Karel Rachůnek
Karel Rachůnek | |
|---|---|
| Born | 27 August 1979 Czech Republic |
| Died | 7 September 2011 (aged 32) |
| Occupation | Professional ice hockey player |
| Known for | Captain of Lokomotiv Yaroslavl; NHL and KHL player |
Karel Rachůnek (, born August 27, 1979 – died September 7, 2011) was a professional ice hockey player from the Czech Republic. He served as captain for Lokomotiv Yaroslavl in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) until the team tragically perished in the 2011 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl plane crash. Rachůnek’s career included eight seasons in the North American National Hockey League (NHL), having been selected 229th overall by the Ottawa Senators in the 1997 draft. His brothers, Ivan and Tomáš Rachůnek, were also professional hockey players.
Early career
Rachůnek launched his hockey journey with AC ZPS Zlín Jr. competing in the Czech Junior League from 1995 through 1997. His performance evolved from recording eight goals and 19 points in his initial season to tallying three goals and 12 points in his subsequent year. After being drafted by Ottawa in 1997, he joined HC Zlín of the Czech Extraliga for the 1997–98 campaign, where he consistently contributed over two seasons and played a role in guiding the team to playoff appearances.
Ottawa Senators
His North American debut came with the Grand Rapids Griffins (IHL), Ottawa’s primary affiliate, during the 1999–2000 season. There, he amassed six goals and 26 points across 62 games and also participated in six NHL contests that same season.
In the following year, 2000–01, Rachůnek earned a permanent spot on Ottawa’s roster, appearing in 71 games while scoring three goals and accumulating 33 points. He averaged nearly 21 minutes per game and supported the Senators throughout their playoff campaign. However, injuries restricted him to 51 games in 2001–02, during which he managed three goals and 18 points but was sidelined from postseason play.
A contract disagreement delayed his start to the 2002–03 season, prompting him to play nine games for Lokomotiv Yaroslavl in the Russian Superleague, where he netted three goals. After re-signing with Ottawa in November, he completed the season with four goals and 29 points over 58 games, contributing one goal and four points in 17 playoff matches. During this period, he also briefly joined the AHL’s Binghamton Senators.
In the 2003–04 season, Rachůnek featured in 60 games for Ottawa, recording one goal and 17 points before being traded on March 9, 2004. He was sent alongside Alexandre Giroux to the New York Rangers in exchange for Greg de Vries.
New York Rangers
Rachůnek wrapped up the 2003–04 campaign with the New York Rangers, making his debut on March 12, 2004, against the Tampa Bay Lightning. He scored his inaugural goal for New York on March 25, 2004, against goaltender Tomáš Vokoun of the Nashville Predators. He concluded that season having played in 12 games with one goal and four points.
Orli Znojmo
During the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Rachůnek signed with Orli Znojmo of the Czech Extraliga on September 6, 2004. Over the course of 21 games, he contributed five goals and totaled eleven points before becoming a free agent at the end of October.
Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
On November 15, 2004, Rachůnek made a return to Lokomotiv Yaroslavl competing in the Russian Superleague (RSL), where he had previously played during the 2002–03 season. He finished the remainder of the 2004–05 season with six goals and fourteen points across twenty-seven games and added two goals during nine playoff appearances. Choosing to continue with Lokomotiv for the following year (2005–06), he posted eleven goals and twenty-seven points over forty-five games but did not register any points during two playoff games while accruing a notable number of penalty minutes.
Return to New York Rangers
Rachůnek returned to the New York Rangers for the 2006–07 campaign. Throughout 66 appearances, he contributed 6 goals and amassed 26 points, playing a key role in the team’s progression to the playoffs. In the postseason, he recorded four assists over six games before entering free agency.
New Jersey Devils
On July 3, 2007, Rachůnek inked a contract with the New Jersey Devils for the 2007–08 season. He made his debut on October 4, 2007, and registered his first point with an assist against his previous team, the Ottawa Senators. His inaugural goal for New Jersey was scored on November 17, 2007, against Martin Biron of the Philadelphia Flyers. Due to injuries, he was limited to 49 games, tallying 4 goals and 13 points before once again becoming a free agent.
