From Cradle to Cup will be a series running throughout July 2013
looking back at players on the 2013 Chicago Blackhawks roster for their
Stanley Cup-winning campaign. Part 9 takes a look at defenseman Michal Rozsival.
Michal Rozsival was born on September 3rd, 1978, in Vlasim, Czechoslovakia. Rozsival began his hockey career at age sixteen in the Czech Junior league with HC Dukla Jihlava, scoring eight goals and adding thirteen assists in thirty-one games during the 1994-1995 season. He was promoted to the parent team for 1995-1996, but had only three goals and four assists in thirty-six games, and then appeared for the Czech Republic in the European Junior Championship in the U18 division. Rozsival's play still attracted the attention of the Pittsburgh Penguins, who selected him in the fourth round of the 1996 NHL Entry Draft. He came to North America in 1996-1997, and joined up with the Swift Current Broncos of the Western Hockey League. Here he blossomed to a line of eight goals and thirty-one assists in sixty-three games. Rozsival remained with the Broncos for the 1997-1998 season as well, appearing in seventy-one games while scoring fourteen goals and supplying fifty-five assists. In 1998-1999, Rozsival joined the Penguins' then-American Hockey League affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch, making forty-nine appearances and potting three goals with twenty-five assists. Rozsival finally made it to the NHL in the 1999-2000 season, playing in seventy-five games for the Penguins, posting a line of four goals and seventeen assists, and then going pointless in two playoff games. The Penguins were not as interested in his services in 2000-2001, having him appear in thirty games at the NHL level with scoring totaling one goal and five assists before being sent to their new AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins to play in twenty-nine games, with a line of eight goals and eight assists. Rozsival rejoined Pittsburgh in 2001-2002, playing in seventy-nine games, while knocking in nine goals and serving out twenty assists. Rozsival struggled to stay in the lineup in 2002-2003, playing in only fifty-three games that season, and scoring just four goals and six assists. He was looking to rebound in 2003-2004, but had a severe knee injury in training camp and missed the entire season for the NHL and only playing in one AHL game. Making matters worse was the NHL lockout that cancelled the 2004-2005 season, leaving Rozsival with no choice but to play at home in the Czech Republic. He began the campaign with Ocelari Trinic of the Czech Extraliga, playing in thirty-five games with only one goal and ten assists before signing as a free agent with Pardubice, where he played in sixteen more games in the regular season to the tune of one goal and three assists, followed by sixteen playoff games in which he recorded one goal and two assists. Finally, once the lockout was over, Rozsival returned to the NHL on a two-year contract with the New York Rangers. Any questions of his durability were erased when he played in all eighty-two games during the 2005-2006 season, scoring five goals and dishing out twenty-five assists. He then played in four games in the playoffs, with one assist. In his walk year of 2006-2007, Rozsival gave the Rangers reason to keep him, scoring ten goals and thirty assists in eighty games, followed by three goals and four assists in the playoffs. New York re-signed Rozsival to a four-year contract worth $24 million after the season, and then posted thirteen goals and twenty-five assists in 2007-2008, as well as one goal and five assists in the postseason. Rozsival was selected to play for the Czech Republic in the World Championships in 2008, and appeared in four games but scored no points. Rozsival's numbers slipped in 2008-2009 when he scored eight goals and twenty-two assists in seventy-six regular season games before being kept off the scoresheet completely in seven playoff games. Rozsival continued his decline in 2009-2010, posting only three goals and twenty assists while playing in every game. Rozsival again played for the Czech Republic in the 2010 World Championships, supplying two assists in nine games as the Czechs won the gold medal. Entering the final year of his contract with the Rangers in 2010-2011, Rozsival scored three goals and twelve assists in thirty-two games before being traded for the first time in his career to the Phoenix Coyotes in exchange for Wojtek Wolski. Rozsival closed out the season with just three goals and three assists for Phoenix, and went pointless in only four playoff games. The Coyotes resigned Rozsival to a one-year contract, and he appeared in only fifty-four games in 2011-2012, scoring one goal and passing twelve assists, and then going pointless in fifteen postseason games. Rozsival did not play during the lockout in 2012, but was signed as a free agent by the Chicago Blackhawks for 2013, playing in twenty-seven games during the shortened season and registering twelve assists. He was deemed a vital part of the strong Blackhawks defense, and lived up to the role in the playoffs, playing in twenty-three games and scoring four assists, including one on the goal that ended the triple-overtime in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals. Five games later, Rozsival's long quest to hoist the Stanley Cup came to a successful end as the Blackhawks won the series over the Boston Bruins. Rozsival was rewarded with another one-year contract from the Blackhawks on July 5th, 2013.
