Czech forward Tomáš Rolinek, who captained the national team at three World Championships and to a Gold Medal in 2010, announced his retirement from pro hockey at age 40, after his final five seasons with Dynamo Pardubice of the Czech Extraliga.

Joining Pardubice’s junior ranks in 1998, Rolinek first played senior pro with Pardubice in 2000, spending eight seasons in the Extraliga before jumping to Magnitogorsk of the KHL. After four seasons with Metallurg, and one season with Ufa, Rolinek returned to Pardubice for part of the 2012-13 season. He would captain Sparta Prague for the next two seasons, before joining Pardubice for good in 2015. Rolinek won the Extraliga title with Pardubice in 2005, winning league Silver medals in 2003 and 2007 and a Bronze in 2014 with Sparta.

Rolinek first joined the Narodnitym in 2002 on the Euro Hockey Tour, suiting up for his first World Championship in 2006. Rolinek would play at seven World Championships (2006-11, 2014), captaining the team in his final three appearances. He would win Silver in 2006 and Bronze in 2011, but his biggest claim to fame was scoring the game winning goal to capture Gold at the 2010 World Championships in Germany. Rolinek also suited up for the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, finishing seventh.

Surprisingly, Rolinek would only hold the IHLC once in his dozen-year career with the national team, winning in 2009 on the Euro Hockey Tour in Karlovy Vary over Sweden; his 2010 World title marks the most recent instance of the IHLC not pairing with the Gold Medal winner. We wish Tomáš and his family the very best for his retirement and the things to come!

Photo Credit: iSport – IIHF – HHOF – IOC