Jiří Hrdina

Jiří Hrdina
Hrdina during the alumni game at the 2011 Heritage Classic
Born (1958-01-05) January 5, 1958
Prague, Czechoslovakia
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 195 lb (88 kg; 13 st 13 lb)
Position Centre
Shot Left
Played for Calgary Flames
Pittsburgh Penguins
National team  Czechoslovakia
NHL Draft 159th Overall, 1984
Calgary Flames
Playing career 1977–1992
Medal record
Men's ice hockey
Representing Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia
Men's ice hockey
Olympic Games
1984 Sarajevo
World Championship
1982 Finland
1983 West Germany
1985 Czechoslovakia
1987 Austria
1990 Switzerland
World Junior Championship
1977 Czechoslovakia

Jiří Hrdina (born January 5, 1958 in Prague, Czechoslovakia) is a Czech former professional ice hockey player. He spent 10 seasons in the Czechoslovakian First League with Sparta ČKD Praha and HK Dukla Trenčín and five in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Calgary Flames and Pittsburgh Penguins. Hrdina was a three-time Stanley Cup champion, playing on NHL championship teams in 1989, 1991 and 1992.

Internationally, Hrdina was a member of the Czechoslovakian national team between 1977 and 1990. He appeared in two Canada Cups, and played in six World Championships. He was a member of five World Championship medal-winning teams, including a gold medal at the 1985 tournament. He is a two-time Olympian and won a silver medal with the Czechoslovakian team at the 1984 Games in Sarajevo.

Playing career

National Hockey League

The Calgary Flames selected Hrdina with their eighth round selection, 159th overall, at the 1984 NHL Entry Draft.[1] However, due to a Czechoslovakian policy at the time regarding national team players, he was not permitted to join a professional team until after the 1988 Winter Olympics.[2] Hrdina joined the Flames at the Games' conclusion, and made his NHL debut, as a 30-year-old, on March 3, 1988. He recorded his first point, an assist, in that game, then scored his first NHL goal on March 15 against the Hartford Whalers.[1] He appeared in nine games to end the 1987–88 season with Calgary and scored two goals and seven points.[3]

Hrdina had a four-goal game early in his first full NHL season, 1988–89, leading the Flames to a 6–3 win over the Whalers.[4] On the season, he appeared in 70 games and scored 22 goals to go along with 32 assists.[5] He appeared in only four playoff games that season, but was a member of the Flames' Stanley Cup championship team.[6] Playing as a defensive forward, Hrdina recorded 30 points in 64 games in 1989–90.[5]

In need of an additional centre, the Pittsburgh Penguins acquired Hrdina from the Flames on December 13, 1990, in exchange for defenceman Jim Kyte.[7] The team also hoped he could help their star Czechoslovakian rookie Jaromír Jágr, who was struggling to adapt to life in North America.[6] Initially upset at the trade, Hrdina considered retiring or returning to Europe, but chose to give Pittsburgh a try first.[8] He finished the 1990–91 season with 23 points in 51 games combined between the Penguins and Flames, and appeared in 14 more in the 1991 Stanley Cup Playoffs.[3] He scored two goals in the playoffs, both in game seven of Pittsburgh's first round series against the New Jersey Devils, including the game winner.[8] The Penguins went on to win the Stanley Cup.[6] As a depth player in 1991–92, Hrdina had 16 points in 56 regular season games, and added two assists in 21 playoff games as the Penguins repeated as champions. He announced his retirement from the NHL following the season. He is currently an amateur scout for the Dallas Stars.[9]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1977–78 TJ Sparta ČKD Praha TCH Jr. 35 6 8 14 20 — — — — —
1978–79 TJ Sparta ČKD Praha TCH 39 7 8 15 18 — — — — —
1979–80 TJ Sparta ČKD Praha TCH 44 7 7 14 24 — — — — —
1980–81 TJ Sparta ČKD Praha TCH 42 14 20 34 54 — — — — —
1981–82 ASVŠ Dukla Trenčín TCH 44 11 27 38 36 — — — — —
1982–83 ASVŠ Dukla Trenčín SVK II 36 40 24 64 — — — — —
1983–84 TJ Sparta ČKD Praha TCH 44 16 33 49 28 — — — — —
1984–85 TJ Sparta ČKD Praha TCH 44 18 19 37 30 — — — — —
1985–86 TJ Sparta ČKD Praha TCH 40 28 21 49 30 — — — — —
1986–87 TJ Sparta ČKD Praha TCH 37 20 23 43 50 — — — — —
1987–88 TJ Sparta ČKD Praha TCH 22 7 15 22 30 — — — — —
1987–88 Calgary Flames NHL 9 2 5 7 2 1 0 0 0 0
1988–89 Calgary Flames NHL 70 22 32 54 26 4 0 0 0 0
1989–90 Calgary Flames NHL 64 12 18 30 31 6 0 1 1 2
1990–91 Calgary Flames NHL 14 0 3 3 4 — — — — —
1990–91 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 37 6 14 20 13 14 2 2 4 6
1991–92 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 56 3 13 16 16 21 0 2 2 16
TCH totals 356 128 197 325 300 — — — — —
NHL totals 250 46 85 130 92 45 2 5 7 24

