Michael Frolík

Czech ice hockey player (born 1988)

Ice hockey player
Michael Frolík
Frolík with the Calgary Flames in February 2016
Born (1988-02-17) 17 February 1988 (age 36)
Kladno, Czechoslovakia
Height 6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight 192 lb (87 kg; 13 st 10 lb)
Position Right wing
Shoots Left
NL team
Former teams
Lausanne HC
HC Kladno
Florida Panthers
Chicago Blackhawks
Piráti Chomutov
Winnipeg Jets
Calgary Flames
Buffalo Sabres
Montreal Canadiens
National team  Czech Republic
NHL Draft 10th overall, 2006
Florida Panthers
Playing career 2004–present

Michael Frolík (Czech pronunciation: [ˈmɪxaɛl ˈfroliːk]; born 17 February 1988) is a Czech professional ice hockey right winger who is currently playing with HC Bílí Tygři Liberec in the Czech Extraliga.

Frolík has played in the NHL with the Florida Panthers, the organization that drafted him tenth overall in 2006, as well as the Chicago Blackhawks, with whom he won the Stanley Cup in 2013. He has also had stints with the Winnipeg Jets, Calgary Flames, Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens.

Playing career

Frolík with the Rimouski Océanic in February 2008.

Amateur

As a youth, Frolík played in the 2002 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a team from Chomutov.[1]

Frolík played two seasons in the Czech Extraliga for Rabat Kladno before being selected tenth overall in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft by the Florida Panthers. While playing in Kladno, Frolík was nicknamed "The Baby Jágr" due to his similar playing style and appearance to Jaromír Jágr, who also played for Kladno earlier in his career.[citation needed] To add to his overwhelming resemblance, Frolík, who cites Jágr as his role model, wore #68 at the Panthers' rookie camp.[citation needed]

Beginning in the 2006–07 season, Frolík began his North American career playing at the major junior level for the Rimouski Océanic of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL).[citation needed]

Professional

Florida Panthers

Frolík made his NHL debut for Florida during the 2008–09 season, in which he finished with 21 goals and 24 assists for 45 points in 79 games. Frolik recorded 43 points the following season.[citation needed]

Chicago Blackhawks

On 9 February 2011, during Frolík's third season with the Panthers, in 2010–11, he was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks (along with goaltender Alexander Salák) in exchange for Jack Skille, Hugh Jessiman and David Pacan.[2] Frolík scored his first goal as a Blackhawk on 2 March 2011, against the Calgary Flames. On 24 April, he scored the first Stanley Cup playoff penalty shot in Blackhawks history against goaltender Cory Schneider of the Vancouver Canucks in Game 6 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals.[citation needed]

On 15 July 2011, Frolík signed a three-year contract extension with the Blackhawks at an annual average value of $2.333 million.[3]

During the 2012–13 NHL lockout, Frolík played for Piráti Chomutov of the Czech Extraliga. On 27 May 2013, during the 2013 playoffs, he scored the second playoff penalty shot goal of his career against Jimmy Howard of the Detroit Red Wings,[4] becoming the first player in NHL history to score more than one career penalty shot goal in the playoffs.[5] He ultimately scored ten points in the playoffs en route to the Blackhawks' Stanley Cup victory over the Boston Bruins in six games.[citation needed]

Winnipeg Jets

Frolik with the Jets in November 2013

In the subsequent off-season, on 30 June 2013, Frolík was traded to the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for a third- and fifth-round pick at the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. In the 2013–14 season opener on 2 October 2013, at Rexall Place against the Edmonton Oilers, Frolík scored twice in a 5–4 Winnipeg win.

On 29 July 2014, Frolík and the Jets agreed on a one-year, $3.3 million contract.[6] He finished with 19 goals and 23 assists on in the regular season, but was held pointless during the Jets' four-game sweep at the hands of the Anaheim Ducks in the 2015 playoffs.[citation needed]

Calgary Flames

On 1 July 2015, Frolík, as an unrestricted free agent, signed a five-year, $21 million contract with the Calgary Flames at an annual average value of $4.3 million.[7]

Buffalo Sabres

During his final year under contract with the Flames in the 2019–20 season, unable to replicate his offensive production from previous years with 10 points through 38 games, Frolik was traded by the Flames to the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for a fourth-round pick in 2020 on 2 January 2020.[8]

Montreal Canadiens

On 23 December 2020, Frolík signed as a free agent to a one-year, $750,000 contract with the Montreal Canadiens.[9]

St. Louis Blues

As a free agent over the summer and approaching the 2021–22 season, Frolík accepted an invitation to attend the St. Louis Blues training camp on a Professional Tryout contract on 18 September 2021.[10]

Lausanne HC

On 15 October 2021, Frolík joined Lausanne HC of the National League (NL) on a two-year deal through the 2022/23 season.[11]

