Jakub Voráček
Czech right winger drafted seventh overall by Columbus in 2007.
Jakub Voráček is a Czech former professional ice hockey right winger who spent 15 seasons in the NHL. The Columbus Blue Jackets selected him seventh overall in the 2007 draft, and he later played for the Philadelphia Flyers before returning to Columbus. He also suited up for HC Rabat Kladno and HC Lev Praha in his home country.
Voráček began his North American career in the QMJHL with the Halifax Mooseheads, taken first overall in the 2006 CHL Import Draft. He represented the Czech Republic at the World Juniors in 2007 and 2008. After signing a three-year entry-level contract with Columbus in August 2007, he debuted in the NHL on 10 October 2008, scoring his first goal in the first period against Dallas’s Marty Turco. As a rookie, he put up 9 goals and 29 assists for 38 points in 80 games, helping the Blue Jackets reach the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. He also assisted on the team’s first-ever playoff goal, scored by R. J. Umberger.
In June 2011, the Blue Jackets traded Voráček, along with first- and third-round picks, to the Philadelphia Flyers for Jeff Carter. He signed a one-year deal with the Flyers on 1 July, the same day the team inked fellow Kladno native Jaromír Jágr. Voráček scored in his Flyers debut against Boston’s Tim Thomas. That season, he set a new career high with 18 goals and netted his first playoff goal in overtime of Game 1 against Pittsburgh, beating Marc-André Fleury. In July 2012, he signed a four-year, $17 million contract. During the 2012–13 NHL lockout, he played for HC Lev Praha in the KHL. After the lockout ended, he recorded his first NHL hat-trick on 20 February 2013 against Pittsburgh and was named the NHL’s First Star of the Week shortly after.
In the 2014–15 season, Voráček scored the second-fastest overtime goal in Flyers history, just ten seconds into extra time against Winnipeg’s Ondřej Pavelec. He was selected for the 2015 NHL All-Star Game, where he tied Mario Lemieux’s record with six points. Playing all 82 games, he finished with 22 goals and 59 assists for a career-high 81 points, tying Alexander Ovechkin for fourth in the NHL scoring race. In July 2015, he signed an eight-year, $66 million extension. The following season, he hit his 400th NHL point and played his 600th game, though his goal total dropped to 11.
Quick Facts
- Birth Date
- 1989-08-15
- Birth Place
- Kladno, Czechoslovakia
- Height Ft
- 6
- Height In
- 2
- Weight Lb
- 214
- Position
- Right wing
- Shoots
- Left
- Played For
- HC Rabat Kladno · Columbus Blue Jackets · Philadelphia Flyers · HC Lev Praha
- Ntl Team
- CZE
- Draft
- 7th overall
- Draft Year
- 2007
- Draft Team
- Columbus Blue Jackets
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Voráček made his NHL debut on 10 October 2008 against the Dallas Stars, scoring his first career NHL goal in the first period on goaltender Marty Turco. During his rookie season he recorded 9 goals and 29 assists for 38 points in 80 games, helping the Blue Jackets reach the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in franchise history in 2009. He had the lone assist on the first-ever playoff goal in Blue Jackets history, scored by R. J. Umberger.
On 23 June 2011, Voráček was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers along with first- and third-round picks in the 2011 NHL entry draft in exchange for Jeff Carter. He signed a one-year contract with the Flyers on 1 July, the same day the team signed fellow Kladno native Jaromír Jágr. In the 2011–12 season he set a new career-high with 18 goals and scored his first career Stanley Cup playoff goal in overtime against the Pittsburgh Penguins. He later signed a four-year, $17 million contract and, during the 2014–15 season, was named to the 2015 NHL All-Star Game where he tied the single All-Star Game record for most points with six. In July 2015 he signed an eight-year, $66 million contract with the Flyers.
On 24 July 2021, Voráček was traded back to the Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for Cam Atkinson. He played his 1,000th NHL game on 6 January 2022. On 6 November 2022, during the NHL Global Series in Tampere, Finland, he sustained a concussion after being hit in the face with a high stick by Dryden Hunt and missed the remainder of the 2022–23 season. On 2 March 2023, the Blue Jackets traded Voráček and a sixth-round pick in the 2023 NHL entry draft to the Arizona Coyotes for Jon Gillies. After spending the entire 2023–24 season on the Coyotes' long-term injured reserve list, he formally announced his retirement on 23 April 2024.
Reader's Guide
Jakub Voráček's NHL career spanned 15 seasons, beginning with the Columbus Blue Jackets who drafted him seventh overall in 2007. He made an immediate impact by scoring in his debut and helping Columbus reach the playoffs for the first time. His trade to Philadelphia in 2011 marked a significant shift; he became a key offensive contributor, setting career highs in points and earning an All-Star selection in 2015. Voráček's return to Columbus in 2021 was cut short by a concussion in 2022 that effectively ended his playing days. His final trade to Arizona in 2023 was widely seen as a salary-cap move, and he never played another NHL game. Voráček's legacy includes being part of the Blue Jackets' first playoff team, tying an All-Star Game points record, and playing over 1,000 NHL games. After retiring, he took an assistant coaching role with Rytíři Kladno in the Czech Extraliga, focusing on the power play and player development, under team president and former teammate Jaromír Jágr.
Did You Know?
- Voráček scored the first goal of his NHL career on his debut, beating goaltender Marty Turco.
- He had the lone assist on the first playoff goal in Columbus Blue Jackets history, scored by R. J. Umberger.
- Voráček tied Mario Lemieux's single NHL All-Star Game record for most points (six) in the 2015 edition.
- As a child, Voráček wanted to be a garbage man; in 2017 his sister gave him the opportunity to ride a trash truck while the garbage men worked their route.
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