Karel Rachůnek
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Karel Rachůnek (, August 27, 1979 – September 7, 2011) was a Czech professional ice hockey player. Rachunek was the captain of Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) when the team was decimated in the
2011 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl plane crash On 7 September 2011, YAK-Service Flight 9633, a Yakovlev Yak-42 air charter, charter flight operated by Yak-Service, YAK-Service carrying players and coaching staff of the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl professional ice hockey team, crashed on take-off nea ...
. He played eight seasons in North America in the National Hockey League (NHL). Rachůnek was drafted in the ninth round, 229th overall, by the Ottawa Senators in the
1997 NHL Entry Draft The 1997 NHL Entry Draft was the 35th NHL Entry Draft. It was held at the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on June 21, 1997. As of 2022, the only remaining active player in the NHL from the 1997 draft class is Joe Thornton. Selections ...
. Rachunek was the brother of
Ivan Rachůnek Ivan Rachůnek (born July 6, 1981) is a Czech former professional ice hockey player. He was selected by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the seventh round (187th overall) of the 1999 NHL Entry Draft. Rachunek is the brother of Karel Rachůnek and Tomà ...
and Tomáš Rachůnek who also played professional ice hockey.


Playing career


Early career

Rachůnek played his junior hockey with AC ZPS Zlín Jr. of the Czech Junior League from 1995 to 1997. In his rookie season in 1995–96, Rachůnek recorded eight goals and 19 points in 38 games. In his second season with the club in 1996–97, Rachůnek scored two goals and 13 points in 27 games. In the
1997 NHL Entry Draft The 1997 NHL Entry Draft was the 35th NHL Entry Draft. It was held at the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on June 21, 1997. As of 2022, the only remaining active player in the NHL from the 1997 draft class is Joe Thornton. Selections ...
, the Ottawa Senators selected Rachůnek in the ninth round, 229th overall. In 1997–98, Rachůnek moved to Zlín of the Czech Extraliga. In his first season with the club, he scored a goal and three points in 27 games. In 1998–99, Rachůnek improved his offensive numbers to 3 goals and 12 points in 39 games, as well as accumulating 88 penalty minutes, helping Zlín reach the playoffs. In six playoff games, Rachůnek was held pointless.


Ottawa Senators

Rachůnek made his North American debut with the Grand Rapids Griffins of the International Hockey League (IHL) in 1999–2000, which was the Ottawa Senators' top minor league affiliate. In 62 games with the Griffins, Rachůnek had 6 goals and 26 points, helping Grand Rapids earn a playoff berth. In nine post-season games, Rachůnek had five assists. Rachůnek also made his National Hockey League debut with the Senators in 1999–2000. Rachůnek made his debut on October 31, 1999, with 14:22 of ice time in the Senators' 6–4 win over the
Atlanta Thrashers The Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League (NHL) on June 25, 1997, and became the League's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 seaso ...
. He appeared in six games with Ottawa, going pointless. In 2000–01, Rachůnek made the Senators coming out of training camp. In his rookie season, he appeared in 71 games, scoring 3 goals and 33 points, averaging nearly 21 minutes of ice time per game and helping the Senators into the playoffs. He earned his first NHL point on November 11, 2000, an assist on a goal by
Magnus Arvedson Magnus Karl Olof Arvedson (born 25 November 1971) is a Swedish former professional ice hockey left winger who played 7 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Ottawa Senators and Vancouver Canucks. He also competed in the men's tournament ...
in the Senators' 4–3 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers. He would score his first NHL goal on January 16, 2001, on Los Angeles Kings goaltender
Jamie Storr Jamie Storr (born December 28, 1975) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. Playing career Storr was the first goalie selected in the 1991 OHL Entry Draft and played major junior with the Owen Sound Platers and the Windsor Spitf ...
in a 7–6 loss. Rachůnek appeared in three playoff games, earning no points. Rachůnek missed 31 games in 2001–02 due to injuries. In 51 games with Ottawa, he scored 3 goals and 18 points. He then missed the playoffs due to injuries. Rachunek missed the first part of the 2002–03 season due to a contract dispute, as he played for Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the Russian Superleague. In nine games with Yaroslavl, he scored three goals. On November 8, 2002, he re-signed with the Senators and would appear in 58 games, scoring 4 goals and 29 points. Rachůnek then played in 17 playoff games, scoring one goal and four points. He scored his first playoff goal against
Martin Brodeur Martin Pierre Brodeur (; born May 6, 1972) is a Canadian-American former professional ice hockey goaltender and current team executive. He played 22 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL), 21 of them for the New Jersey Devils, with whom ...
of the
New Jersey Devils The New Jersey Devils are a professional sports, professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern ...
on May 17, 2003, in a 5–2 loss. Rachůnek also played in six games with the
Binghamton Senators The Binghamton Senators were a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL) that played from 2002 to 2017. Nicknamed the B-Sens, they played in Binghamton, New York, at the Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena. The B-Sens w ...
of the American Hockey League (AHL), earning two assists. In 2003–04, Rachůnek played in 60 games with the Senators, scoring a goal and 17 points. His time with the Senators came to an end as of March 9, 2004, after he was traded alongside Alexandre Giroux to the New York Rangers in exchange for
Greg de Vries Gregory A. de Vries (born January 4, 1973) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played over 800 games with six teams in the National Hockey League (NHL). De Vries won the Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in 2000–01 se ...
.