Personal life

His wife is former Miss Czech Republic 2001, model and TV/radio personality Diana Kobzanová.[12] They have three daughters together.Ella 2014, Lily 2018 and Nelly 2023.[13]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2003–04 HC Rabat Kladno CZE U20 53 21 23 44 22 7 3 1 4 6
2004–05 HC Rabat Kladno CZE U20 15 9 11 20 18 5 1 0 1 10
2004–05 HC Rabat Kladno ELH 27 3 1 4 6 1 0 0 0 0
2005–06 HC Rabat Kladno CZE U20 3 1 2 3 0 6 3 9 12 6
2005–06 HC Rabat Kladno ELH 48 2 7 9 32
2006–07 Rimouski Océanic QMJHL 52 31 42 73 40
2007–08 Rimouski Océanic QMJHL 45 24 41 65 22 9 2 4 6 12
2008–09 Florida Panthers NHL 79 21 24 45 22
2009–10 Florida Panthers NHL 82 21 22 43 43
2010–11 Florida Panthers NHL 52 8 21 29 16
2010–11 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 28 3 6 9 14 7 2 3 5 2
2011–12 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 63 5 10 15 22 4 2 1 3 0
2012–13 Piráti Chomutov ELH 32 14 10 24 22
2012–13 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 45 3 7 10 8 23 3 7 10 6
2013–14 Winnipeg Jets NHL 81 15 27 42 12
2014–15 Winnipeg Jets NHL 82 19 23 42 18 4 0 0 0 2
2015–16 Calgary Flames NHL 64 15 17 32 24
2016–17 Calgary Flames NHL 82 17 27 44 58 4 0 1 1 0
2017–18 Calgary Flames NHL 70 10 15 25 26
2018–19 Calgary Flames NHL 65 16 18 34 26 5 0 0 0 2
2019–20 Calgary Flames NHL 38 5 5 10 24
2019–20 Buffalo Sabres NHL 19 1 3 4 4
2020–21 Laval Rocket AHL 2 0 0 0 4
2020–21 Montreal Canadiens NHL 8 0 0 0 0
2021–22 Lausanne HC NL 23 7 7 14 25
2022–23 Bílí Tygři Liberec ELH 48 10 14 24 28 9 2 1 3 8
NHL totals 858 159 225 384 317 47 7 12 19 12

International

Medal record
Representing  Czech Republic
Ice hockey
World Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2011 Slovakia
Bronze medal – third place 2012 Finland
World Junior Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2005 North Dakota
IIHF U18 Championships
Bronze medal – third place 2004 Minsk
Bronze medal – third place 2006 Halmstad
Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2004 Czech Republic WJC18 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 2 0 0 0 0
2005 Czech Republic WJC 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 7 3 1 4 0
2005 Czech Republic WJC18 4th 7 3 1 4 2
2006 Czech Republic WJC 6th 6 0 1 1 4
2006 Czech Republic WJC18 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 7 2 3 5 10
2007 Czech Republic WJC 5th 6 4 2 6 4
2008 Czech Republic WJC 5th 6 5 0 5 14
2011 Czech Republic WC 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 9 3 2 5 0
2012 Czech Republic WC 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 10 2 1 3 0
2014 Czech Republic OG 6th 5 0 0 0 0
2016 Czech Republic WCH 6th 3 0 1 1 0
2022 Czech Republic OG 9th 2 0 0 0 0
Junior totals 41 17 8 25 34
Senior totals 29 5 4 9 0

References

  1. ^ "Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA" (PDF). Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. 2018. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
  2. ^ "Florida Panthers trade Michael Frolik, get Jack Skille". Palm Beach Post. 9 February 2011. Retrieved 9 February 2011.
  3. ^ "Frolik signs contract with Blackhawks". National Hockey League. 15 July 2011. Retrieved 15 July 2011.
  4. ^ "Chicago Blackhawks vs Detroit Red Wings - Boxscore - 27 May, 2013". ESPN.com. Retrieved 28 May 2013.
  5. ^ Care, Tony (28 May 2013). "Did You See That? Michael Frolik sets penalty-shot record". CBC.ca. CBC Sports. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  6. ^ "Jets, Frolik agree to terms on one-year contract". NHL. 29 July 2014. Retrieved 29 July 2014.
  7. ^ "Calgary Flames sign Michael Frolik to 5-year deal". thehockeywriters.com. 1 July 2015. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
  8. ^ "Sabres acquire Michael Frolik from Flames". Buffalo Sabres. 2 January 2020. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
  9. ^ "Canadiens agree to terms on a one-year contract with Michael Frolik". Montreal Canadiens. 23 December 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  10. ^ "Blues sign Neal, Frolik to PTO's". St. Louis Blues. 18 September 2021. Retrieved 18 September 2021.
  11. ^ "Michael Frolik signs with Lausanne Hockey Club" (in Swiss French). Lausanne HC. 15 October 2021. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  12. ^ "Frolik welcomes Stanley Cup to Czech Republic". NHL.com. 7 August 2013. Retrieved 17 November 2018.
  13. ^ Dittrick, Ryan (4 September 2018). "WORKING ON HIS FITNESS". NHL.com. Retrieved 17 November 2018.

External links

  • Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Eurohockey.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database
Awards and achievements
Preceded by Florida Panthers first round draft pick
2006
Succeeded by