Martin Prusek
PositionGoaltender
CatchesLeft
Height6 ft
Height in1
Weight lb171
Played forHC Vitkovice
Ottawa Senators
HC Znojemsti Orli
Columbus Blue Jackets
SKA Saint Petersburg
HC Spartak Moscow
Dinamo Riga
HC Olomouc
Ntl teamCzech Republic
Birth dateDecember 11, 1975 (age 50)
Birth placeOstrava, Czechoslovakia
Draft (1999)164th overall
Draft teamOttawa Senators
Career start1994
Career end2011

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 [citation needed] 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 seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGPWLTOTLMINGASOGAASV%GPWLMINGASOGAASV%
1995–96HC VítkoviceELH40————233611312.90.9114——2501012.40.935
1996–97HC VítkoviceELH49————284110982.30.9219——5461912.09.935
1997–98HC VítkoviceELH50————290112902.67.9489——5292612.95.910
1998–99HC VítkoviceELH37————19058502.68.9174——2501202.88.923
1999–00HC VítkoviceELH50————264713202.99.911————————
2000–01HC VítkoviceELH30————16796402.29.9249——4602503.26.919
2001–02Grand Rapids GriffinsAHL331885—19035841.83.9305232781002.16.896
2001–02Ottawa SenatorsNHL1010—62302.90.800————————
2002–03Ottawa SenatorsNHL181221—9353702.37.911————————
2002–03Binghamton SenatorsAHL4121—243711.73.925————————
2003–04Ottawa SenatorsNHL291663—15285432.12.91710040101.50.933
2004–05HC VítkoviceELH14————6722802.50.931————————
2004–05HC Znojemsti Orli ZnojmoELH8————4531802.38.932————————
2005–06Syracuse CrunchAHL23127—112036022.99.911————————
2005-06Columbus Blue JacketsNHL933—03732003.22.879————————
2006–07SKA St. PetersburgRSL22————11615232.69—————————
2007–08HC VítkoviceELH431726—0236610632.69.932————————
2008–09Spartak MoscowKHL2289—412806423.00.879————————
2008–09Dynamo RigaKHL20106—211643361.70.9413031671304.67.859
2009–10Dynamo RigaKHL28715—214777703.13.903413210902.57.921
2010–11HC VítkoviceELH2————106402.26.923————————
NHL totals57311240289811432.36.90910040101.50.933

Awards

International achievements

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

YearTotal
Ice Hockey World ChampionshipsWC 1997
WC 1998
WC 1999
WC 2009 6th place
4x

References

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