Martin Prusek

Martin Prusek
Born (1975-12-11) December 11, 1975
Height 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight 171 lb (78 kg; 12 st 3 lb)
Position Goaltender
Caught Left
Played for HC Vitkovice
Ottawa Senators
HC Znojemsti Orli
Columbus Blue Jackets
SKA Saint Petersburg
HC Spartak Moscow
Dinamo Riga
HC Olomouc
National team  Czech Republic
NHL draft 164th overall, 1999
Ottawa Senators
Playing career 1994–2011

Martin Prusek (born December 11, 1975) is a Czech ice hockey coach and former professional ice hockey goaltender. During his playing career, Prusek appeared in 57 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Ottawa Senators and Columbus Blue Jackets. Prusek currently serves as the goaltending coach for HC Vítkovice Steel of the Czech Extraliga.

Playing career

Martin Prusek started his professional ice hockey career in 1994 when he joined HC Vitkovice of the Czech Extraliga. After playing there for five seasons, Prusek was drafted by the Ottawa Senators in the sixth round of the 1999 NHL entry draft with the 164th overall pick. He signed a multi-year contract with Ottawa in 2001 and made his North American debut with the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League during the 2001–02 season.[1] He also made his NHL debut that same season, appearing in one game with the Senators.

Prusek appeared in 47 games with the Senators over the following two seasons, compiling a record of 28–8–4. During the 2004–05 NHL lockout, he returned to the Czech Republic to play for Vitkovice and HC JME Znojemští Orli. He came back to North America for the 2005–06 season, joining the Columbus Blue Jackets.[2] After spending most of the 2005–06 season with the Blue Jackets AHL affiliate Syracuse Crunch, Prusek left North America and joined SKA Saint Petersburg in the Russian Super League. During 2007–08, he rejoined HC Vitkovice in the Czech Extraliga. In 2008-09 Prusek played in Kontinental Hockey League and after a brief contract with HC Spartak Moscow, he joined Dinamo Riga for 2 seasons. After the 2009-10 season, Prusek once again rejoined HC Vítkovice Steel. Although he suffered from carditis and played just in 2 Extraliga games during all the 2010-11 season, he reached a silver medal.

In summer 2011, he stepped into HC Vítkovice Steel pre-season players' camp, but on July 26 he announced his retirement decision and also he accepted the club's offer for the position of goaltender coach.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GPWLTOTLMINGASOGAASV% GPWLMINGASOGAASV%
1995–96 HC Vítkovice ELH 40————233611312.90.911 4——2501012.40.935
1996–97 HC Vítkovice ELH 49————284110982.30.921 9——5461912.09.935
1997–98 HC Vítkovice ELH 50————290112902.67.948 9——5292612.95.910
1998–99 HC Vítkovice ELH 37————19058502.68.917 4——2501202.88.923
1999–00 HC Vítkovice ELH 50————264713202.99.911 ————————
2000–01 HC Vítkovice ELH 30————16796402.29.924 9——4602503.26.919
2001–02 Grand Rapids Griffins AHL 331885—19035841.83.930 5232781002.16.896
2001–02 Ottawa Senators NHL 1010—62302.90.800 ————————
2002–03 Ottawa Senators NHL 181221—9353702.37.911 ————————
2002–03 Binghamton Senators AHL 4121—243711.73.925 ————————
2003–04 Ottawa Senators NHL 291663—15285432.12.917 10040101.50.933
2004–05 HC Vítkovice ELH 14————6722802.50.931 ————————
2004–05 HC Znojemsti Orli Znojmo ELH 8————4531802.38.932 ————————
2005–06 Syracuse Crunch AHL 23127—112036022.99.911 ————————
2005-06 Columbus Blue Jackets NHL 933—03732003.22.879 ————————
2006–07 SKA St. Petersburg RSL 22————11615232.69— ————————
2007–08 HC Vítkovice ELH 431726—0236610632.69.932 ————————
2008–09 Spartak Moscow KHL 2289—412806423.00.879 ————————
2008–09 Dynamo Riga KHL 20106—211643361.70.941 3031671304.67.859
2009–10 Dynamo Riga KHL 28715—214777703.13.903 413210902.57.921
2010–11 HC Vítkovice ELH 2————106402.26.923 ————————
NHL totals 57311240289811432.36.909 10040101.50.933

Awards

International achievements

Martin Prusek's first international team game was the game against Russia on 17 December 1995, in Moscow.

Year Total
Ice Hockey World ChampionshipsWC 1997 3rd place, bronze medalist(s)
WC 1998 3rd place, bronze medalist(s)
WC 1999 1st place, gold medalist(s)
WC 2009 6th place
4x

References

  1. ↑ "SENATORS SIGN GOALTENDER MARTIN PRUSEK". Ottawa Senators. July 23, 2001. Archived from the original on November 22, 2001. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
  2. ↑ "BLUE JACKETS SIGN GOALTENDER MARTIN PRUSEK". Columbus Blue Jackets. August 4, 2005. Archived from the original on August 6, 2005. Retrieved December 10, 2023.