|
View: Previous | Next
|
| 1984 NHL DRAFT PICK |
 |
Petr Svoboda
Selected in first round
No.
5 overall by
Montreal Canadiens
Born February 14, 1966
 | Position:
Defense
Height: 6-1 Weight: 170
|
|
| BEFORE THE DRAFT |
Last Team:
Litvinov (Czechoslovakia)
Birthplace:
Most, Czechoslovakia
Hometown: Most, Czech Republic |
 |
 |
|
|
PRE-DRAFT STATISTICS | | Year |
Team | League |
GP | G |
A | TP |
PIM | | 1982-83 |
Litvinov | Czech. Jr. |
-- | -- |
-- | -- |
-- | | |
Litvinov | Czech. |
4 | 0 |
0 | 0 |
2 | | 1983-84 |
Litvinov | Czech. Jr. |
22 | 12 |
20 | 32 |
-- | | |
Litvinov | Czech. |
18 | 3 |
1 | 4 |
20 |
|
PRE-DRAFT AWARDS AND HONORS
World Junior Championships: 1984 (bronze medal)
European Junior Championships: 1983 (bronze), 1984 (silver)
European Jr. Championships Best Defenseman: 1983
European Jr.
Championships All-Star First Team: 1983
Miscellaneous: Also ran marathons during his junior hockey career. |
| NHL CAREER |
Debut: October 11, 1984 (Montreal at
Buffalo)
Numbers: 25 (Montreal); 7
(Buffalo); 3, 23 (Phila.); 23 (Tampa Bay)
Stanley Cup: 1986.
Playing Status:
Retired May 1, 2002 |
| CAREER NHL STATISTICS | | Years |
Teams | GP |
G | A |
TP | PIM | |
1984-2000 |
Montreal, Buffalo,
Philadelphia, T.B. | 1,028 |
58 | 341 |
399 | 1,605 |
|
| CAREER NHL PLAYOFF STATISTICS |
| Years | Teams |
GP | G |
A | TP |
PIM | |
1985-1998 | Mont., Buffalo, Phila. |
127 |
4 | 45 |
49 | 140 |
|
NHL
AWARDS AND HONORS
All-Star Game: 2000 (Tampa Bay)
Stanley Cup Finals (Lost): 1989 (Montreal), 1997 (Philadelphia)
Philadelphia Playoffs Assists Leader: 1996 (6, tie)
Tampa Bay Penalty-Minutes Leader: 1999-00 (170)
1985-86: Played on Montreal team that won 1986 Stanley Cup, but did
not appear in any Stanley Cup Finals series games vs. Calgary.
Miscellaneous: Had two assists in his first NHL game. ... Missed part of
1984-85 season with lacerated third, fourth and fifth fingers in right hand,
an injury suffered when an official stepped on the hand while trying to
break up a fight between Svoboda and Pat Boutette during third period of
Montreal's Oct. 27, 1984, game at Pittsburgh. He did not return to action
until Montreal's Nov. 10, 1984, game at Calgary. ... Missed part of 1985-86
season with bruised shoulder, an injury suffered when he was boarded by
Randy Hillier during Montreal's Oct. 10, 1985, season-opener at Pittsburgh.
He did not return to action until Montreal's Oct. 19, 1985, game at
Hartford. ... Missed part of 1985-86 season with shoulder injury, suffered
during Montreal's Jan. 20, 1986, game at Quebec. He did not return to action
until Montreal's Jan. 27, 1986, game vs. Buffalo. ... Missed part of 1986-87
season with the flu, an illness contracted in December 1986. ... Missed part
of 1986-87 season with cut left ring finger, an injury suffered during
Montreal's March 14, 1987, game vs. Philadelphia. He did not return to
action until Montreal's March 29, 1987, game at Pittsburgh. ... Missed part
of 1987-88 season with jammed thumb, an injury suffered during Montreal's
Dec. 5, 1987, game vs. Los Angeles. He did not return to action until
Montreal's Dec. 12, 1987, game vs. Detroit. ... Missed part
of 1987-88 season with back spasms, an injury suffered during Montreal's Jan.