Dynamo Moscow
Rachůnek signed with HC Dynamo Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) on August 31, 2008. During the 2008–09 KHL season, he posted 9 goals and 32 points in 50 games and added four goals along with eight points across 12 playoff contests.
He continued with Dynamo Moscow in the 2009–10 KHL season, delivering 10 goals and 27 points in 52 regular-season games while helping secure a playoff berth. However, he did not register any points in four postseason matches.
Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
For the 2010–11 KHL season, Rachůnek re-signed with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, where he contributed 11 goals and accumulated 46 points over 50 games as the team led the Tarasov Division. In the playoffs, he added eight goals and totaled 13 points in 18 games.
He remained part of Lokomotiv Yaroslavl for the 2011–12 KHL season until his untimely death on September 7, 2011, in the 2011 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl plane crash.
International play
Rachůnek represented the Czech Republic national ice hockey team at various international competitions. At the 1999 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, he scored one goal and accumulated four points over six games. During the 2009 IIHF World Championship, he contributed four assists in seven contests.
At the 2010 IIHF World Championship, Rachůnek tallied two goals—including a pivotal game-tying goal moments before overtime in the semifinal—and totaled four points across nine matches, aiding in securing the gold medal. He also assisted on the decisive goal in the final. In the 2011 IIHF World Championship, he recorded one goal and three points over nine games, helping Czech Republic earn the bronze medal.
Death
Shortly after celebrating his 32nd birthday on September 7, 2011, Rachůnek perished in the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl plane accident that claimed all team members aboard. The team was traveling to their 2011–12 KHL season opener in Minsk when their Yak-42 aircraft failed to attain sufficient altitude after takeoff, collided with a pylon, and crashed near Yaroslavl. This tragedy profoundly affected Lokomotiv Yaroslavl and sent shockwaves throughout the KHL community.
Regular season and playoffs
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| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1995–96 | AC ZPS Zlín | CZE U18 | 38 | 8 | 11 | 19 | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1996–97 | HC ZPS-Barum Zlín | CZE U20 | 27 | 2 | 11 | 13 | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1997–98 | HC ZPS-Barum Zlín | ELH | 28 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1997–98 | IHC Prostějov | CZE.2 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998–99 | HC ZPS-Barum Zlín | ELH | 39 | 3 | 9 | 12 | 88 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999–00 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999–00 | Grand Rapids Griffins | IHL | 62 | 6 | 20 | 26 | 64 | 9 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000–01 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 71 | 3 | 30 | 33 | 60 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2001–02 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 51 | 3 | 15 | 18 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2002–03 | Lokomotiv Yaroslavl | RSL | 9 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2002–03 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 58 | 4 | 25 | 29 | 30 | 17 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 14 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2002–03 | Binghamton Senators | AHL | 6 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 10 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003–04 | Ottawa Senators | "NHL" | "60" | 1 | 16 | 17 | 29 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| "New York Rangers"|"NHL"|"12" | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| HC JME Znojemští Orli|"ELH"|21 | 5 | 6 | 11 | - bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | Lokomotiv Yaroslavl|"RSL"|27 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 2 | - | Lokomotiv Yaroslavl|"RSL"|45 | 11 | 26 | 27 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | New York Rangers|"NHL"|66 | 6 | 20 | 26 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 4 | - | New Jersey Devils|"NHL"|47 | 4 | 9 | 13 | - bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | HC Dynamo Moscow|"KHL"|50 | 9 | 23 | 32 | 12 | 4 | 4 | 8 | - | Dynamo Moscow|"KHL"|52 | 10 | 17 | 27 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |- bgcolor="#f0f0f0" | Lokomotiv Yaroslavl|"KHL"|50 | 11 | 35 | 46 | 99 |18 | 8 | 5 | 13 | 10 |- bgcolor="#e0e0e0" | NHL totals !371 | 22 | 118 | 140 | 227 !26 | 1 | 7 | 8 | - bgcolor="#e0e0e0" | KHL totals !152 | 30 | 75 | 105 | 258 !34 | 12 | 9 | 21 | }
International
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