Radek Faksa
Czech centre drafted 13th overall by Dallas Stars in 2012.
Radek Faksa was born on 9 January 1994 in Vítkov, Czech Republic, to Alena and Jiri Faksa. His mother was a figure skater, and his uncle played professional hockey in the Czech Republic. Faksa started playing hockey in his hometown of Opava alongside his older brother Martin. Raised by a single mother who struggled to fund his hockey, Faksa moved alone to Třinec at age 11 after an offer from HC Oceláři Třinec. He lived in a hotel room paid for by the team. After a difficult first season, he nearly quit, but his mother and the team’s general manager encouraged him to keep playing.
Faksa split the 2009–10 and 2010–11 seasons between Třinec’s under-18 and under-20 teams, recording 19 goals and 30 assists with the U18 squad and nine goals and six assists with the U20 team. In the 2011 CHL Import Draft, the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) selected him 22nd overall. He joined the Rangers for the 2011–12 season and scored his first OHL goal, plus two assists, on 1 October in a win over the Saginaw Spirit. His strong play through October and November earned him a high ranking from NHL Central Scouting among OHL draft-eligible players. At the end of November, he was named OHL Rookie of the Month after leading all rookies with eight goals and eight assists in 10 games. He also made the preliminary roster for the Czech junior national team. By mid-season, the Rangers held a 22-10-1-0 record, third in the Western Conference, with Faksa leading all OHL rookies in goals (16) and assists (17). His smooth transition to North American hockey drew comparisons to Gabriel Landeskog. He was selected for the 2012 CHL Top Prospects Game, where he won the Showdown Breakaway Challenge in the skills competition. While playing in the OHL, he completed his Czech high school credits online.
Faksa earned a second Rookie of the Month honor in January, leading all rookies with six goals and eight assists in 10 games. On 10 March 2012, he scored his 28th goal of the season, tying the Rangers record for most goals by a rookie import draft pick. He recorded at least one point in seven of the final nine regular-season games, helping the Rangers secure a playoff spot. He finished March with seven goals and seven assists in 13 games, including three points in four playoff games, earning his third Rookie of the Month award.
Quick Facts
- Birth Date
- 1994-01-09
- Birth Place
- Vítkov, Czech Republic
- Height Ft
- 6
- Height In
- 3
- Weight Lb
- 216
- Position
- Centre
- Shoots
- Left
- League
- NHL
- Team
- Dallas Stars
- Former Teams
- St. Louis Blues
- Ntl Team
- CZE
- Draft
- 13th overall
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Faksa began his ice hockey career in his hometown Opava alongside his older brother Martin. His mother, a single parent and former figure skater, struggled to fund his hockey. At age 11, he accepted an offer from HC Oceláři Třinec and moved alone to Třinec, living in a hotel room paid for by the team. After a difficult first season, he returned home but was encouraged by his mother and the team's general manager to continue. He later split time between Třinec's under-18 and under-20 clubs before being drafted 22nd overall in the 2011 CHL Import Draft by the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).
In his rookie OHL season, Faksa led all rookies with 29 goals and 37 assists for 66 points, earning three OHL Rookie of the Month honors and a spot on the OHL First All-Rookie Team. He was selected for the 2012 CHL Top Prospects Game and won the Showdown Breakaway Challenge. After being drafted by Dallas, he signed a three-year entry-level contract and was returned to the Rangers during the 2012–13 NHL lockout. He later played for the Sudbury Wolves after a trade and spent time with the Texas Stars of the AHL.
Faksa made his NHL debut on 17 October 2015 against the Florida Panthers and scored his first NHL goal on 6 November 2015 against the Carolina Hurricanes. He became a mainstay on the Stars' third line and made his postseason debut in the 2016 Stanley Cup playoffs, scoring his first playoff goal in Game 1 against the Minnesota Wild. He also scored the game-winning goal in Game 1 of the Western Conference second round against the St. Louis Blues.
Reader's Guide
Radek Faksa's significance lies in his development from a young Czech player who moved alone at age 11 to a first-round NHL draft pick and reliable centre for the Dallas Stars. His rookie OHL season established him as a top prospect, leading all rookies in scoring and earning multiple monthly honors. His transition to North American hockey was noted as smooth, drawing comparisons to fellow European import Gabriel Landeskog. Faksa's NHL career began with a strong playoff performance, scoring three goals in the 2016 postseason, the second-most by a Dallas Stars rookie since 1994. He was also selected to represent the Czech Republic in the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. His legacy includes being the first Czech selected in the first round of an NHL entry draft since Jakub Voráček in 2007, and he has been credited as a key reason the Stars maintained a playoff position despite injuries to forwards during his rookie NHL season.
Did You Know?
- He won the Showdown Breakaway Challenge at the 2012 CHL Top Prospects Game.
- Faksa scored his first NHL goal on 6 November 2015 in a 4–1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes.
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