18, 1988, game vs. Edmonton. He did not return to action until Montreal's
Jan. 29, 1988, game at Washington. ...
Missed part of 1987-88 season with hip pointer, an injury suffered during
Montreal's March 19, 1988, game vs. Chicago. He did not return to action
until Montreal's April 2, 1988, game vs. Buffalo. ... Missed part of 1988
playoffs with concussion, an injury suffered when he was checked into the
boards behind his own goal by Dave Tippett during Game 3 of Montreal's
first-round series at Hartford on April 9, 1988. ... Missed part of 1988-89
season with sprained right wrist, an injury suffered during Montreal's Nov.
21, 1988, game vs. N.Y. Rangers. He did not return to action until
Montreal's Dec. 3, 1988, game vs. Buffalo. ... Missed part of 1988-89 season
with back injury, suffered during Montreal's March 13, 1989, game vs. N.Y.
Islanders. He did not return to action until Montreal's March 22, 1989, game
vs. Quebec. ... Missed part of 1989-90 season with separated shoulder, an
injury suffered during Montreal's Nov. 18, 1989, game vs. Toronto. He did
not return to action until Montreal's Nov. 22, 1989, game at Philadelphia.
... Missed part of 1989-90 season with pulled groin, an injury suffered
during Montreal's Nov. 22, 1989, game at Philadelphia. He did not return to
action until Montreal's Dec. 11, 1989, game vs. Los Angeles. ... Missed part
of 1989-90 season with re-aggravation of groin injury, suffered during
Montreal's Dec. 11, 1989, game vs. Los Angeles. He did not return to action
until Montreal's Jan. 6, 1990, game vs. Buffalo. He scored the winning goal
in that game. ... Suspended by NHL for one game (automatic suspension)
during 1989-90 season for receiving his second stick-related major penalty
of the season during Montreal's Feb. 3, 1990, game vs. Buffalo. ... Missed
part of 1989-90 season with bruised left foot, an injury suffered during
Montreal's March 10, 1990, game vs. Detroit. He did not return to action
until Montreal's March 17, 1990, game vs. Chicago. ... Missed part of
1990-91 season with stomach ulcer, an illness contracted on Nov. 25, 1990.
He returned to action Montreal' s Nov. 28, 1990, game vs. Buffalo, but was
then out of the lineup until Montreal's Dec. 6, 1990, game at Boston. ...
Missed part of 1990-91 season with broken left foot, an injury suffered when
he was hit by a Mike Modano slapshot during Montreal's Jan. 15, 1991, game
at Minnesota. He did not return to action until Montreal's Feb. 23, 1991,
game vs. Toronto. ... Scratched from Montreal's lineup for Canadiens' Dec.
7, 1991, game vs. Calgary because he was on the ice for two goals during
N.Y. Islanders' 5-4 comeback win over Montreal on Dec. 5, 1991. The poor
third period play led to a brief confrontation with Canadiens coach Pat
Burns, who benched Svoboda for disciplinary reasons and because he had
been complaining about his contract. ... Missed part of 1991-92 season with
mouth injury, suffered when he was hit in the face by the puck during
Montreal's Dec. 14, 1991, game vs. Buffalo. The puck knocked out most of his
lower teeth, and he did not return to action until Montreal's Dec. 21, 1991,
game vs. Hartford. ... Missed part of 1991-92 season with sprained right
ankle, an injury suffered during Montreal's Feb. 17, 1992, game vs.
Minnesota. While he was out with the injury, Montreal traded Svoboda to
Buffalo on March 10, 1992. He did not return to action until Buffalo's March
11, 1992, game vs. Boston. ... Missed part of 1992-93 season with sprained
right knee, an injury suffered when he was kneed by Kent Manderville during
Buffalo's Oct. 28, 1992, game at Toronto. He did not return to action until
Buffalo's Nov. 7, 1992, game at Los Angeles. ... Missed remainder of 1992-93
season and entire 1993 playoffs with torn ACL in right knee, an injury
suffered when Craig Simpson fell on Svoboda's knee during Buffalo's Jan. 17, 1993, game
at Edmonton. The injury required season-ending reconstructive surgery on
Jan. 21, 1993. ... Missed start of 1993-94 season with sore right knee, an
injury suffered during Buffalo's 1993 training camp. He did not make his
1993-94 NHL regular-season debut until Buffalo's Oct. 12, 1993, game at
Philadelphia. ... Missed part of 1993-94 season with re-aggravation of right
knee injury, suffered during Buffalo's Oct. 16, 1993, game at Washington. He
did not return to action until Buffalo's Nov. 7, 1993, game vs. Boston. ...