International

Year Team Event Result   GP G A Pts PIM
1977 Czechoslovakia WJC 3rd, bronze medalist(s) 7 2 2 4 0
1978 Czechoslovakia WJC 4th 6 1 3 4 0
1982 Czechoslovakia WC 2nd, silver medalist(s) 9 1 0 1 4
1983 Czechoslovakia WC 3rd, bronze medalist(s) 9 1 0 1 4
1984 Czechoslovakia OG 2nd, silver medalist(s) 7 4 6 10 10
1984 Czechoslovakia CC 5th 5 0 1 1 4
1985 Czechoslovakia WC 1st, gold medalist(s) 10 2 2 4 4
1986 Czechoslovakia WC 5th 10 7 5 12 14
1987 Czechoslovakia WC 3rd, bronze medalist(s) 10 3 3 6 6
1987 Czechoslovakia CC 4th 6 1 2 3 0
1988 Czechoslovakia OG 6th 8 2 5 7 4
1990 Czechoslovakia WC 4th 9 1 5 6 8
Junior totals 13 3 5 8 2
Senior totals 83 22 28 50 50

References

  • Career statistics: "Jiri Hrdina player card". National Hockey League. Retrieved 2013-08-24.
  1. 1 2 Halls, Pat, ed. (1990). 1990–91 Calgary Flames Media Guide. Calgary Flames Hockey Club.
  2. ↑ Maki, Alan (1987-01-02). "Hrdina really rings in new year". Calgary Herald. p. E1. Retrieved 2013-08-24.
  3. 1 2 "Jiri Hrdina player card". National Hockey League. Retrieved 2013-08-24.
  4. ↑ "Hrdina, Flames beach Whalers". Record-Journal. Meriden, CT. 1988-11-08. p. 15. Retrieved 2013-08-24.
  5. 1 2 "Jiri Hrdina profile". Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2013-08-24.
  6. 1 2 3 Podnieks, Andrew (2003). Players: The ultimate A–Z guide of everyone who has ever played in the NHL. Toronto: Doubleday Canada. p. 508. ISBN 0-385-25999-9.
  7. ↑ McMillan, Tom (1990-12-14). "Pens get Czech center from Calgary". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 23. Retrieved 2013-08-24.
  8. 1 2 Palm, Mike (2010-12-19). "Penguins Cup Chronicles: Jiri Hrdina". Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Retrieved 2013-08-24.
  9. ↑ "Hrdina announces retirement". The Daily Sentinel. Pomeroy–Middlesport, OH. 1992-07-01. p. 5. Retrieved 2013-08-24.
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