Jan Hrdina | |||
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Born |
Hradec Králové, Czechoslovakia |
February 5, 1976 ||
Height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) | ||
Weight | 196 lb (89 kg; 14 st 0 lb) | ||
Position | Center | ||
Shot | Right | ||
Played for |
NHL Pittsburgh Penguins Phoenix Coyotes New Jersey Devils Columbus Blue Jackets AHL Syracuse Crunch IHL Cleveland Lumberjacks WHL Seattle Thunderbirds Spokane Chiefs Extraliga HC Hradec Králové HC Kladno SM-I HIFK |
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National team | Czech Republic | ||
NHL Draft | 128th overall, 1995 Pittsburgh Penguins |
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Playing career | 1993–2010 |
Jan Hrdina (born February 5, 1976) is a retired Czech professional ice hockey player.
Hrdina was drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft in the 5th round, 128th overall.
In March 2003, the Pittsburgh Penguins traded Hrdina and François Leroux to the Phoenix Coyotes for Ramzi Abid, Dan Focht and Guillaume Lefebvre. One year later, March 2004, the Phoenix Coyotes traded him to the New Jersey Devils for Michael Rupp and a second-round draft pick in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.
On August 28, 2006, Hrdina signed a six-month contract with the Swedish elite club HV71 in Elitserien. He joined the club on October 18, 2006, due to some Swedish tax laws concerning the specific type of contract signed. Before that he started the season 2006–07 playing for HIFK in the Finnish SM-liiga. After the season, he extended the contract for another two years
Hrdina played three games with Swedish Elitserien club HV71 during the 2008–09 season. Because of an ongoing hip problem, Hrdina returned to the United States to have surgery.
In an interview from July 2011, Hrdina commented that he was retired from professional hockey due to two hip surgeries on the same hip, which put loads of pressure on his leg when skating. Aside from the hip surgery, Hrdina has also admitted that he had problems with his groin and back over the previous five or six years.
Since his retirement, Hrdina has returned to his hometown of Hradec Kralove where he is a member of the Czech Extraliga board.
Hrdina has two children; a daughter (born 2008) and a son (born 2010).
Statistics as of February 2, 2010.
Hrdina has played for Czech Republic in the following competitions: