Forgotten Canes: Josef Vasicek

In February of 2016 The Carolina Hurricanes honored their 2006 Stanley Cup Winning Team at the PNC Arena, and one player was conspicuous in his absence, and that was the late Josef Vasicek. Vasicek, along with the entire Lokomotiv team was killed in a September 2011 plane crash outside Yaroslavl Russia.
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If one were to look at the career of Josef Vasicek as a whole he would seem to be a bit of a hockey nomad. Drafted 91st overall in the 1998 draft by the Carolina Hurricanes. After another year in juniors with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, Vasicek made the 2000 Hurricanes roster out of training camp and stuck with the team throughout the entire seasons netting 8 goals and helping on 13 others for 21 points in 76 games. Later that season Vasicek got his first taste of playoff hockey, beating Martin Brodeur for his first goal in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. In 2001- 2002 Vasicek was responsible for 31 regular season points (14 goals and 17 assists) in the regular season, adding 5 more points on the way to the Hurricanes miracle run to the 2002 Stanley Cup Final. 
Vasicek would spend two more years as a valuable contributor to the team before the 2004-2005 NHL lockout and Season Cancellation forced him to play in Czechoslovakia for the Slavia Prague.
After the lockout and beginning of the 2006 season, a knee injury would take all but 23 games of his 2005-2006 season in Carolina and 8 games during the teams Stanley Cup Championship Run. Before the 2006-2007 season Vasicek was traded to the Nashville Predators for Scott Walker. Vasicek's absence in Carolina was short-lived, on February 9, 2007 he was traded back to the Hurricanes logging 9 points ( 2 goals and 7 assists) as the team was unable to make the playoffs and defend the cup. This would be the last time Vasicek donned a Hurricanes sweater leaving Raleigh with 316 games played and a total of 178 points ( 56 goals and 122 assists)

Vasicek would spend one more season in the NHL with the New York Islanders before signing on with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. Vasicek would play in Russia until his tragically ended on the plane in 2011. However, in spite of a nomadic career Vasicek will be immortalized forever on Lord Stanley's Cup!
Thanks for reading and Redvolution!

The Caniac Collector


Comments

  1. DeanOctober 11, 2018 at 3:32 PM

    Forever loved. Never forgotten ❤️💔
    https://youtu.be/o66MD0pnXAA

    ReplyDelete

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