Jiří Sekáč Explained

Jiří Sekáč
Birth Date:10 June 1992
Birth Place:Kladno, Czechoslovakia
Height Ft:6
Height In:1
Weight Lb:185
Position:Left wing
Shoots:Left
League:NL
Team:HC Lugano
Former Teams:HC Lev Poprad
HC Sparta Praha
HC Lev Praha
Montreal Canadiens
Anaheim Ducks
Chicago Blackhawks
Arizona Coyotes
Ak Bars Kazan
HC CSKA Moscow
Avangard Omsk
Lausanne HC
Ntl Team:CZE
Draft:Undrafted
Career Start:2011

Jiří Sekáč (born 10 June 1992) is a Czech professional ice hockey player for HC Lugano of the National League (NL). Originally undrafted by teams in the National Hockey League (NHL), Sekáč has previously played for the Montreal Canadiens, Anaheim Ducks, Chicago Blackhawks, and Arizona Coyotes.

Playing career

As a youth, Sekáč played in the 2005 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a team from Chomutov.[1]

Sekáč later played with HC Lev Praha in the Kontinental Hockey League and HC Sparta Praha in the Czech Extraliga. On 1 July 2014 Sekáč signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Canadiens worth $1,850,000.[2] In his first North American season in 2014–15 he scored his first NHL goal on 16 October 2014 against Tuukka Rask of the Boston Bruins.[3]

On 13 January 2015 Sekáč was invited to the 2015 Honda NHL All-Star Skills Competition as a replacement for Los Angeles Kings' forward Tanner Pearson.[4] Known for his skating speed, he was drafted by Team Foligno, along with Canadiens' teammate Carey Price, and participated in the Bridgestone NHL Fastest Skater race, beating Aaron Ekblad with a time of 13.683s, making him the 6th fastest of the event.[5]

After 50 games with the Canadiens on 24 February 2015 he was traded to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for Devante Smith-Pelly.[6]

In the following 2015–16 season, Sekáč was unable to secure a regular forward role and appeared in 22 games for 3 points with the Ducks before he was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for Ryan Garbutt on 21 January 2016.[7] Sekáč was used sparingly in 6 games with the Blackhawks registering one assist before being placed on waivers and claimed by the Arizona Coyotes on 27 February 2016.[8] Sekac closed out the season with the Coyotes, appearing 11 games for two assists.

On 6 June 2016 Sekáč headed back to Europe and signed a one-year deal with Ak Bars Kazan in a return to the Kontinental Hockey League.[9]

On 1 May 2019, after three productive seasons with Ak Bars, Sekáč was traded to reigning champions HC CSKA Moscow in exchange for Igor Ozhiganov's KHL rights.[10] He registered 25 points in 45 regular season games, before ending his season through injury.

A free agent from CSKA, Sekáč continued his career in the KHL, agreeing to a one-year contract with Avangard Omsk on 16 July 2020.[11]

On 28 July 2021, Sekáč joined Lausanne HC of the National League (NL) on a three-year deal through the end of the 2023–24 season.[12]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Team League GP GP G A Pts PIM
2007–08HC GEUS OKNA KladnoCZE U184569158
2008–09HC GEUS OKNA KladnoCZE U18463849874853366
2009–10Peterborough PetesOHL80000
2009–10Youngstown PhantomsUSHL38291135
2010–11Youngstown PhantomsUSHL5818274527
2011–12Tatranskí VlciMHL6821022
2011–12HC Lev PopradKHL3628104
2012–13HC Sparta PrahaELH2146108
2012–13HC Lev PrahaKHL2601183 0 0 0 0
2013–14HC Lev PrahaKHL4711172818211 7 8 24
2014–15Montreal CanadiensNHL50791618
2014–15Anaheim DucksNHL192574 70 0 0 2
2015–16Anaheim DucksNHL221234
2015–16San Diego GullsAHL11010
2015–16Chicago BlackhawksNHL60112
2015–16Arizona CoyotesNHL1102210
2016–17Ak Bars KazanKHL471314274115 6 4 10 2
2017–18Ak Bars KazanKHL501626421615 49 13 2
2018–19Ak Bars KazanKHL60232447164 1 0 1 2
2019–20CSKA MoscowKHL4512132512
2020–21Avangard OmskKHL34101121226 2 0 2 0
2021–22Lausanne HCNL501927462484266
2022–23Lausanne HCNL4315173224
2023–24Lausanne HCNL43817257019651141
KHL totals345871142011376414203430
NHL totals1081019293870 0 0 2

International

YearTeamEventResultGPGAPtsPIM
2009Czech RepublicIH185th1
2010Czech RepublicWJC186th64042
2012Czech RepublicWJC5th60332
2014Czech RepublicWC4th102024
2018Czech RepublicOG4th50112
2021Czech RepublicWC7th50222
Junior totals124374
Senior totals202358

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA. 2018. Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. 2019-02-16. 2019-03-06. https://web.archive.org/web/20190306085544/https://www.publicationsports.com/ressources/files/439/Joueurs_Pro.pdf. dead.
  2. Web site: Canadiens sign Czech forward Jiri Sekac. . 2014-07-01 . 2014-07-01.
  3. Web site: Jiri Sekac scores 1st NHL goal, dad goes nuts . CBC Sports . 2015-01-17.
  4. Web site: Canadiens' Sekac to join rookies at All-Star Weekend . NHL.com . 2015-01-13 . 2015-01-13.
  5. Web site: 2015 Honda NHL All-Star Skills Competition results . NHL.com . 2015-01-24 . 2015-01-25.
  6. Web site: Habs acquire Smith-Pelly from Ducks . . 2015-02-24 . 2015-02-24.
  7. Web site: Jiri Sekac traded to the Chicago Blackhawks . . 2016-01-21 . 2016-01-21.
  8. Web site: Arizona Coyotes claim Jiri Sekac of waivers from Blackhawks . . 2016-02-27 . 2016-02-27.
  9. Web site: Jiri Sekac Signs Deal With Ak Bars Kazan in KHL. 2016-06-06. The Hockey Writers. en-US. 2016-06-07.
  10. Web site: CSKA make trade with Ak Bars . . 1 May 2019 . 1 May 2019 . Russian.
  11. Web site: Avangard Omsk sign a contract with Jiri Sekac . . 16 July 2020 . 16 July 2020 . Russian.
  12. Web site: Lausanne HC signs forward Jiri Sekac to three-year deal . swisshockeynews.ch . 28 July 2021 . 28 July 2021.
  13. Web site: Ak Bars wins the Gagarin Cup . . 2018-04-22 . 2018-04-22.
  14. Web site: Avangard is crowned 2021 Gagarin Cup Champions . . 29 April 2021 . 29 April 2021 . Russian .