Bobby Holík

Robert Holík (born January 1, 1971) is a Czech-American former professional ice hockey center who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). Holík is the son of Jaroslav Holík, a Czechoslovak ice hockey world champion in 1972 and Czech national team head coach who led the under-20 team to world titles in 2000 and 2001. Holík is the current head coach of the Israel men's national ice hockey team.

Bobby Holík
Holík with the Atlanta Thrashers in 2005
Born	(1971-01-01) January 1, 1971 (age 53) Jihlava, Czechoslovakia
Height	6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Weight	240 lb (109 kg; 17 st 2 lb)
Position	Center
Shot	Right
Played for	Dukla Jihlava Hartford Whalers New Jersey Devils New York Rangers Atlanta Thrashers
National team	Czechoslovakia and  Czech Republic
NHL draft	10th overall, 1989 Hartford Whalers
Playing career	1987–2009
Medal record Representing  Czechoslovakia ice hockey World Championships 1990 Switzerland World Junior Championships 1989 United States 1990 Finland European Junior Championships 1988 Czechoslovakia 1989 Soviet Union

Playing career

Holík began his NHL career playing for the Hartford Whalers in 1990 after being selected tenth overall by them in the 1989 NHL Entry Draft. After two seasons with the Whalers, he was traded to the New Jersey Devils where he played for ten seasons, featuring as a member of the "Crash Line" alongside Mike Peluso and Randy McKay, and winning two Stanley Cup championships, in 1995 and 2000.^[1] Prior to the 2002–03 season, as a free agent, Holík signed a five-year, $45 million contract with the New York Rangers.^[2]

In 2005, following the 2004–05 NHL lockout, the Rangers bought out the remainder of Holík's contract, after which he signed with the Atlanta Thrashers.^[3] On October 2, 2007, he was named captain of the Thrashers for the 2007–08 season.

On July 1, 2008, as a free agent, Holík signed a one-year contract with the New Jersey Devils for the 2008–09 season, returning to the team he played ten seasons with.^[4]

On May 23, 2009, following the conclusion of the 2008–09 season, Holík announced his retirement from the NHL. He was 38 when he retired and cited a focus to be with his family.^[5][6] Since 2017, Holík has run a hockey school in Israel and coached their U-18 and U-20 programs.^[7]

Personal life

Holík became an American citizen in a ceremony in Newark, New Jersey, on November 4, 1996. He is married with a daughter, Hannah Marie Holík, born in 1997, and splits his time between Wyoming and Florida.^[8]

Holík's nephew, David Musil, was drafted by the Edmonton Oilers.

Holík is an avid rifle, pistol and shotgun enthusiast. After being introduced to firearms manufacturer CZ-USA's president Alice Poluchová^[9] by shooting instructor Shepard Humphries,^[10] Holík became CZ-USA's celebrity representative.^{[11][12] [13]}

Awards and achievements

• Stanley Cup champion – 1994–95, 1999–2000
• NHL All-Star – 1998, 1999

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1987–88	ASD Dukla Jihlava	CSSR		31	7	11	18	16		—	—	—	—	—
1988–89	ASD Dukla Jihlava	CSSR		24	7	10	17	32		12	3	5	8	—
1989–90	ASD Dukla Jihlava	CSSR		42	15	26	41	—		—	—	—	—	—
1990–91	Hartford Whalers	NHL		78	21	22	43	113		6	0	0	0	7
1991–92	Hartford Whalers	NHL		76	21	24	45	44		7	0	1	1	6
1992–93	New Jersey Devils	NHL		61	20	19	39	76		5	1	1	2	6
1992–93	Utica Devils	AHL		1	0	0	0	2		—	—	—	—	—
1993–94	New Jersey Devils	NHL		70	13	20	33	72		20	0	3	3	6
1994–95	New Jersey Devils	NHL		48	10	10	20	18		20	4	4	8	22
1995–96	New Jersey Devils	NHL		63	13	17	30	58		—	—	—	—	—
1996–97	New Jersey Devils	NHL		82	23	39	62	54		10	2	3	5	4
1997–98	New Jersey Devils	NHL		82	29	36	65	100		5	0	0	0	8
1998–99	New Jersey Devils	NHL		78	27	37	64	119		7	0	7	7	6
1999–2000	New Jersey Devils	NHL		79	23	23	46	106		23	3	7	10	14
2000–01	New Jersey Devils	NHL		80	15	35	50	97		25	6	10	16	37
2001–02	New Jersey Devils	NHL		81	25	29	54	97		6	4	1	5	2
2002–03	New York Rangers	NHL		64	16	19	35	52		—	—	—	—	—
2003–04	New York Rangers	NHL		82	25	31	56	96		—	—	—	—	—
2005–06	Atlanta Thrashers	NHL		64	15	18	33	79		—	—	—	—	—
2006–07	Atlanta Thrashers	NHL		82	11	18	29	86		4	0	1	1	0
2007–08	Atlanta Thrashers	NHL		82	15	19	34	90		—	—	—	—	—
2008–09	New Jersey Devils	NHL		62	4	5	9	66		3	0	1	1	2
CSSR totals				97	29	47	76	48		12	3	5	8	—
NHL totals				1,314	326	421	747	1,421		141	20	39	59	120

International

Year	Team	Event		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1988	Czechoslovakia	EJC		6	5	2	7	2
1989	Czechoslovakia	WJC		7	5	3	8	2
1989	Czechoslovakia	EJC		6	3	11	14	2
1990	Czechoslovakia	WJC		7	6	5	11	12
1990	Czechoslovakia	WC		10	1	5	6	0
1991	Czechoslovakia	WC		10	3	3	6	18
1996	Czech Republic	WCH		3	0	0	0	0
Junior totals				26	19	21	40	18
Senior totals				23	4	8	12	18

See also

• List of NHL players with 1000 games played

References

1. Yannis, Alex (29 April 1999). "HOCKEY; the Devils' Crash Line is Back in Business with a Bit of Help from Brylin". The New York Times.
2. "USATODAY.com - Rangers sign Bobby Holik from rival Devils".
3. "Next step? Thrashers sign Bobby Holik to $12.75 million deal".
4. Everson, Mark (2008-07-01). "Devils ink Holík, Rolston". nypost.com. Retrieved 2009-05-23.
5. Everson, Mark (2009-05-23). "Holík set to retire, focus on family". nypost.com. Retrieved 2009-05-23.
6. "Bobby Holik leaves NHL on his own terms". sportingnews.com. 2009-05-23. Archived from the original on 2012-09-11. Retrieved 2009-05-23.
7. Brooks, Larry (January 13, 2024). "NHL should not stay silent on IIHF decision to ban Israel over safety concerns". New York Post. Retrieved January 13, 2024.
8. Chere, Rich (May 23, 2009). "New Jersey Devils center Bobby Holik decides to retire after 18 seasons". The Star-Ledger.
9. "CZ-USA president Alice Poluchova".
10. "Shepard Humphries".
11. "Gun ranges in the great state of Wyoming". 11 August 2012.
12. http://www.jhnewsandguide.com/article.php?art_id=7893^{[permanent dead link]}
13. . Archived from the original on 2012-03-14. Retrieved 2012-03-27.

External links

• Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Eurohockey.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database

Preceded by Chris Govedaris	Hartford Whalers first round draft pick 1989	Succeeded by Mark Greig
Preceded by Scott Mellanby	Atlanta Thrashers captain 2007–08	Succeeded by Ilya Kovalchuk