Michal Rozsíval (; born 3 September 1978) is a

Czech Czech may refer to: * Anything from or related to the Czech Republic, a country in Europe ** Czech language ** Czechs, the people of the area ** Czech culture ** Czech cuisine * One of three mythical brothers, Lech, Czech, and Rus *Czech (surnam ...

former professional

ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey in North America) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an Ice rink, ice skating rink with Ice hockey rink, lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. Tw ...

defenceman Defence or defense (in American English) in ice hockey is a player position that is primarily responsible for preventing the opposing team from Goal (ice hockey), scoring. They are often referred to as defencemen, D, D-men or blueliners (the l ...

. He last played for the

Chicago Blackhawks The Chicago Blackhawks (spelled Black Hawks until 1986, and known colloquially as the Hawks) are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago. The Blackhawks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (N ...

of the

National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...

(NHL). He joined the team in 2012, previously playing for the

Pittsburgh Penguins The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. The Penguins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), E ...

from

1999 1999 was designated as the International Year of Older Persons. Events January * January 1 – The euro currency is established and the European Central Bank assumes its full powers. * January 3 – The Mars Polar Lander is launc ...

until

2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and Its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...

, the

New York Rangers The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in New York City. The Rangers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The team plays ...

from 2005 to 2011, and the

Phoenix Coyotes The Arizona Coyotes are an inactive professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. They competed in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division (1996–1998, 2021–2024) and ...

in 2011–12. He is a two time

Stanley Cup The Stanley Cup () is the championship trophy awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoff champion. It is the oldest existing trophy to be awarded to a professional sports franchise in North America, and the International Ic ...

winner with the Blackhawks in 2013 and 2015.

Playing career

Pittsburgh Penguins

Rozsíval was drafted in the fourth round, 105th overall, by the

in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft. To adjust to North American play, he moved to Canada to play junior hockey with the

Swift Current Broncos The Swift Current Broncos are a Canadian major junior ice hockey team based in Swift Current, Saskatchewan. Founded in 1967, the Broncos relocated to Lethbridge, Alberta in 1974, and were known as the Lethbridge Broncos, before returning to S ...

of the

Western Hockey League The Western Hockey League (WHL) is a junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitutes the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) as the highest level of junior hocke ...

(WHL). Before making his debut with the Penguins, he played for the

Syracuse Crunch The Syracuse Crunch are a professional ice hockey team based in Syracuse, New York. They are the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the National Hockey League's Tampa Bay Lightning. They play in they home games at the Upstate Medical Univer ...

in the

American Hockey League The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America that serves as the primary developmental league of the National Hockey League (NHL). The league comprises 32 teams, with 26 in the United States and 6 in Cana ...

(AHL). He made his NHL debut in the 1999–2000 season.

New York Rangers

Rozsíval joined the

after the

2004–05 NHL lockout The 2004–05 NHL lockout was a labor lockout that resulted in the cancellation of the National Hockey League (NHL) season, which would have been its 88th season of play. The main dispute was the league's desire to implement a salary cap to ...

as a free agent. On 29 April 2007, Rozsíval ended the Rangers' longest home playoff game since 1971 by scoring on

Buffalo Sabres The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. The Sabres compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Con ...

goaltender

Ryan Miller Ryan Dean Miller (born July 17, 1980) is an American former ice hockey goaltender who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) mostly for the Buffalo Sabres. Miller was drafted 138th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1999 NHL E ...

at 16:43 of the second overtime period. In the 2007–08 season, Rozsíval led all defensemen in shorthanded goals, with two. On 1 July 2008, Rozsíval signed a four-year contract extension with the Rangers worth a total of $20 million. On 22 February 2009, Rozsíval switched his jersey number to 33 when former Rangers' player Harry Howell had his number 3 retired.

Phoenix Coyotes

On 10 January 2011, Rozsíval was traded to the

for Wojtek Wolski. He did not record any points during the Coyotes' run to the 2012 Western Conference Finals against the

Los Angeles Kings The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles. The Kings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. ...

