Holik, the son of Jaroslav Holik, who helped Czechoslovakia win the IIHF World Championship in 1972, played 11 of his 18 NHL seasons with the New Jersey Devils and was a key part of their Stanley Cup championship teams in 1995 and 2000. He never scored 30 goals or had more than 65 points in a season but reached double figures in goals in each of his first 17 seasons and was among the NHL's best checking centers during that span.
The Hartford Whalers selected Holik in the first round (No. 10) of the 1989 NHL Draft, and he came to North America in 1990, scoring 21 goals in each of his first two seasons. That attracted the attention of the Devils, who acquired him in a trade with the Whalers on Aug. 28, 1992.
Holik, the son of Jaroslav Holik, who helped Czechoslovakia win the IIHF World Championship in 1972, played 11 of his 18 NHL seasons with the New Jersey Devils and was a key part of their Stanley Cup championship teams in 1995 and 2000. He never scored 30 goals or had more than 65 points in a season but reached double figures in goals in each of his first 17 seasons and was among the NHL's best checking centers during that span.
The Hartford Whalers selected Holik in the first round (No. 10) of the 1989 NHL Draft, and he came to North America in 1990, scoring 21 goals in each of his first two seasons. That attracted the attention of the Devils, who acquired him in a trade with the Whalers on Aug. 28, 1992.
Holik spent the next decade with New Jersey, much of it centering the "Crash Line" with Mike Peluso and Randy McKay. The three worked well in coach Jacques Lemaire's tight-checking system, making life miserable for opposing defensemen and contributing offensively.
Ironically, Holik's best offensive seasons came between his two championships with New Jersey. He scored at least 23 goals, had at least 62 points and was a combined plus-63 in three seasons from 1996-97 through 1998-99 and was selected for the NHL All Star Game in two of those seasons (1997-98, 1998-99). Holik had 23 goals again in 1999-2000, then scored 10 points (three goals, seven assists) during New Jersey's run to the Cup in 2000. His best postseason offensive performance came in 2001, when he scored six goals and finished with 16 points as the Devils got to Game 7 of the Cup Final before losing to the Colorado Avalanche.
Holik became a free agent in 2002 and signed a five-year contract with the New York Rangers. He played two seasons with them before his contract was bought out in 2005 and signed a three-year contract with the Atlanta Thrashers on Aug. 2. He was named captain of the team prior to the 2007-08 season.
Holik returned to the Devils in 2008 for a final season before retiring with 747 points (326 goals, 421 assists) in 1,314 NHL games and 59 points (20 goals, 39 assists) in 141 playoff games.
He returned to hockey in 2019 as coach of Israel's national team.
NOTES & TRANSACTIONS
- Played in NHL All-Star Game (1998, 1999)
- Traded to New Jersey by Hartford with Hartford's 2nd round pick (Jay Pandolfo) in 1993 NHL Draft for Sean Burke and Eric Weinrich, August 28, 1992.
- Signed as a free agent by NY Rangers, July 1, 2002.
- Signed as a free agent by Atlanta, August 2, 2005.
- Signed as a free agent by New Jersey, July 1, 2008.
- Officially announced his retirement, May 22, 2009.
