Martin Erat

Martin Erat (Born August 28, 1981, in Třebíč, Czech Republic), is a professional ice hockey player.

Overview
Martin Erat was selected 191st overall, in the 7th round of the 1999 NHL Entry Draft. He was selected as the 12th choice of the Nashville Predators.

Erat made a splash in his NHL rookie year 2001-2002 as a member of the "Vowel line" which consisted himself on left wing, Vladimir Orszagh on right wing, and Denis Arkhipov at center. That year he set a Nashville rookie record for games played (80), assists (23), and points (32).

His first National Hockey League point was a game winning goal against the Calgary Flames on October 11, 2001. His first NHL playoff point was an assist in the 2004 Western Conference Quarterfinals in a 2-1 loss to the Detroit Red Wings on January 19, 2004.

Erat struggled during his sophomore season 2002-2003 and spent the majority of the season with the Predator's minor league affiliate the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey League.

He came roaring back however in his third season 2003-2004. He had career highs with goals (16), assists (33), and points (49). He also ranked second on the team with a +10 rating.

During the 2004-05 NHL lockout Erat played for HC Zlín of the Czech Extraliga, where he finished eighth in the league in scoring, with 20 goals and 23 assists in 48 games.

In 2005-06, Erat scored a career high 20 goals in his fourth season with the Nashville Predators, while once again tallying 49 points. He also played for the Czech National Team at the Olympics in Torino, where he helped the team secure a bronze medal.

During the 2006-07 season, Erat emerged as a legitimate first line player, tallying 57 points in only 68 games. Most often, Erat teamed with Paul Kariya and David Legwand to form the team's top unit. Erat missed the final 5 weeks of the season with a torn MCL.

He is also known for his Paul Kariya-like wrist shot.

Awards

 * Named the WHL Eastern Conference Player of the Month for November, 2000.
 * Named the WHL Player of the Week for November 13-19, 2000.

Records

 * Games played by a Nashville Predators rookie - 80
 * Assists by a Nashville Predators rookie - 24
 * Points by a Nashville Predators rookie - 33

International play
Erat played for the Czech Republic at the World Junior Championships in 2001. He helped the team to win the gold medal. In 2006, Erat played for the Bronze Medal Czech National Team at the Torino Olympics. In the same year, Erat was a member of silver team from IIHF World Championships in Riga, Latvia.