Roman Červenka[1] (born 10 December 1985) is a Czech professional ice hockey player for the SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers of the National League (NL). He formerly played for Piráti Chomutov and Slavia Praha of the Czech Extraliga, Avangard Omsk, Lev Praha and SKA Saint Petersburg of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). He was the leading goal scorer in the KHL in 2010–11 and was named to the All-Star team in 2011–12 before moving to North America after signing a contract with the National Hockey League (NHL)'s Calgary Flames. He played 39 games in the NHL during the 2012–13 season before returning to Europe.

Roman Červenka
Červenka with the Calgary Flames in 2013
Born (1985-12-10) 10 December 1985 (age 38)
Prague, Czechoslovakia
Height 5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight 201 lb (91 kg; 14 st 5 lb)
Position Centre
Shoots Left
NL team
Former teams
SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers
Slavia Praha
Avangard Omsk
Lev Praha
Calgary Flames
SKA Saint Petersburg
Piráti Chomutov
Fribourg-Gottéron
ZSC Lions
National team  Czech Republic
NHL Draft Undrafted
Playing career 2003–present

Internationally, Červenka has played with the Czech Republic national team on several occasions, winning a bronze medal at the 2005 World Junior Championships, gold and bronze at the 2010 and 2011 World Championships, respectively. Additionally, he also represented his country at the 2010 Winter Olympics.

Playing career edit

Červenka began playing with Slavia Praha's junior teams, playing for the under-18 team in 2000–01 and 2001–02, and the under-20 team in 2002–03 and 2003–04. During the 2003–04 season, he also made his Czech Extraliga debut, playing 15 games with the top-level team. After playing for various junior-level and 1 Liga teams during the 2004–05 and 2005–06 seasons, Červenka rejoined Slavia Praha in 2006–07. In 2008–09, he scored 59 points (28 goals and 31 assists) in 51 games.[2][3]

Červenka has represented the Czech Republic with the national team on multiple occasions. He earned a bronze medal at the 2005 World Junior Championships. He also played at the 2009 IIHF World Championship and was selected to play for the 2010 Winter Olympics. At the time of the Olympic team selection, Červenka led the Extraliga with 55 points in 35 games.[4][5]

 
Červenka in 2011.

On 25 May 2010, Červenka signed a two-year contract with Russian club Avangard Omsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).[6] He earned a place on the left wing of the first line alongside his countryman Jaromír Jágr and established himself as a prolific KHL scoring forward. In his first season in the league, Červenka was selected to play in the Kontinental Hockey League All-Star Game, collecting more fan votes than any other skater in the league.[7] Having scored 31 times in the 2010–11 season, Červenka earned the Top Goalscorer award from the KHL.[8]

On 2 May 2012, Červenka signed a one-year contract with a base salary of $975,000 and a maximum of $3.775 million with the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League (NHL). His debut with the team was delayed by the 2012–13 NHL lockout, during which he returned to play for Slavia Praha. He appeared in 9 games for the team, scoring 13 points. He left the team due to injury, then returned to action with Lev Praha of the KHL, but suffered another injury after only five games. He was further sidelined by a blood clot issue that left him out of the Flames' lineup to start the 2012–13 NHL season.[9] Červenka missed the first three games of the season before making his NHL debut on 26 January 2013 in a 4–3 victory over the Edmonton Oilers.[10] He scored his first NHL point (an assist) in the following game, against the Colorado Avalanche.[11] Červenka's year with the Flames was disappointing largely due to missing training camp,[12] subpar conditioning, struggling with the English language[13] and coaches finding his defensive zone play to be a liability.[14]

On 16 May 2013, Červenka returned to the KHL after signing a three-year contract with SKA Saint Petersburg.[15] He left after two years and then spent the 2015–16 season with Piráti Chomutov of the Czech Extraliga; he scored 23 goals and provided 38 assists in 49 games during the regular season, ranking first in league scoring.

