ . 27 February 2019.
  39. billmeltzer. 1129087848425119747. Congratulations to @jachobe on the birth of son Matej..
  40. Web site: Ledra . Cristina . Jakub Voracek is 'Born to Run' . NHL.com . 6 January 2024 . 31 August 2016.