Missed part of 1993-94 season with partially torn MCL in left knee, an
injury suffered during Buffalo's March 17, 1994, game vs. New Jersey. The
injury required arthroscopic surgery, and Svoboda did not return to action
until Buffalo's April 14, 1994, regular-season finale vs. Washington. ...
Missed remainder of 1994 playoffs with strained left knee, an injury
suffered during Game 3 of Buffalo's first-round series vs. New Jersey on
April 21, 1994. ... Missed part of 1995 season with slight separation of
right shoulder, an injury suffered during Buffalo's March 2, 1995, game vs.
Pittsburgh. He did not return to action until Buffalo's March 8, 1995, game
at Montreal. ... Missed part of 1995 season with hairline fracture of jaw,
an injury suffered in Buffalo's March 16, 1995, game vs. N.Y. Islanders.
He did not return to action until Buffalo's March 19, 1995, game vs. Tampa
Bay. ... Missed part of 1995 season with strained neck, suffered
during Philadelphia's April 26, 1995, game vs. Ottawa. He did not return to
action until Philadelphia's April 30, 1995, game vs. N.Y. Rangers. ...
Missed part of 1995 playoffs with strained neck, an injury suffered in
Game 1 of Philadelphia's Eastern Conference finals series vs. New Jersey on
June 5, 1995. ... Missed part of 1995-96 season with groin injury, suffered
during Philadelphia's Oct. 31, 1995, game vs. Tampa Bay. ... Missed part of
1995-96 season with pinched nerve in neck, suffered during Philadelphia's
Nov. 14, 1995, game at Washington. He did not return to action until
Philadelphia's Nov. 21, 1995, game vs. Los Angeles. ... Missed part of
1995-96 season with pulled left hamstring, an injury suffered during
Philadelphia's Jan. 11, 1996, game vs. St. Louis. He did not return to
action until Philadelphia's Jan. 22, 1995, game vs. Florida. ... Missed part
of 1995-96 season with concussion, suffered when he was elbowed by Marc
Bureau in Philadelphia's Feb. 1,
1996, game vs. Montreal. ... Missed part of 1995-96 season with strained
left shoulder, an injury suffered during Philadelphia's April 4, 1996, game
vs. N.Y. Rangers. He did not return to action until Philadelphia's April 10,
1996, game at New Jersey. ... Missed part of 1996-97 season with separated
left shoulder, an injury suffered during Philadelphia's Oct. 15, 1996, game
at Los Angeles. He did not return to action until Philadelphia's Oct. 31,
1996, game at Tampa Bay. ... Missed part of 1996-97 season with strained
groin, an injury suffered during Philadelphia's Dec. 31, 1996, game at
Vancouver. He did not return until Philadelphia's Jan. 11, 1997,
game vs. Washington. ... Missed part of 1996-97 season with pinched nerve in
neck, an injury suffered during Philadelphia's Jan. 25, 1997, game vs.
Detroit. He did not return to action until Philadelphia's Feb. 4, 1997, game
vs. Buffalo. ... Missed part of 1996-97 season with strained groin, an
injury suffered during Philadelphia's March 13, 1997, game vs. Edmonton. He
did not return to action until Philadelphia's March 22, 1997, game at N.Y.
Islanders. ... Missed remainder of 1997 playoffs with fractured first
metatarsal bone in right foot, an injury suffered during Game 1 of
Philadelphia's Stanley Cup Finals series vs. Detroit on May 31, 1997. ...