In March 2016, he signed with HC Fribourg-Gottéron of the Swiss National League (NL).[16] After two seasons in Fribourg, on 23 May 2018, Červenka joined ZSC Lions on a one-year contract. On 20 June 2019, Červenka signed a one-year contract with his third Swiss club, SC Rapperswil-Jona Lakers, to remain in the NL.[17]

Personal life edit

Červenka is Orthodox Christian, after Jaromír Jágr took him to churches in Omsk where he would be baptized.[18] His younger brother Marek (born 1992) is a professional football player.[19]

Career statistics edit

Regular season and playoffs edit

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2000–01 HC Slavia Praha CZE U18 41 4 8 12 14 2 0 0 0 2
2001–02 HC Slavia Praha CZE U18 41 30 23 53 36 2 1 0 1 2
2002–03 HC Slavia Praha CZE U20 48 19 13 32 44 3 0 1 1 6
2003–04 HC Slavia Praha CZE U20 34 20 33 53 90 2 0 1 1 0
2003–04 HC Slavia Praha CZE 15 0 1 1 2
2003–04 HC Kometa Brno CZE-2 3 1 1 2 2
2004–05 HC Slavia Praha CZE U20 9 3 5 8 22
2004–05 HC VČE Hradec Králové, a.s. CZE-2 23 15 8 23 28
2004–05 HC Rebel Havlíčkův Brod CZE-3 1 0 1 1 0 12 6 1 7 20
2005–06 HC Slavia Praha CZE U20 10 6 6 12 6
2005–06 HC Slavia Praha CZE 22 0 0 0 12
2005–06 HC VČE Hradec Králové, a.s. CZE-2 7 1 2 3 14
2005–06 HC Slovan Ústečtí Lvi CZE-2 U20 2 1 3 4 0
2005–06 HC Slovan Ústečtí Lvi CZE-2 23 7 6 13 22 11 1 3 4 16
2006–07 HC Slavia Praha CZE 51 6 6 12 54 6 3 1 4 6
2007–08 HC Slavia Praha CZE 41 19 11 30 72 14 4 4 8 20
2008–09 HC Slavia Praha CZE 51 28 31 59 56 18 13 11 24 20
2009–10 HC Slavia Praha CZE 50 30 43 73 56 16 9 15 24 34
2010–11 Avangard Omsk KHL 51 31 30 61 56 12 5 4 9 4
2011–12 Avangard Omsk KHL 54 23 16 39 18 20 11 10 21 4
2012–13 HC Slavia Praha CZE 9 5 8 13 14
2012–13 HC Lev Praha KHL 5 1 2 3 2
2012–13 Calgary Flames NHL 39 9 8 17 14
2013–14 SKA Saint Petersburg KHL 53 14 25 39 34 10 6 11 17 8
2014–15 SKA Saint Petersburg KHL 55 13 23 36 22 22 2 5 7 10
2015–16 Piráti Chomutov CZE 49 23 38 61 96 8 3 6 9 12
2016–17 HC Fribourg–Gottéron NLA 44 16 35 51 32
2017–18 HC Fribourg–Gottéron NL 32 13 24 37 28 5 1 4 5 4
2018–19 ZSC Lions NL 22 5 16 21 8
2019–20 SC Rapperswil–Jona Lakers NL 32 14 27 41 30
2020–21 SC Rapperswil–Jona Lakers NL 49 16 35 51 63 9 1 6 7 10
2021–22 SC Rapperswil–Jona Lakers NL 52 20 44 64 30 7 2 4 6 4
2022–23 SC Rapperswil–Jona Lakers NL 43 16 43 59 60 6 1 2 3 8
CZE totals 288 111 138 249 362 70 32 37 69 94
KHL totals 218 82 96 178 132 64 24 30 54 26
NHL totals 39 9 8 17 14
Medal record
Representing   Czech Republic
World Championships
  2010 Germany
  2011 Slovakia
  2022 Finland
World Junior Championships
  2005 United States

