David Volek (born 18 June 1966)[1][2] is a Czech former professional ice hockey player.

David Volek
Born (1966-06-18) 18 June 1966 (age 58)
Prague, Czechoslovakia
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb)
Position Winger
Shot Left
Played for TJ Slavia PS Karlovy Vary
HC Sparta Praha
New York Islanders
National team  Czechoslovakia
NHL draft 208th overall, 1984
New York Islanders
Playing career 1984–1996

Volek was born in the former Czechoslovakia, where he played in 1983–84 for TJ Slavia PS Karlovy Vary. He later moved to HC Sparta Praha and became a member of the Czechoslovakian national ice hockey team for the 1988 Winter Olympics.[1][2] In 1988 he gained permission from the Czech authorities to visit his parents in West Germany and used this permission to defect to Canada. He joined the New York Islanders, having been selected by them in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft, and was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team in 1988–89.

Volek is best remembered for scoring an overtime goal that eliminated the favoured and two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins from the 1993 Stanley Cup playoffs. The goal came at 5:16 of overtime in the seventh (and deciding) game of the second round of the playoffs. CBC Hockey Night in Canada announcer Chris Cuthbert called Volek's play in a dramatic fashion:[3]

Samuelsson pass off a skate. Volek turns with Ferraro. Here they come, 2 on 1; Volek shoots, SCORES!!! David Volek, Islanders! And there’ll be a new Stanley Cup Champion in 1993!

The next year, a herniated disc forced Volek to retire from the NHL. Volek finished his NHL career, which was spent exclusively with the Islanders, with 95 goals and 154 assists for 249 points. He underwent back surgery the following year in an attempt to return to the game, but after five games with HC Sparta Praha, he was forced to retire for good.[4]

Volek has been the assistant coach of HC Sparta Praha since 2005. Between his retirement from playing in 1996 and 2005 he was a scout.

Career statistics

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Regular season and playoffs

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    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1982–83 TJ Slavia PS Karlovy Vary CSSR-Jr
1983–84 TJ Slavia PS Karlovy Vary CSSR-Jr
1984–85 TJ Sparta ČKD Praha CSSR 32 5 5 10 14
1985–86 TJ Sparta ČKD Praha CSSR 35 10 7 17
1986–87 TJ Sparta ČKD Praha CSSR 39 27 25 52 38
1987–88 TJ Sparta ČKD Praha CSSR 42 29 18 47 58
1988–89 New York Islanders NHL 77 25 34 59 24
1989–90 New York Islanders NHL 80 17 22 39 41 5 1 4 5 0
1990–91 New York Islanders NHL 77 22 34 56 57
1991–92 New York Islanders NHL 74 18 42 60 35
1992–93 New York Islanders NHL 56 8 13 21 34 10 4 1 5 2
1993–94 New York Islanders NHL 32 5 9 14 10
1995–96 HC Sparta Praha ELH 5 3 2 5 16
1995–96 HC Slavia Becherovka Karlovy Vary CZE II 16 7 4 11
1996–97 TJ Stadion Nymburk CZE IV
1999–2000 NED Hockey Nymburk CZE III 4 3 1 4 2
2000–01 NED Hockey Nymburk CZE III 2 0 0 0 0
TCH totals 148 71 55 126
NHL totals 396 95 154 249 201 15 5 5 10 2

International

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Year Team Event   GP G A Pts PIM
1983 Czechoslovakia EJC 5 3 2 5 8
1984 Czechoslovakia EJC 5 5 5 10 2
1986 Czechoslovakia WJC 7 4 3 7 6
1987 Czechoslovakia WC 10 3 1 4 2
1987 Czechoslovakia CC 6 2 2 4 2
1988 Czechoslovakia OLY 7 1 2 3 2
1991 Czechoslovakia WC 10 3 2 5 8
Junior totals 17 12 10 22 16
Senior totals 33 9 7 16 14

References

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  1. ^ a b Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "David Volek". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 17 December 2012.
  2. ^ a b "David Volek". Olympic.cz (in Czech). Czech Olympic Committee. Archived from the original on 31 August 2013.
  3. ^ Fischler, Stan (14 May 2020). "Maven's Memories: The Legend of David Volek | New York Islanders". www.nhl.com. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  4. ^ "David Volek". Legends of Hockey. Archived from the original on 8 September 2015. Retrieved 29 February 2012.
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