Introduction
Radim Vrbata (born 13 June 1981) is a Czech professional ice hockey right winger and an alternate captain for the Arizona Coyotes of the National Hockey League (NHL). Vrbata was originally drafted in 1999 by the Colorado Avalanche, with whom he has also played, along with the Carolina Hurricanes, Chicago Blackhawks, Tampa Bay Lightning and Vancouver Canucks during his NHL career.
Playing career
Vrbata was drafted in the seventh round, 212th overall, by the Colorado Avalanche in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft. He won the 2001 World Junior Championship and the 2005 IIHF World Championship with the Czech Republic.
In March 2003, Vrbata was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for Bates Battaglia, later being acquired by the Chicago Blackhawks on 30 December 2005, in exchange for future considerations. After two subpar seasons with Chicago, he was traded to the Phoenix Coyotes on 11 August 2007, for Kevyn Adams. During his first year in Phoenix, he set career highs in goals, assists and led the team in scoring.
On 1 July 2008, Vrbata, as a free agent, signed a three-year contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning. After starting the 2008–09 season out of form and citing confidence issues, and the fact that his wife was having difficulty during pregnancy, Vrbata asked and was granted permission to return home to the Czech Republic on 8 December 2008. On 2 January 2009, he joined his hometown team, BK Mladá Boleslav. Vrbata's stint with Boleslav, however, was cut short when he was sent on loan to Bílí Tygři Liberec on 29 January 2009.
After finishing the season in the Czech Republic, Vrbata advised the Lightning he intended to return to the NHL for the second year of his contract for the 2009–10 season. Having already filled Vrbata's spot on the team's roster, however, Tampa Bay had no interests in retaining Vrbata and his agent, Rich Evans, was subsequently given permission to orchestrate a trade with another NHL organization. Thus, on 21 July 2009, Vrbata was traded back to the Coyotes in exchange for David Hale and Todd Fedoruk for a second stint with the team. He would total 43 goals in his next two seasons with the team, coupled with four Stanley Cup playoff goals as Phoenix qualified for the playoffs in both 2010 and 2011, losing both times to the Detroit Red Wings.
On 21 February 2012, Vrbata scored two goals in a 5–4 shootout victory over the Los Angeles Kings. His second goal gave him 30 on the season, a career high. He would finish the 2011–12 season with a career-high 35 goals in which he led the entire NHL in game-winners, with 12.
On 2 July 2014, Vrbata signed as an unrestricted free agent to a two-year, $10 million contract with the Vancouver Canucks. Vrbata stated the opportunity to play with the Sedin twins was a large factor in his decision. In his first season in Vancouver, 2014–15, Vrbata enjoyed a career year, finishing the regular season with 63 points from 78 games, besting his previous 62-point career-high season in 2011–12. He also led the Canucks in goals scored with 31, his second-highest single-season career total behind the 35 he scored in 2011–12.
In the final year of his contract with the Canucks, Vrbata endured a disappointing 2015–16 season, producing just 27 points in his lowest offensive totals since 2009. As a free agent in the following off-season, Vrbata opted to return for a third stint with the Arizona Coyotes, agreeing to a one-year, $1 million bonus laden contract on August 16, 2016.
On 25 November 2016, Vrbata became the NHL's all-time leader in shootout goals.
Personal
Vrbata is from the same city as former Chicago Blackhawks teammate Martin Havlát, Mladá Boleslav. Vrbata's brother David is also a professional hockey player.
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1998–99 | Hull Olympiques | QMJHL | 54 | 22 | 38 | 60 | 16 | 23 | 6 | 13 | 19 | 6 | ||
| 1999–00 | Hull Olympiques | QMJHL | 59 | 29 | 45 | 74 | 26 | 15 | 3 | 9 | 12 | 8 | ||
| 2000–01 | Shawinigan Cataractes | QMJHL | 55 | 56 | 64 | 120 | 67 | 10 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 4 | ||
| 2000–01 | Hershey Bears | AHL | 20 | 8 | 14 | 22 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | Colorado Avalanche | NHL | 52 | 18 | 12 | 30 | 14 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2002–03 | Colorado Avalanche | NHL | 66 | 11 | 19 | 30 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2002–03 | Carolina Hurricanes | NHL | 10 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003–04 | Carolina Hurricanes | NHL | 80 | 12 | 13 | 25 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2004–05 | Bílí Tygři Liberec | CZE | 45 | 18 | 21 | 39 | 91 | 13 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 0 | ||
| 2004–05 | BK Mladá Boleslav | Czech 1. | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | Carolina Hurricanes | NHL | 16 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 45 | 13 | 21 | 34 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 77 | 14 | 27 | 41 | 26 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 | Phoenix Coyotes | NHL | 76 | 27 | 29 | 56 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 18 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 | BK Mladá Boleslav | CZE | 11 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 | Bílí Tygři Liberec | CZE | 7 | 7 | 2 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 2009–10 | Phoenix Coyotes | NHL | 82 | 24 | 19 | 43 | 24 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | ||
| 2010–11 | Phoenix Coyotes | NHL | 79 | 19 | 29 | 48 | 20 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 0 | ||
| 2011–12 | Phoenix Coyotes | NHL | 77 | 35 | 27 | 62 | 24 | 16 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 8 | ||
| 2012–13 | BK Mladá Boleslav | Czech 1. | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2012–13 | Phoenix Coyotes | NHL | 34 | 12 | 16 | 28 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2013–14 | Phoenix Coyotes | NHL | 80 | 20 | 31 | 51 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2014–15 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 79 | 31 | 32 | 63 | 20 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 | ||
| 2015–16 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 63 | 13 | 14 | 27 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2016–17 | Arizona Coyotes | NHL | 81 | 20 | 35 | 55 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 1015 | 279 | 330 | 609 | 278 | 42 | 8 | 10 | 18 | 12 | ||||
International
| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Czech Republic | WJC | 01 ! |
7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 2003 | Czech Republic | WC | 4th | 9 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 2 | |
| 2005 | Czech Republic | WC | 01 ! |
3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2008 | Czech Republic | WC | 5th | 7 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 4 | |
| 2013 | Czech Republic | WC | 7th | 8 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | |
| Junior totals | 7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | ||||
| Senior totals | 27 | 10 | 7 | 17 | 10 | ||||