New York Rangers

Rachůnek finished the 2003–04 season with the Rangers. He appeared in his first game with New York on March 12, 2004, against the Tampa Bay Lightning as the Rangers lost 5–2. He scored his first goal and point as a Ranger on March 25, 2004, beating goaltender Tomáš Vokoun of the Nashville Predators in a 4–2 loss. He finished the year playing in 12 games with the Rangers, scoring one goal and four points.


Orli Znojmo

With the
2004–05 NHL lockout The 2004–05 NHL lockout was a labor lockout that resulted in the cancellation of the National Hockey League (NHL) season, which would have been its 88th season of play. The main dispute was the league's desire to implement a salary cap to ...
cancelling the season, Rachůnek signed with Orli Znojmo of the Czech Extraliga on September 6, 2004. In 21 games, he scored 5 goals and 11 points before becoming a free agent at the end of October.


Lokomotiv Yaroslavl

On November 1, 2004, Rachůnek returned to Lokomotiv Yaroslav of the RSL, where he first played during the 2002–03 season when he and the Ottawa Senators could not agree to a contract. He finished the 2004–05 season with the club, scoring 6 goals and 14 points in 27 games. In the playoffs, Rachunek had two goals in nine games. Rather than return to the NHL for the 2005–06 season, Rachunek opted to remain with Yaroslavl. In 45 games, Rachunek had 11 goals and 27 points. He was then held pointless in two playoff games, accumulating 29 penalty minutes in those two games.


Return to New York Rangers

Rachůnek returned to the New York Rangers for the 2006–07 season. In 66 games, he had 6 goals and 26 points, helping the team into the playoffs. In six playoff games, he had four assists. After the season, Rachůnek became a free agent.


New Jersey Devils

On July 3, 2007, the New Jersey Devils signed Rachunek for the 2007–08 season. He played in his first game as a Devil on October 4, 2007, in a 3–1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning. He recorded his first point on October 8, 2007, an assist against his former team, the Ottawa Senators, in a 4–2 loss. Rachůnek scored his first goal with New Jersey on November 17, 2007, against Martin Biron of the Philadelphia Flyers in a 6–2 win. Injuries cut his season short, as Rachůnek appeared in only 49 games, scoring 4 goals and 13 points. At the end of the season, Rachunek became a free agent.


Dynamo Moscow

On August 31, 2008, Rachůnek signed a contract with HC Dynamo Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). In the 2008–09 season, Rachůnek had 9 goals and 32 points in 50 games. In 12 playoff games, he had four goals and eight points. Rachůnek returned to Dynamo Moscow for the 2009–10 season, where he scored 10 goals and 27 points in 52 games, helping the club reach the post-season. In four playoff games, Rachunek had no points.


