Karel Rachůnek was a
Czech professional
ice hockey player. Rachunek was the captain of
Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the
Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) when the team's plane crashed on September 7, 2011 died from a plane crash he was 32.. He played eight seasons in
North America in the
National Hockey League (NHL). Rachunek was drafted in the ninth round, 229th overall, by the
Ottawa Senators in the
1997 NHL Entry Draft. Rachunek was the brother of
Ivan Rachunek and
Tomas Rachunek who have also played professional ice hockey.
| (August 27, 1979 – September 7, 2011) |
Early career
Rachunek played his junior hockey with AC ZPS Zlin Jr. of the Czech
Junior League from 1995 to 1997. In his rookie season in 1995–96,
Rachunek recorded eight goals and 19 points in 38 games. In his second
season with the club in 1996–97, Rachunek scored two goals and 13 points
in 27 games. In the
1997 NHL Entry Draft, the
Ottawa Senators selected Rachunek in the ninth round, 229th overall.
In 1997–98, Rachunek moved to
Zlin of the
Czech Extraliga.
In his first season with the club, he scored a goal and three points in
27 games. In 1998–99, Rachunek improved his offensive numbers to three
goals and 12 points in 39 games, as well as accumulating 88 penalty
minutes, helping Zlin into the playoffs. In six playoff games, Rachunek
was held pointless.
Ottawa Senators
Rachunek made his North American debut with the
Grand Rapids Griffins of the
IHL in 1999–2000, which was the
Ottawa Senators
top minor league affiliate. In 62 games with the Griffins, Rachunek had
six goals and 26 points, helping Grand Rapids earn a playoff berth. In
nine post-season games, Rachunek had five assists.
He also made his
NHL debut with the Senators in
1999–2000. Rachunek made his debut on October 31, 1999, getting no points with 14:22 of ice time in the Senators 6–4 win over the
Atlanta Thrashers. Rachunek appeared in six games with Ottawa, going pointless.
In
2000–01,
Rachunek made the Senators coming out of training camp. In his rookie
season, Rachunek appeared in 71 games, scoring three goals and 33
points, averaging nearly 21 minutes of ice time per game, helping the
Senators into the playoffs. Rachunek earned his first NHL point on
November 11, 2000, an assist on a goal by
Magnus Arvedson in the Senators 4–3 loss to the
Philadelphia Flyers. He would score his first NHL goal on January 16, 2001, scoring on
Los Angeles Kings goaltender
Jamie Storr in a 7–6 loss. Rachunek appeared in three playoff games, getting no points.
Rachunek missed 31 games in
2001–02 due to injuries. In 51 games with Ottawa, he scored three 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
RSL.
In nine games with Yaroslavl, Rachunek had three goals. On November 8,
2002, he resigned with the Ottawa Senators, and would appear in 58 games
with them, scoring four goals and 29 points. Rachunek then played in 17
playoff games with the Senators, scoring a goal and four points. He
scored his first playoff goal against
Martin Brodeur of the
New Jersey Devils on May 17, 2003 in a 5–2 loss. Rachunek also played in six games with the
Binghamton Senators of the
AHL, earning two assists.
In
2003–04,
Rachunek played in 60 games with the Senators, scoring a goal and 17
points. His time with the Senators came to an end, as on March 9, 2004,
Ottawa traded Rachunek and
Alexandre Giroux to the
New York Rangers for
Greg de Vries.
New York Rangers
Rachunek finished the
2003–04 season with the
New York 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
Tomas Vokoun of the
Nashville Predators in a 4–2 loss. Rachunek finished the year playing in 12 games with the Rangers, scoring a goal and four points.
Orli Znojmo
With the
2004-05 NHL lockout cancelling the season, Rachunek signed with
Orli Znojmo of the
Czech Extraliga on September 6, 2004. In 21 games, he scored five goals and 11 points before becoming a free agent at the end of October.
Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
On November 1, 2004, Rachunek 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, getting six 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 decided to remain with Yaroslavl. In
45 games, Rachunek had 11 goals and 27 points. He was then held
pointless in two playoff games, however, Rachunek accumulated 29 penalty
minutes in those two games.
New York Rangers
Rachunek returned to the
New York Rangers for the
2006–07
season. In 66 games, Rachunek had six goals and 26 points, helping the
team into the playoffs. In six playoff games, Rachunek had four assists.
After the season, Rachunek became a free agent.
New Jersey Devils
On July 3, 2007, the
New Jersey Devils signed Rachunek for the
2007–08 season. Rachunek played in his first game as a Devil on October 4, 2007, earning no points 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. Rachunek 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 Rachunek appeared in
only 49 games, scoring four goals and 13 points. At the end of the
season, Rachunek was a free agent.
Dynamo Moscow
On August 31, 2008, Rachunek signed a contract with
HC Dynamo Moscow of the
KHL. In the
2008–09 season, Rachunek had nine goals and 32 points in 50 games. In 12 playoff games, Rachunek had four goals and eight points.
He 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
Rachunek returned to
Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, now in the
KHL for the third time in the
2010–11
season. In 50 games with Yaroslavl, Rachunek had 11 goals and 46
points, as the team finished with the best record in the Tarasov
Division. In 18 playoff games, Rachunek had eight goals and 13 points.
He returned to the team for
2011–12, however, on September 7, 2011, Rachunek was killed in a
plane crash.
International career
Rachunek played with the
Czech Republic national ice hockey team in various tournaments throughout his career. At the
1999 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships held in
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, Rachunek had a goal and four points in six games as the Czech Republic finished in seventh place.
At the
2009 IIHF World Championship held in
Switzerland,
Rachunek had four assists in seven games, as the Czech Republic
finished in sixth place. Rachunek earned a spot on the team again for
the
2010 IIHF World Championship held in
Germany, as he scored two goals and four points in nine games, helping the Czech Republic to the
Gold Medal. Rachunek had an assist on the game winning goal in the Gold Medal game. At the
2011 IIHF World Championship held in
Slovakia, Rachunek had a goal and three points in nine games, helping the Czech Republic to the
Bronze Medal.
Death
Rachůnek died on September 7, 2011 in a
plane crash,
along with his entire Lokomotiv team, just outside Yaroslavl, Russia.
The team was on its way to their 2011–2012 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."
[2]
It was during the takeoff, after the runway of 3km that the airplane
simply couldn't get up high enough, according to reports the plane
reached a total altitude of 10–50 meters before hitting a pylon and
dropping to the left. Parts of the airplane spread in Volga, and others
on plain land, as it broke apart just before once again touching the
ground.
[3]
Career statistics
Note: GP = Games played, G = Goals, A = Assists, P =
Points, PIM = Penalty minutes, +/- = Plus/minus, S = Shots, S% =
Shooting percentage
|
|
Regular season |
|
Playoffs |
| Season |
Team |
League |
GP |
G |
A |
Pts |
+/- |
PIM |
S |
S% |
GP |
G |
A |
Pts |
+/- |
PIM |
S |
S% |
| 1997–98 |
HC ZPS-Barum Zlín |
Czech |
