Czech centre Tomáš Plekanec, one of the top two-way forwards of his era, and a mainstay on both the Montréal Canadiens, HC Kladno and the Czech national team over the past two decades, today formally announced his retirement from Kladno just three days short of his 41st birthday.

Coming up in the Kladno system of the Czech Extraliga, Plekanec spent three seasons with the Rytíři before making the jump to North America, joining the Canadiens organization that drafted him in 2001. He joined the senior club in 2004, where he would spend the next fifteen NHL seasons (save for 17 games in Toronto) with le bleu, blanc et rouge, amassing 608 points in 1,001 career games, along with another 53 points in 94 career playoff games, making two Eastern Conference finals. After just three games in Montreal in 2018, Plekanec returned to Kladno, spending the next six seasons with the Rytíři, serving as team captain for his final four seasons, ending his Extraliga career with 233 points in 313 career games.

A Kladno native, Plekanec debuted for the national under-18 team in 2000, competing at the 2001 and 2002 World Juniors, winning Gold at the former tournament in Moscow. He made his senior debut with the Narodnitym at the 2006 World Championship, his first of eleven tournament appearances (2006-09, 2011-13, 2015-18), capturing Silver at his 2006 debut and Bronze in both 2011 and 2012. Plekanec would also compete at the 2010 and 2014 Olympics, captaining the latter squad, as well as the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, and three Euro Hockey Tour appearances, winning the title in 2012.

Plekanec captured the IHLC three times in his career, first during his 2001 World Juniors title victory, then with wins at the 2007 and 2018 World Championships. We wish Tomáš and his family the very best for his retirement and the things to come!

Photo Credit: Aha Online – IIHF – HHOF – IOC