Karel Pilař

Karel Pilař (born December 23, 1977) is a Czech former professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Karel Pilař
Born (1977-12-23) December 23, 1977
Prague, Czechoslovakia
Height 6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight 206 lb (93 kg; 14 st 10 lb)
Position Defence
Shot Right
Played for HC Litvínov
Toronto Maple Leafs
HC Sparta Praha
Metallurg Magnitogorsk
HC CSKA Moscow
Lev Poprad
Växjö Lakers
HC Donbass
Mountfield HK
Anyang Halla
National team  Czech Republic
NHL Draft 39th overall, 2001
Toronto Maple Leafs
Playing career 1999–2018

Playing career

Pilař made his North American hockey debut during the 2001–02 NHL season, playing 52 games for the St. John's Maple Leafs of the AHL and earning himself a promotion to their parent club, the Toronto Maple Leafs, for the remainder of the season.

The following season, Karel's career was jeopardized when a viral infection attacked his heart and sidelined him on two occasions.[1] However, he fought back from his illness to play in 50 games for Toronto in the 2003–04 NHL season.

With the NHL season canceled in 2004–05, Pilař returned home to play in his home town for HC Sparta Praha, scoring a career high of 13 goals and helping his club win the Czech Extraliga title.

Unfortunately for Pilař, he suffered a relapse of the heart condition that had plagued him three years earlier, forcing him to miss the majority of the next two seasons.[2] Once healthy, Pilař returned to North American ice 2007, playing the final 10 games of the season with the Toronto Marlies of the AHL.

Seeking an opportunity for an NHL comeback, Pilař signed with the Atlanta Thrashers for the 2007–2008 season. After being claimed by the Chicago Blackhawks from waivers during training camp and re-claimed by the Thrashers, he was assigned to their AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves.[3] On January 14, 2009 he left Metallurg Magnitogorsk and returned to the Czech Republic, where he signed a contract to play for Sparta Praha.[4]

Having played for HC Litvínov of the Czech Extraliga as well as HC CSKA Moscow and Lev Poprad of the KHL after that, he signed a half-year contract with the Växjö Lakers of the Swedish Elitserien (SEL) on January 30, 2012.[5]

Career statistics
Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1999–00 HC Litvínov CZE 49 2 12 14 61 7 0 0 0 4
2000–01 HC Litvínov CZE 52 12 26 38 52 4 1 1 2 25
2001–02 St. John's Maple Leafs AHL 52 10 14 24 26 — — — — —
2001–02 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 23 1 3 4 8 11 0 4 4 12
2002–03 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 17 3 4 7 12 — — — — —
2002–03 St. John's Maple Leafs AHL 7 2 5 7 12 — — — — —
2003–04 St. John's Maple Leafs AHL 6 3 4 7 6 — — — — —
2003–04 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 50 2 17 19 22 1 1 0 1 0
2004–05 HC Sparta Praha CZE 52 13 15 28 70 — — — — —
2005–06 HC Sparta Praha CZE 6 0 1 1 20 14 3 3 6 45
2006–07 Toronto Marlies AHL 10 2 5 7 6 — — — — —
2007–08 Chicago Wolves AHL 45 2 24 26 48 3 0 0 0 6
2008–09 Metallurg Magnitogorsk KHL 24 1 5 6 22 — — — — —
2008–09 HC Sparta Praha CZE 13 2 3 5 32 11 0 3 3 50
2009–10 HC Litvínov CZE 37 6 19 25 57 — — — — —
2010–11 CSKA Moscow KHL 42 3 2 5 28 — — — — —
2011–12 HC Lev Poprad KHL 31 1 16 17 34 — — — — —
2011–12 Växjö Lakers SEL 13 0 4 4 6 — — — — —
2012–13 HC Donbass KHL 17 0 2 2 36 — — — — —
2012–13 HC Sparta Praha CZE 25 1 12 13 62 7 5 1 6 6
NHL totals 90 6 24 30 42 12 1 4 5 12

References
  1. Casey, Elizabeth (2008-03-29). "Lessons of the heart". theahl.com. Archived from the original on 2008-05-16. Retrieved 2008-09-14.
  2. Ulmer, Mike (2007-03-09). "Pilar Hoping to Return to Lineup". The Official Site of the Toronto Marlies. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2008-09-14.
  3. "Thrashers re-claim defenseman Karel Pilar on waivers". Atlanta Thrashers' Official Website. 2007-10-02. Archived from the original on 2011-05-19. Retrieved 2008-09-14.
  4. "Pilar returns home signs with Praha" (in Czech). HC Sparta Praha. 2009-01-14. Retrieved 2009-01-14.
  5. Gustavsson, Jonas (2012-01-30). "Växjö Lakers värvar Pilar" (in Swedish). Växjö Lakers Hockey. Retrieved 2012-01-30.
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