Martin Straka

Martin Straka (born September 3 1972 in Plzeň, Czechoslovakia) is a player in the National Hockey League. He currently plays forward for the New York Rangers, where he frequently has been on the top line with fellow Czech forward Jaromir Jagr.

Career History

[NHL] Drafted in 1992 by the Pittsburgh Penguins. Now A veteran of 12 NHL seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins, Ottawa Senators, New York Islanders, Florida Panthers, and Los Angeles Kings, has skated in 730 career NHL games, registering 192 goals and 338 assists for 530 points, along with 272 penalty minutes ... As a member of the Pittsburgh organization, recorded 165 goals and 277 assists for 442 points, along with 215 penalty minutes in 560 contests ... best professional season came in 2000-01 with the Penguins, when he charted career highs in games played (82), assists (68), points (95) and penalty minutes (38) ... In 1998-99, tallied a career-high 35 goals and represented the Penguins at the 1999 NHL All-Star Game ... Has also appeared in 82 career playoff contests with the Penguins and Panthers, registering 21 goals and 29 assists for 50 points, along with 32 penalty minutes ... Was a key member of Pittsburgh’s team that went to the Eastern Conference Semifinals in 2001, appearing in 18 post-season contests and registering five goals and eight assists for 13 points ... During the 1996 Stanley Cup Playoffs, he skated in 13 of Florida’s 22 playoff games en route to the Stanley Cup Finals, tallying two goals in the Eastern Conference Finals versus Pittsburgh.

[INTERNATIONAL] Represented the Czech Republic in several tournaments over his career ... Appeared in six games during the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, registering one goal and two assists, en route to capturing the gold medal ... At the 2005 World Championships in Austria, registered three goals and one assist in nine contests, helping lead the team to a gold medal finish ... Participated in both the 1996 and 2004 World Cup of Hockey, and skated in the World Junior Championships in 1991 (bronze medal) and two additional World Hockey Championships (2003, 2004).