Vladimír Sobotka

Vladimír Sobotka (Czech pronunciation: [ˈvlaɟɪmiːr ˈsobotka]; born 2 July 1987) is a Czech professional ice hockey centre currently playing for SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers of the National League (NL). Sobotka has previously played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Boston Bruins, St. Louis Blues and the Buffalo Sabres, and also in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) for Avangard Omsk. Sobotka was selected in the fourth round, 106th overall, in 2005 by the Boston Bruins from Slavia Prague of the Czech Extraliga.

For the Czech volleyball player, see Vladimír Sobotka (volleyball).

Vladimír Sobotka
Sobotka with the St. Louis Blues in 2011
Born (1987-07-02) 2 July 1987
Třebíč, Czechoslovakia
Height 5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight 183 lb (83 kg; 13 st 1 lb)
Position Center
Shoots Left
NL team
Former teams		 SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers
Slavia Prague
Boston Bruins
St. Louis Blues
Avangard Omsk
Buffalo Sabres
National team  Czech Republic
NHL Draft 106th overall, 2005
Boston Bruins
Playing career 2004–present

Playing career

Sobotka played his first NHL game during the 2007–08 season on 24 November 2007, against the New York Islanders. His first career NHL goal was scored later that season, on 13 February 2008, against Ty Conklin of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

On 26 June 2010, the Boston Bruins traded Sobotka to the St. Louis Blues in exchange for the rights to prospect David Warsofsky.

On 6 November 2010, Sobotka recorded his first goal for the Blues against his former club, the Boston Bruins, beating Tuukka Rask after a turnover in the Bruins' zone. At the end of the 2010–11 season, he finished with 29 points in 65 games.[1]

On 15 June 2011, Sobotka signed a three-year contract extension with the Blues.[2]

On 9 March 2013, Sobotka scored his first career NHL hat-trick against the San Jose Sharks.[3]

Sobotka, at the completion of the 2013–14 season, became a restricted free agent, and instead of re-signing with the Blues, opted instead to sign with Avangard Omsk in the KHL on a three-year contract.[4] When it became clear to the Blues that there was a possibility that Sobotka would be playing in the KHL, the organization filed for salary arbitration with the NHL. On 21 July 2014, Sobotka received a one-year, $2.725 million award from an arbitrator. The result of the arbitration award states that should Sobotka return to the NHL in the future, the Blues would retain his rights for one year at the amount awarded by the arbitrator; at the end of that year, he would then become an unrestricted free agent in the NHL.[5]

After completing three full seasons in the KHL, it was announced on April 6, 2017, that Sobotka would be returning to the Blues in time for the end of the 2016–17 season and then the playoffs. He finished the 2016–17 season on the salary awarded to him in arbitration in 2014 ($2.725 million), and agreed to a three-year extension with the Blues, set to kick in for the 2017–18 NHL season.[6]

On July 1, 2018, Sobotka, along with Tage Thompson, Patrik Berglund, a first-round pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft and a second round pick in the 2021 NHL Entry draft, was traded to the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for Ryan O'Reilly.[7]

At the completion of his contract with the Sabres, Sobotka left the NHL as a free agent and agreed to an initial one-month contract in Switzerland with SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers of the NL, on 9 October 2020.[8]

International play

On 6 January 2014, Sobotka was named to the Czech Republic's roster for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi,[9] though a leg injury sustained with St. Louis on 31 January prevented him from participating.[10]