Missed start of 1997-98 season with broken metacarpal in right hand, an injury
suffered during Philadelphia's Sept. 27, 1997, preseason game vs. Pittsburgh. He did not make his
1997-98 regular-season debut until Philadelphia's Oct. 27, 1997, game vs.
New Jersey. ... Missed part of 1997-98 season with strained neck, an injury
suffered in Philadelphia's Dec. 31, 1997, game at Vancouver. He did not return to
action until Philadelphia's Jan. 14, 1998, game vs. Montreal. ... Missed
part of 1997-98 season with strained right elbow, an injury suffered in
Philadelphia's March 3, 1998, game at N.Y. Islanders. He did not return to
action until Philadelphia's March 12, 1998, game
vs. Vancouver. ... Missed part of 1997-98 season with bruised left thumb, an injury
suffered during Philadelphia's March 22, 1998, game vs. N.Y. Rangers. He did not return
to action until Philadelphia's April 8, 1998, game at Tampa Bay. ... Missed
part of 1998 playoffs with neck injury, suffered in Game 1 of Philadelphia's
first-round series vs. Buffalo on April 22, 1998. ... Missed remainder of
1998 playoffs with re-aggravation of neck injury, suffered during Game 4 of
Philadelphia's first-round series at Buffalo on April 29, 1998. ... Missed
part of 1998-99 season with hip flexor injury, suffered during
Philadelphia's Oct. 31, 1998, game at N.Y. Islanders. He did not return to
action until Philadelphia's Nov. 9, 1998, game at Montreal. ... Missed part
of 1998-99 season with sprained left knee, an injury suffered during
Philadelphia's Dec. 10, 1998, game vs. New Jersey. He did not return to
action until Philadelphia's Dec. 17, 1998, game vs. Calgary. ... Missed part
of 1998-99 season with the flu, an illness contracted in December 1998. ...
Missed part of 1998-99 season with strained groin, an injury suffered during
Tampa Bay's Jan. 29, 1999, game vs. Dallas. He did not return to action
until Tampa Bay's Feb. 13, 1999, game vs. San Jose. ... Missed part of
1998-99 season with re-aggravation of groin injury, suffered during Tampa
Bay's Feb. 13, 1999, game vs. San Jose. He did not return to action until
Tampa Bay's Feb, 26, 1999, game vs. Philadelphia. ... Missed part of 1998-99
season with knee injury, suffered during Tampa Bay's March 24, 1999, game
vs. Nashville. He did not return to action until Tampa Bay's March 31, 1999,
game at Dallas. ... Missed remainder of 1998-99 season with shoulder injury,
suffered in Tampa Bay's April 16, 1999, game vs. Carolina. ... Missed
part of 1999-00 season with shoulder injury, suffered during Tampa Bay's
Jan. 5, 2000, game at Vancouver. ... Missed part of 1999-00 season with
re-aggravation of shoulder injury, suffered in Tampa Bay's Jan. 17,
2000, game vs. Washington. He did not return to action until Tampa Bay's
Jan. 24, 2000, game at Washington. ... Missed part of 1999-00 season with
sprained right thumb, an injury suffered during Tampa Bay's Feb. 17, 2000,
game at Ottawa. ... Missed part of 1999-00 season with re-aggravation of
right thumb injury, suffered during Tampa Bay's March 1, 2000, game vs.
Washington. He did not return until Tampa Bay's March 8, 2000,
game vs. Philadelphia. ... Played his 1,000th career NHL game for Tampa Bay
on March 12, 2000, vs. Chicago, becoming the first Czech/Slovak player ever
to play in 1,000 games. ... Missed remainder of 1999-00 season
with strained abdominal muscle, an injury suffered during Tampa Bay's March
30, 2000, game vs. Ottawa. ... Led Tampa Bay in blocked shots (124) and
average ice time per game (23:01) in 1999-00. ... Missed part of 2000-01
season with strained lower back, suffered during Tampa Bay's Oct.