Michal Rozsival was born on September 3rd, 1978, in Vlasim, Czechoslovakia. Rozsival began his hockey career at age sixteen in the Czech Junior league with HC Dukla Jihlava, scoring eight goals and adding thirteen assists in thirty-one games during the 1994-1995 season. He was promoted to the parent team for 1995-1996, but had only three goals and four assists in thirty-six games, and then appeared for the Czech Republic in the European Junior Championship in the U18 division. Rozsival's play still attracted the attention of the Pittsburgh Penguins, who selected him in the fourth round of the 1996 NHL Entry Draft. He came to North America in 1996-1997, and joined up with the Swift Current Broncos of the Western Hockey League. Here he blossomed to a line of eight goals and thirty-one assists in sixty-three games. Rozsival remained with the Broncos for the 1997-1998 season as well, appearing in seventy-one games while scoring fourteen goals and supplying fifty-five assists. In 1998-1999, Rozsival joined the Penguins' then-American Hockey League affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch, making forty-nine appearances and potting three goals with twenty-five assists. Rozsival finally made it to the NHL in the 1999-2000 season, playing in seventy-five games for the Penguins, posting a line of four goals and seventeen assists, and then going pointless in two playoff games. The Penguins were not as interested in his services in 2000-2001, having him appear in thirty games at the NHL level with scoring totaling one goal and five assists before being sent to their new AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins to play in twenty-nine games, with a line of eight goals and eight assists. Rozsival rejoined Pittsburgh in 2001-2002, playing in seventy-nine games, while knocking in nine goals and serving out twenty assists. Rozsival struggled to stay in the lineup in 2002-2003, playing in only fifty-three games that season, and scoring just four goals and six assists. He was looking to rebound in 2003-2004, but had a severe knee injury in training camp and missed the entire season for the NHL and only playing in one AHL game. Making matters worse was the NHL lockout that cancelled the 2004-2005 season, leaving Rozsival with no choice but to play at home in the Czech Republic. He began the campaign with Ocelari Trinic of the Czech Extraliga, playing in thirty-five games with only one goal and ten assists before signing as a free agent with Pardubice, where he played in sixteen more games in the regular season to the tune of one goal and three assists, followed by sixteen playoff games in which he recorded one goal and two assists. Finally, once the lockout was over, Rozsival returned to the NHL on a two-year contract with the New York Rangers. Any questions of his durability were erased when he played in all eighty-two games during the 2005-2006 season, scoring five goals and dishing out twenty-five assists. He then played in four games in the playoffs, with one assist. In his walk year of 2006-2007, Rozsival gave the Rangers reason to keep him, scoring ten goals and thirty assists in eighty games, followed by three goals and four assists in the playoffs. New York re-signed Rozsival to a four-year contract worth $24 million after the season, and then posted thirteen goals and twenty-five assists in 2007-2008, as well as one goal and five assists in the postseason. Rozsival was selected to play for the Czech Republic in the World Championships in 2008, and appeared in four games but scored no points. Rozsival's numbers slipped in 2008-2009 when he scored eight goals and twenty-two assists in seventy-six regular season games before being kept off the scoresheet completely in seven playoff games. Rozsival continued his decline in 2009-2010, posting only three goals and twenty assists while playing in every game. Rozsival again played for the Czech Republic in the 2010 World Championships, supplying two assists in nine games as the Czechs won the gold medal. Entering the final year of his contract with the Rangers in 2010-2011, Rozsival scored three goals and twelve assists in thirty-two games before being traded for the first time in his career to the Phoenix Coyotes in exchange for Wojtek Wolski. Rozsival closed out the season with just three goals and three assists for Phoenix, and went pointless in only four playoff games. The Coyotes resigned Rozsival to a one-year contract, and he appeared in only fifty-four games in 2011-2012, scoring one goal and passing twelve assists, and then going pointless in fifteen postseason games. Rozsival did not play during the lockout in 2012, but was signed as a free agent by the Chicago Blackhawks for 2013, playing in twenty-seven games during the shortened season and registering twelve assists. He was deemed a vital part of the strong Blackhawks defense, and lived up to the role in the playoffs, playing in twenty-three games and scoring four assists, including one on the goal that ended the triple-overtime in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals. Five games later, Rozsival's long quest to hoist the Stanley Cup came to a successful end as the Blackhawks won the series over the Boston Bruins. Rozsival was rewarded with another one-year contract from the Blackhawks on July 5th, 2013.
No comments :
Post a Comment