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 Slavia Praha CZE U18 35 24 41 65 109 7 7 12 19 8
2003–04 HC Slavia Praha CZE U20 18 6 6 12 16 — — — — —
2003–04 HC Slavia Praha ELH 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
2004–05 HC Slavia Praha CZE U20 27 12 21 33 91 — — — — —
2004–05 HC Slavia Praha ELH 18 0 1 1 8 — — — — —
2004–05 HC Rebel Havlíčkův Brod CZE.3 7 3 0 3 31 7 1 5 6 0
2005–06 HC Slavia Praha CZE U20 8 10 4 14 42 — — — — —
2005–06 HC Slavia Praha ELH 33 1 9 10 28 11 2 3 5 10
2006–07 HC Slavia Praha ELH 33 7 6 13 38 — — — — —
2007–08 Providence Bruins AHL 18 10 10 20 37 6 0 4 4 0
2007–08 Boston Bruins NHL 48 1 6 7 24 6 2 0 2 0
2008–09 Providence Bruins AHL 44 20 24 44 83 14 2 11 13 43
2008–09 Boston Bruins NHL 25 1 4 5 10 — — — — —
2009–10 Providence Bruins AHL 6 4 6 10 4 — — — — —
2009–10 Boston Bruins NHL 61 4 6 10 30 13 0 2 2 15
2010–11 St. Louis Blues NHL 65 7 22 29 69 — — — — —
2011–12 St. Louis Blues NHL 73 5 15 20 42 9 1 1 2 15
2012–13 HC Slavia Praha ELH 27 10 15 25 22 — — — — —
2012–13 St. Louis Blues NHL 48 8 11 19 35 6 0 3 3 0
2013–14 St. Louis Blues NHL 61 9 24 33 72 6 0 3 3 4
2014–15 Avangard Omsk KHL 53 10 28 38 51 4 1 1 2 0
2015–16 Avangard Omsk KHL 44 18 16 34 22 2 0 2 2 0
2016–17 Avangard Omsk KHL 41 9 21 30 30 12 3 7 10 16
2016–17 St. Louis Blues NHL 1 1 0 1 0 11 2 4 6 2
2017–18 St. Louis Blues NHL 81 11 20 31 50 — — — — —
2018–19 Buffalo Sabres NHL 69 5 8 13 26 — — — — —
2019–20 Buffalo Sabres NHL 16 1 2 3 4 — — — — —
ELH totals 112 18 31 49 82 11 2 3 5 10
NHL totals 548 53 118 171 362 51 5 13 18 36
KHL totals 138 37 65 102 103 18 4 10 14 16

International
Medal record
Representing  Czech Republic
World U18 Championships
2004 Minsk
Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2004 Czech Republic WJC18 7 1 0 1 10
2005 Czech Republic WJC18 4th 7 1 0 1 10
2006 Czech Republic WJC 6th 6 2 2 4 33
2007 Czech Republic WJC 5th 6 4 4 8 12
2014 Czech Republic WC 4th 9 2 4 6 10
2015 Czech Republic WC 4th 10 4 0 4 4
2016 Czech Republic WCH 6th 3 0 1 1 0
Junior totals 26 8 6 14 65
Senior totals 22 6 5 11 14

References
  1. "Blues sign Sobotka". USA Today. 15 June 2011. Retrieved 15 June 2011.
  2. "Blues re-sign Sobotka to three-year deal". St. Louis Blues. 15 June 2011. Retrieved 15 June 2011.
  3. AP. "NHL roundup: Sobotka's hat trick lifts Blues past Sharks in OT". The News Journal. Retrieved 4 April 2013.
  4. Brehm, Mike (10 July 2014). "Blues lose Vladimir Sobotka to KHL, re-sign Steve Ott". USA Today. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
  5. Brehm, Mike (21 July 2014). "Vladimir Sobotka gets award; Cody Franson settles". USA Today. Retrieved 21 July 2014.
  6. AP. "Vladimir Sobotka signs three-year contract with Blues". NHL.com. Retrieved 6 April 2017.
  7. "Sabres trade Ryan O'Reilly to Blues". sportsnet.ca. 1 July 2018. Retrieved 1 July 2018.
  8. "SCRJ sign Vlad Sobotka" (in German). SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers. 9 October 2020. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
  9. "Sobotka to Play for Czech Republic: Blues forward Vladimir Sobotka will play in the 2014 Winter Olympics". NHL.com. 6 January 2014.
  10. "Sobotka Placed on IR with Leg Injury: Blues forward was injured late Jan. 31 and will be re-evaluated in four weeks". NHL.com. 1 February 2014.
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