International edit

Year Team Event GP G A Pts PIM
2005 Czech Republic WJC 7 1 0 1 8
2009 Czech Republic WC 7 2 1 3 2
2010 Czech Republic OLY 5 0 2 2 0
2010 Czech Republic WC 9 1 1 2 2
2011 Czech Republic WC 9 4 6 10 4
2014 Czech Republic OLY 5 2 0 2 2
2014 Czech Republic WC 10 2 3 5 4
2015 Czech Republic WC 10 2 3 5 0
2016 Czech Republic WC 8 2 5 7 2
2016 Czech Republic WCH 2 0 0 0 0
2017 Czech Republic WC 8 3 3 6 4
2018 Czech Republic OLY 6 3 1 4 4
2018 Czech Republic WC 8 0 2 2 8
2022 Czech Republic OLY 4 2 3 5 0
2022 Czech Republic WC 10 5 12 17 10
Junior totals 7 1 0 1 8
Senior totals 101 28 42 70 42

Awards and honours edit

Award Year
KHL
KHL Best Sniper Award 2010–11 [20]
Golden Helmet Award 2011–12 [21]
Gagarin Cup champion 2015
International
World Championship All-Star Team 2022 [22]

References edit

  1. ^ Prague Post
  2. ^ "Roman Cervenka". Elite Prospects. Retrieved 2 January 2010.
  3. ^ "Roman Cervenka". Eurohockey. Retrieved 2 January 2010.
  4. ^ "Czech Republic finalizes Olympic hockey squad". The Sports Network. 30 December 2009. Retrieved 2 January 2010. [dead link]
  5. ^ "Provisional Rosters". International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved 2 January 2010.
  6. ^ "Чемпион мира, лучший нападающий Чемпионата Чехии подписал двухлетний контракт с "Авангардом"" [The World Champion signs a two-year contract] (in Russian). Avangard Omsk. 25 May 2010. Archived from the original on 27 May 2010. Retrieved 26 May 2010.
  7. ^ "Fans' Choice". KHL. 14 January 2011. Retrieved 19 January 2011.
  8. ^ "The League's Finest". KHL. 20 May 2011. Retrieved 24 May 2011.
  9. ^ Sportak, Randy (7 January 2013). "Newcomer Cervenka won't be starting camp". Calgary Sun. p. S8.
  10. ^ Maki, Alan (27 January 2013). "Flames respond to early-season struggles with 4–3 win over Oilers". Globe and Mail. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
  11. ^ "Paul Stastny scores twice to lead Avs past Flames". ESPN. 31 January 2013. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  12. ^ Francis, Eric (15 May 2013). "Roman Cervenka was a risk worth taking for Calgary Flames". Calgary Sun.
  13. ^ Sportak, Randy. "Flames' Cervenka shows he deserves another look". Calgary Sun. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
  14. ^ Gilbertson, Wes (15 May 2013). "Flames forward Roman Cervenka has signed with St. Petersburg of the KHL". Calgary Sun. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
  15. ^ Fox, Luke (16 May 2013). "Flames' Cervenka signs with KHL team". sortsnet.ca.
  16. ^ "Le champion du monde Roman Červenka renforcera Fribourg-Gottéron pour la saison 2016/2017 | HC Fribourg-Gottéron". www.gotteron.ch. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
  17. ^ "Roman Cervenka wird ein SCRJ Lakers". lakers.ch (in Swiss High German). 20 June 2019. Archived from the original on 20 June 2019. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  18. ^ Роман Червенка: «Ягр требовал, чтобы я платил ему за работу пресс-атташе»
  19. ^ Roman je můj vzor, říká fotbalista Červenka o bratrovi hokejistovi
  20. ^ Duhatschek, Eric (2 May 2012). "Flames splash cash to sign Roman Cervenka". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on 3 May 2012. Retrieved 25 May 2012.
  21. ^ Busby, Ian (25 May 2012). "Flames signee a KHL all-star". Calgary Sun. p. S7.
  22. ^ "Olkinuora MVP, All-Stars named". IIHF. Retrieved 29 May 2022.

External links edit