Frantisek Kucera

Frantisek Kucera was a serviceable defenseman at the NHL level. Because he never really embraced the more physical North American game - an almost must for any NHL defenseman - Kucera was best suited as third pairing defenseman who could move into a 4th D role.

In such roles he was a reliable depth defender. He could read the oncoming play well and had good mobility to defend one on one on the rush, but not in the corners or in front of the net. He could be counted on to make a safe though never spectacular clearing of the zone. He rarely rushed the puck. Rather he would bank the puck off of the glass, or make a strong pass out. He was a right handed defender, a bit of a rarity in hockey, making it a touch easier for him to stay employed.

Including all his time in the Czech Republic during and after his NHL days were done, Kucera had a long career. In the NHL he played in 465 NHL games with Chicago, Hartford, Philadelphia, Vancouver, Columbus, Pittsburgh and Washington, never really staying in one place very long.

From 1998 through his retirement in 2005 he mostly played back home with his native HC Sparta Praha and on the Czech national team. He was a member of the 1998 Olympic gold medal team