27 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
n/a |
16 |
n/a |
n/a |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
| 1998–99 |
HC ZPS-Barum Zlín |
Czech |
39 |
3 |
9 |
12 |
n/a |
88 |
n/a |
n/a |
6 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
n/a |
0 |
n/a |
n/a |
| 1999–00 |
Ottawa Senators |
NHL |
6 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
3 |
0.0 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
| 1999–00 |
Grand Rapids Griffins |
IHL |
62 |
6 |
20 |
26 |
+18 |
64 |
92 |
6.5 |
9 |
0 |
5 |
5 |
+5 |
6 |
n/a |
n/a |
| 2000–01 |
Ottawa Senators |
NHL |
71 |
3 |
30 |
33 |
+17 |
60 |
77 |
3.9 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
−4 |
0 |
7 |
0.0 |
| 2001–02 |
Ottawa Senators |
NHL |
51 |
3 |
15 |
18 |
+7 |
24 |
55 |
5.5 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
| 2002–03 |
Ottawa Senators |
NHL |
58 |
4 |
25 |
29 |
+23 |
30 |
110 |
3.6 |
17 |
1 |
3 |
4 |
−5 |
14 |
21 |
4.8 |
| 2002–03 |
Lokomotiv Yaroslavl |
RSL |
9 |
3 |
0 |
3 |
+5 |
8 |
n/a |
n/a |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
| 2002–03 |
Binghamton Senators |
AHL |
6 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
+2 |
10 |
11 |
0.0 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
| 2003–04 |
Ottawa Senators |
NHL |
60 |
1 |
16 |
17 |
+17 |
29 |
99 |
1.0 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
| 2003–04 |
New York Rangers |
NHL |
12 |
1 |
3 |
4 |
−9 |
4 |
21 |
4.8 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
| 2004–05 |
HC JME Znojemští Orli |
Czech |
21 |
5 |
6 |
11 |
−6 |
55 |
n/a |
n/a |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
| 2004–05 |
Lokomotiv Yaroslavl |
RSL |
27 |
6 |
8 |
14 |
−3 |
69 |
n/a |
n/a |
9 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
−4 |
6 |
n/a |
n/a |
| 2005–06 |
Lokomotiv Yaroslavl |
RSL |
47 |
11 |
20 |
31 |
+14 |
73 |
n/a |
n/a |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
−1 |
29 |
n/a |
n/a |
| 2006–07 |
New York Rangers |
NHL |
66 |
6 |
20 |
26 |
−9 |
38 |
99 |
6.1 |
6 |
0 |
4 |
4 |
−1 |
2 |
8 |
0.0 |
| 2007–08 |
New Jersey Devils |
NHL |
47 |
4 |
9 |
13 |
+3 |
40 |
68 |
5.9 |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
— |
| 2008–09 |
Dynamo Moscow |
KHL |
50 |
9 |
23 |
32 |
+19 |
85 |
120 |
7.5 |
12 |
4 |
4 |
8 |
+4 |
8 |
36 |
11.1 |
| 2009–10 |
Dynamo Moscow |
KHL |
52 |
10 |
17 |
27 |
−5 |
74 |
157 |
6.4 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
−5 |
6 |
19 |
0.0 |
| 2010–11 |
Lokomotiv Yaroslavl |
KHL |
50 |
11 |
35 |
46 |
+11 |
99 |
132 |
8.3 |
18 |
8 |
5 |
13 |
+11 |
10 |
68 |
11.8 |
| NHL totals |
371 |
22 |
118 |
140 |
+49 |
227 |
532 |
4.1 |
26 |
1 |
7 |
8 |
-10 |
16 |
36 |
2.8 |
| KHL totals |
152 |
30 |
75 |
105 |
+25 |
258 |
409 |
7.3 |
34 |
12 |
9 |
21 |
+10 |
24 |
123 |
9.8 |
| RSL totals |
83 |
20 |
28 |
48 |
+16 |
150 |
— |
— |
11 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
-5 |
35 |
— |
— |
| CZE totals |
87 |
9 |
17 |
26 |
— |
159 |
— |
— |
16 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
— |
0 |
— |
— |
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Karel Rachůnek was a Czech professional ice hockey player. Rachunek was the captain of Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) when the team's plane crashed on September 7, 2011 died from a plane crash he was 32.. He played eight seasons in North America in the National Hockey League (NHL). Rachunek was drafted in the ninth round, 229th overall, by the Ottawa Senators in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft. Rachunek was the brother of Ivan Rachunek and Tomas Rachunek who have also played professional ice hockey.
Czech Republic
