Martin Straka

Martin Straka (born on September 3, 1972 in Plzeň) is a retired Czech ice hockey center who is an assistant coach of the Czech National Team. He is also the general manager and franchise owner of his youth team HC Plzeň.

Straka was selected 19th overall in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft by Pittsburgh Penguins.

Club career
Straka began his senior career with TJ Škoda Plzeň (later HC Škoda Plzeň) of the 1. NHL.

In 1992, Straka signed with Pittsburgh Penguins of the NHL and in his first NHL season, Straka scored 16 points in 42 regular season games and another 3 points in 11 play-off games. He also played 4 games for Cleveland Lumberjacks of the IHL.

In the 1993-94 season, Straka recorded 64 points in 84 games in the regular season and 1 point in 6 play-off games.

During the 1994-95 NHL lockout, Straka played for HC Interconnex Plzeň of the Extraliga. Then Straka returned to Pittsburgh. After producing only 4 goals and 16 points in 31 games, Straka was traded to the Ottawa Senators on April 7, 1995 for Norm MacIver and Troy Murray and Straka finished the season with Senators.

The following season, on January 23, 1996, less than a year after being traded to Ottawa, he was traded again. Straka, along with Don Beaupre and former #1 overall pick Bryan Berard was traded to the New York Islanders for Damian Rhodes and Wade Redden. He would be placed on waivers and claimed by the Florida Panthers on March 15, 1996. All in all, in the 1995-96 season, Straka played 43 games for the Senators, 22 games for the Islanders and 12 games for the Panthers.

Straka continued with Panthers in the 1996-97 season recording 29 points in 59 games.

Florida would not re-sign Straka after the 1996–97 season, which made him an unrestricted free agent. He then returned to Pittsburgh beginning in 1997-98.

He would go on to have a career year during the 2000–2001 season for Pittsburgh as he amassed 27 goals and 95 points and establish himself as one of the leagues premiere two-way players due to his explosive speed and on-ice vision. However, the following season his speedy reputation would be called into jeopardy as Straka would suffer a season-ending injury in the form of a broken leg, an injury which would take him years to recover from. On November 30, 2003, in a cost-cutting move, the Penguins would deal Straka to the Los Angeles Kings for Russian prospect Sergei Anshakov and defenceman Martin Štrbák. Straka finished the 2003-04 season with Kings.

During the 2004-05 NHL lockout, Straka played again for HC Lasselsberger Plzeň of the Extraliga.

Straka would later sign as a free agent by the Rangers on August 2, 2005. On January 17, 2007, despite reports that he was considering retirement, Straka signed a one-year contract extension for the 2007–08 season.

On February 16, 2008 in a game against the Buffalo Sabres, Straka assisted on a goal to record his 700th NHL point.

After the 2007-08 season, Straka moved back to Europe to sign with HC Lasselsberger Plzeň (later HC Plzeň 1929 and even later HC Plzeň) and he eventually became the captain of the team. Straka retired there after the 2013-14 season.

International career
As a junior, Straka played for Czechoslovak National Team at the 1990 European U18 Championship and at the 1991 and 1992 World Junior Championship s.

After the dissolution of Czechoslovakia, Straka participated as a member of the Czech National Team at the 1994 World Championship and at the 1996 World Cup of Hockey.

He was a part of the gold medal-winning Olympic team at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano.

Later, Straka participated at the 2003 World Championship and at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey. Also in 2004, Straka led the Czech Republic as the captain at the 2004 World Championship in Prague.

One year later, Straka won the gold medal at the 2005 World Championship.

In 2006, Straka played at the 2006 Olympics where the Czech Republic received the bronze medal.