25, 2000, game at Detroit, and re-aggravated during Tampa Bay's Nov. 3,
2000, game vs. N.Y. Islanders. ... Missed part of 2000-01 season with
pinched nerve in neck, suffered in Tampa Bay's Nov. 24, 2000, game
vs. Florida. He did not return until Tampa Bay's Dec. 6, 2000,
game at Philadelphia. ... Missed remainder of 2000-01 season with concussion
and broken nose, suffered when he was checked into the boards by
Shane Doan in Tampa Bay's Dec. 14, 2000, game at Phoenix and went face-first
into his own stick as he fell. The injury led to post-concussion syndrome,
which ended his career. When it became apparent he could not come back, he
finally opted to retire from the NHL following the 2001-02 season at the age
of 36.
Draft Day Surprise:
Had he not spent his junior career behind the Iron Curtain in
Czechoslovakia, Svoboda would have been a top candidate for the 1984 draft.
But because he was unlikely to be allowed to enter the NHL, Svoboda was
expected to be a late-round pick. But Montreal Canadiens general manager
Serge Savard turned the draft on its head, surprising even the hometown
Canadiens fans by taking Svoboda with his team's first-round pick. Savard
made the bold move because he knew -- unlike other GMs -- that Svoboda had
already defected from Czechoslovakia and escaped to West Germany. Svoboda
had done this while competing with the Czechoslovakian National Junior Team
at the 1984 European Championships in West Germany. He slipped away from the team and took a
bus to his aunt's house in Munich. The Canadiens had arranged for him to be in Montreal for
draft day, and when he was called, Svoboda was right there to pull on a Montreal sweater. The
entire league, which had been led to believe that Savard would draft Shayne
Corson, was shocked. At the time, Svoboda spoke no English or French, and
had to take language classes to be set for training camp. He also
revealed that the Canadiens had told him three days before the draft that
they would take him at No. 5 overall, and denied that he had been lured out
of Czechoslovakia by any specific NHL team. One day before the 1984 draft,
the Canadiens flew Svoboda to Montreal and hid him in a hotel so other
general managers wouldn't know of his availability. Montreal reportedly had
already agreed with Svoboda on a five-year, $750,000 deal. Ironically, the
Canadiens still managed to draft Corson, making a trade with
St. Louis so they could pick again with the Blues' first-round pick in the
No. 8 overall slot. |
| NON-NHL CAREER |
Post-Draft Teams:
Litvinov (Czech Republic)
Olympics: 1998 (gold medal)
NON-NHL
AWARDS AND HONORS
Miscellaneous: Was on Montreal team
that joined Minnesota to compete in the 1990 NHL Friendship Tour in Soviet
Union. ... Returned to Czech Republic and played for Litvinov during 1994-95
NHL lockout. ... Scored game-winning goal for Czech Republic in 1998 Olympic
gold medal game. Svoboda's goal, at 8:08 of the third period, was the only
score in the Czechs' 1-0 victory over Russia. ... Became a player agent
after his retirement, representing Pavel Kubina and Robert Lang.
Personal: Younger brother of former minor-leaguer
Karel Svoboda. |
| HOW HE GOT AWAY |
| TRADE:
Montreal traded Svoboda to Buffalo in exchange for Kevin Haller on March 10,
1992. |
|
|
Help support the rebuilding of HDC! |
HockeyDraftCentral.com is in the middle of rebuilding. You are
looking at a page that is not yet updated but is still part of the old site.
Find out how you can help make this an even better site by bidding on eBay
auctions.
• Learn More
|
|
SNAPSHOT '84 | | Total Selected: |
250 | | Forwards: |
142 | | Defense: |
88 | | Goaltenders: |
20 | | Major Junior: |
110 | | Tier II/Jr. B: |
16/9 | | College Players: |
23 | | High School: |
47 | | Midget: |
4 | | U.S. Junior B: |
1 |
| Canadian: |
145 |
| Euro-Canadian: |
2 | | USA Citizens: |
62 | | U.S.-Born: |
63 |
| European: |
41 |
| Reached NHL: |
102 |
| Stanley Cup: |
20 | | Hall of Fame: |
1 |
| All-Star Game: |
18 |
| Year-end All-Star: |
7 |
| Olympians: |
31 |
|
|