. He was injured on a play just seconds before

Dustin Penner Dustin Penner (born September 28, 1982) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Anaheim Ducks, Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings and Washington Capitals. Undrafted by any NHL ...

's overtime series winner after a hit from Dustin Brown, and had to be assisted off the ice.

Chicago Blackhawks

On 11 September 2012, Rozsíval was signed as a free agent by the

on a one-year contract. The Blackhawks would win both the

Presidents' Trophy The Presidents' Trophy () is an award presented by the National Hockey League (NHL) to the team that finishes with the most points (i.e., best overall record) during the regular season. If two teams are tied for the most points, then the Trophy ...

and

during the lockout-shortened 2012–13 season, defeating the

Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Conference. The t ...

3–2 in six games during the finals. In Game 1 of that series, Rozsíval shot a puck that deflected off

Dave Bolland David D. Bolland (born June 5, 1986) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. Bolland was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in the second round (32nd overall) of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. While playing junior hockey in the Ontario ...

and Andrew Shaw into the net for the game-winning triple-overtime goal. Rozsíval was credited with an assist. On 5 July 2013, Rozsíval signed a two-year contract extension to remain with the Blackhawks. Michal Rozsival - Chicago Blackhawks

Rozsíval recorded one goal and twelve assists over 65 games during the 2014–15 season. He appeared in ten games during the

2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs The 2015 Stanley Cup playoffs was the playoff tournament of the National Hockey League (NHL) for the 2014–15 season. They began on April 15, 2015, and ended on June 15, 2015, with the Chicago Blackhawks defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning fou ...

, but sustained a critical ankle injury during the Blackhawks’ second round series against the

Minnesota Wild The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The Wild compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Confer ...

. The injury required surgery and between 12 and 16 weeks of rehabilitation. The Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup that year and Rozsíval’s name was engraved on the cup for a second time. On 22 September 2015, Rozsíval signed a one-year contract extension with the Blackhawks. He made his 2015–16 debut for the Blackhawks on 14 November against the

St. Louis Blues The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis. The Blues compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. Th ...

. In March 2016, the Professional Hockey Writers Association nominated Rozsival for the NHL's Masterton Trophy, which is awarded annually to the player who 'best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to ice hockey.' At the end of the 2015–16 season, Rozsival signed another one-year contract extension with the Blackhawks. On 28 February 2017, Chicago agreed to extend Rozsival's contract through the 2017–2018 season. In the Blackhawks’ penultimate 2016–17 regular season game, Nick Ritchie of the

Anaheim Ducks The Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California. The Ducks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Confere ...

punched Rozsíval in the face as retaliation for a cross-check he delivered to Ducks winger

Corey Perry Corey Perry (born May 16, 1985) is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger for the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL). Perry holds the record of being the only NHL player to lose four Stanley Cup Finals with four differ ...

. Rozsíval suffered a facial fracture that required surgical repairs. The NHL suspended Ritchie for two games (one regular season and one playoff game) on the basis that Ritchie's punch was unexpected and Rozsíval was not prepared to fight or defend himself. Rozsíval missed the Blackhawks 2016–17 finale and the entire 2017 playoffs due to the injury. He was later diagnosed with post-concussion symptoms and was placed on the Blackhawks long-term disabled list before the 2017–18 NHL season. He never played an NHL game again.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

International

Awards and honours

Personal life

Rozsival and his wife Jana have two sons: Daniel (who currently plays for the Chicago Mission u16 team), currently playing for the Yellojackets of U of Wisconsin-Superior! and Dominick.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Rozsival, Michal 1978 births Living people Chicago Blackhawks players Czech ice hockey defencemen HC Oceláři Třinec players HC Dynamo Pardubice players New York Rangers players Olympic ice hockey players for the Czech Republic Ice hockey players at the 2014 Winter Olympics People from Vlašim Phoenix Coyotes players Pittsburgh Penguins draft picks Pittsburgh Penguins players Stanley Cup champions Swift Current Broncos players Syracuse Crunch players Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins players Ice hockey people from the Central Bohemian Region Czech expatriate ice hockey players in Canada Czech expatriate ice hockey players in the United States 21st-century Czech sportsmen