Lokomotiv Yaroslavl

Rachůnek returned to Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, now competing in the KHL, for the third time in the
2010–11 1 (one, unit, unity) is a number representing a single or the only entity. 1 is also a numerical digit and represents a single unit of counting or measurement. For example, a line segment of ''unit length'' is a line segment of length 1. I ...
season. In 50 games with Yaroslavl, he scored 11 goals and 46 points, as the team finished with the best record in the Tarasov Division. In 18 playoff games, Rachunek had 8 goals and 13 points. Rachůnek returned to the team for 2011–12. On September 7, 2011, he was killed in the
2011 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl plane crash On 7 September 2011, YAK-Service Flight 9633, a Yakovlev Yak-42 air charter, charter flight operated by Yak-Service, YAK-Service carrying players and coaching staff of the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl professional ice hockey team, crashed on take-off nea ...
.


International play

Rachůnek played with the Czech Republic national ice hockey team in various tournaments throughout his career. At the
1999 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships The 1999 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships (''1999 WJC'') was held in Winnipeg, and five other communities in Manitoba, Canada from December 26, 1998 to January 5, 1999. In the gold medal match at Winnipeg Arena, Russia defeated Canada 3–2 ...
held in Winnipeg, Rachůnek scored one goal and four points in six games as the Czech Republic finished in seventh place. At the
2009 IIHF World Championship The 2009 IIHF World Championship took place in Switzerland from 24 April to 10 May. The games were played in the PostFinance Arena in Bern and Schluefweg in Kloten. The PostFinance Arena in Bern was renovated and accommodates an attendance of ...
in Switzerland, Rachunek had four assists in seven games as the Czech Republic finished in sixth place. He earned a spot on the team again for the
2010 IIHF World Championship The 2010 IIHF World Championship was the 74th IIHF World Championship, an annual international ice hockey tournament. It took place between 7 and 23 May 2010 in Germany. The games were played in the Lanxess Arena in Cologne, SAP Arena in Mannhei ...
held in Germany, as he scored two goals (one of them game tying just seven seconds to play in semi-final against Sweden) and four points in nine games, helping the Czech Republic to the gold medal. Rachůnek had an assist on the game-winning goal in the gold medal game. At the
2011 IIHF World Championship Eleven or 11 may refer to: *11 (number), the natural number following 10 and preceding 12 * one of the years 11 BC, AD 11, 1911, 2011, or any year ending in 11 Literature * ''Eleven'' (novel), a 2006 novel by British author David Llewellyn *''E ...
in Slovakia, Rachůnek had a goal and three points in nine games, helping the Czech Republic to the bronze medal.


Death

On September 7, 2011, eleven days after turning 32, Rachůnek died in the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl plane crash, along with his entire Lokomotiv team, just outside Yaroslavl, Russia. The team was on its way to their 2011–12 season opener with the entire team, coaching staff and prospects. Lokomotiv officials said "everyone from the main roster was on the plane plus four players from the youth team. The team was traveling to Minsk to play their opening game of the season." It was during the takeoff, after the runway of 3 kilometres, that the airplane simply could not get up high enough, according to reports the plane reached a total altitude of 10–50 metres before hitting a pylon and dropping to the left. Parts of the airplane spread in the Volga River, and others on plain land, as it broke apart just before once again touching the ground.


Career statistics


Regular season and playoffs


International


See also

*
List of ice hockey players who died during their playing career This is a list of ice hockey players who died during their playing careers. Player deaths Before 1931 1930–1969 1970–1989 1990–1999 2000–2009 2010–2019 2020–present day See also *Sportspeople who died during their car ...


References


External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Rachunek, Karel 1979 births 2011 deaths Binghamton Senators players Czech ice hockey defencemen Czech expatriate ice hockey players in Russia Grand Rapids Griffins (IHL) players HC Dynamo Moscow players PSG Berani Zlín players Lokomotiv Yaroslavl players New Jersey Devils players New York Rangers players Ottawa Senators draft picks Ottawa Senators players Sportspeople from Zlín Victims of the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl plane crash Czech expatriate ice hockey players in the United States Czech expatriate ice hockey players in Canada