17 Radim Vrbata
2002-2003 Eighth Season
CCM Airknit. Preseason. Neck tagging 56.
NHL-MGG No. A01347
This jersey shows decent use for a preseason shirt. It has several large, light brush-type black marks on the front body near the bottom of the crest and one good black mark in the "A". The rear body shows a moderately dark stick mark down low, near the 1. Both sleeves show a number of black marks in the elbow areas, and the right sleeve shows a nice red paint transfer from either the boards or goal post. The crest and numbers show some evidence of laundering. The NHL-MGG tag is located in the rear hem, and the jersey is accompanied by the NHL-MGG documents.
[ click on individual thumbnails to see larger images ]
Neck tags
NHL shield
Collar branding
Set tag
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Radim Vrbata was born December 21, 1981 in Mlada Boleslav, Czech Republic. The 10th choice, 212th overall selection of the Colorado Avalanche in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft, Vrbata is a graduate of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
A first round selection of the Hull Olympiques in the 1998 CHL Import Draft, Vrabata had seasons of 60 and 74 points in Hull before being dealt to the Shawinigan Cataractes prior to the 2000-01 QMJHL season. In his only year with the team, Vrbata finished second in team scoring with 120 points and sixth overall in the league, holding the longest point scoring streak in the CHL for the 2000-01 season at 31 consecutive games and was a QMJHL First Team All-Star.
A member of the Czech Republic's World Junior team in 2001, Vrbata made his professional hockey debut with Colorado's AHL affiliate in Hershey during the team's 2000-01 Calder Cup run before splitting the 2001-02 season with Hershey and Colorado. In his first season with the Avalanche, Vrbata finished fifth on the team with 18 goals and eighth in points with 30. Vrbata became a full-time NHLer in 2002-03 and recorded 30 points in 66 games with the Avalanche before being dealt to the Carolina Hurricanes in the latter stages of the season.
After parts of three seasons in Carolina, Vrbata was dealt to the Chicago Blackhawks during the 2005-06 season. Vrbata would spend a season and a half with the Hawks and tally a respectable 75 points with the club during his tenure. In the summer of 2007, Vrbata was dealt to the Phoenix Coyotes in exchange for Kevin Adams. Vrbata would see action in 76 games in his only season with the Coyotes, recording a career-high 27 goals. Despite his success in Phoenix he was unsigned by the club in the off-season and later picked up by the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Aside from his World Junior experience, Vrbata represented his homeland at the 2003, 2005 and 2008 World Championships.
Right Wing - Shoots right
Born: June 13, 1981 - Mlada Boleslav, Czech Republic
6-1, 185 lbs.
Selected by Colorado Avalanche round 7, #212 overall, 1999 NHL Entry Draft. Traded to Carolina by Colorado for Bates Battaglia, March 11, 2003. Signed as a free agent by Liberec (CzRep), September 4, 2004. Traded to Chicago by Carolina for Chicago's 4th round choice (later traded to St. Louis - St. Louis selected Cade Fairchild) in 2007 Entry Draft, December 29, 2005. Traded to Phoenix by Chicago for Kevyn Adams, August 11, 2007. Signed as a free agent by Tampa Bay, July 1, 2008. Assigned to Mlada Boleslav (CzRep) by Tampa Bay, December 9, 2008. Loaned to Liberec (CzRep) by Mlada Boleslav (CzRep), January 29, 2009. Traded to Phoenix by Tampa Bay for Todd Fedoruk and David Hale, July 21, 2009.
- QMJHL First All-Star Team (2001)