Jan Kovář

Jan Kovář (born on March 20, 1990 in Písek) is a Czech professional ice hockey center. He is currently playing with the EV Zug of the NLA.

His brother is Jakub Kovář.

Club career
Kovář played junior hockey with the HC Plzeň (later HC Plzeň 1929) organisation. He made his senior debut in the 2008-09 season when he played 44 regular season games and 17 play-off games with the HC Lasselsberger Plzeň of the O2 Extraliga, 4 games on loan with the HC Klatovy of the 2. Liga and 13 games with the HC Plzeň under-20 team.

In the 2009-10 season, Kovář played 4 games with the HC Plzeň 1929 under-20 team, 38 regular season games and 6 play-off games with the HC Plzeň 1929 (formerly HC Lasselsberger Plzeň) of the O2 Extraliga and 2 play-off games on loan with the KLH Chomutov of the 1. Liga. In this season, he became the 1. Liga champion with the KLH Chomutov and was also the junior who scored most points (13) in the O2 Extraliga.

In the next season played Kovář 50 regular season games and 4 play-off games with the HC Plzeň 1929 of the Tipsport Extraliga (formerly O2 Extraliga) and 6 play-off games and 5 Tipsport Extraliga qualification games with the HC Slovan Ústečtí Lvi of the 1. Liga. In this season, Kovář became the 1. Liga champion again.

In the 2011-12 season appeared Kovář in all 52 regular season games and 12 play-off games with the HC Plzeň 1929 of the Tipsport Extraliga and in 1 play-off game and 1 Tipsport Extraliga qualification game on loan with the Piráti Chomutov (formerly KLH Chomutov) of the 1. Liga. In this season became Kovář the 1. Liga champion for the third time in a row and gained the promotion to the Tipsport Extraliga with the Piráti Chomutov.

In the 2012-13 season played Kovář only with the HC Plzeň (formerly HC Plzeň 1929) of the Tipsport Extraliga. In this season, Kovář became the Tipsport Extraliga champion and was named the Tipsport Extraliga Player of the Year and the Tipsport Extraliga Play-offs MVP as he was the player with the best plus/minus (+12) in the play-offs and the player with most goals scored (11) in the play-offs, most assists recorded (15) in the play-offs and most points scored (26) in the play-offs.

In 2013 - 2018 played Kovář with the Metallurg Magnitogorsk of the KHL. In the 2013-14 season, Kovář became the KHL Gagarin Cup champion and played at the KHL All-Star Game as he was the player with the best plus/minus (+46) in the KHL, most assists recorded (45) and the foreigner with most points (68) scored. In the 2014-15 season, he was again the KHL foreigner with most points scored (68) and was named the KHL Forward of the Week on December 14, 2014. In the 2015-16 season became Kovář again the KHL Gagarin Cup champion, played at the KHL All-Star Game and was selected into the KHL First All-Star Team and was the player with most assists recorded (15) in the play-offs. In the 2016-17 season, Kovář was selected into the KHL First All-Star Team, played at the KHL All-Star Game, was named the KHL Forward of the Week on October 2, 2016, won the KHL Iron Man Award and was the player who scored most points (25) in the KHL play-offs.

In the 2018-19 season tried Kovář his luck in North America and signed with the Boston Bruins organisation. After 12 games played with the Providence Bruins of the AHL and after he was not able to push himself into the NHL, he terminated the contract and moved to the HC Plzeň of the Tipsport Extraliga where he finished the season with 28 regular season games and 14 play-off games played.

Since 2019 is Kovář playing with the EV Zug of the NL. In the 2020-21 season, Kovář became the NL champion, was selected into the NL Media All-Star Team and was named the NL Media Best Forward and the NL Media Most Valuable Player as he was the player who recorded most assists (47), most assists in the play-offs (14), most points (63) and most points in the play-offs (15) in the NL. He is currently signed there until the end of the 2022-23 season.

International career
Kovář played with the Czech National Team at the 2008 World U18 Championship Division I (winning there gold), 2010 Wolrd Junior Championship, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2019 World Championship s and at the 2018 Olympics.