[Velociraptor]

Bobby Holik, C/LW

Position: Centre/Left Wing
HT/WT: 6'4", 240 lbs
Handedness: Right
Nickname(s): "Herf", "Crash"
Born: January 1st, 1971 in Jihlava, Czech Republic



- 2-time Stanley Cup Champion (1995, 2000)
- Played in NHL All-Star Game two times (1998, 1999)
- Finished 6th in All-Star Voting
- scored 326 goals and 421 assists for 747 points in 1314 regular season games, adding 1423 penalty minutes.
- scored 20 goals and 39 assists for 59 points in 141 playoff games, adding 120 penalty minutes.

Top 10 Finishes:
Game Winning Goals - 2x - (3, 6)

Voting Record

Selke Voting Record:

5th (97-98), 7th (01-02), 9th (00-01), 11th (99-00)

Quotes

Originally Posted by Randy McKay

When you're that big and strong you don't get hurt too often, he didn't know his own strength. He'd hurt guys in practice. No wonder guys didn't like to play against him.

Legends of Hockey

Hockey may have been in Holik's blood, but he worked hard every step of the way to becoming one of the greatest talents his country had ever known. His father, who could not stand sloppy habits or laziness, was sometimes very tough with him. Whenever young Robert slackened in his duties, his father would take him to a factory gate early in the morning. "If you don't work hard, you'll end up in here," he said. "It is better to make a living doing something you enjoy." That always helped Robert to regain his focus.

Holik gained a reputation for his hard shot and physical style of play. He was also a headstrong player who stopped for no one. Just as Andrea Holik ruled the world's tennis courts in the late 1980s, so the offensive trio of Jaromir Jagr, XXXXXX XXXXXXX and Robert Holik reigned over junior hockey, playing together in the 1990 World Junior Championships. After that tournament all three entered the NHL, but each headed to a different city: XXXXXXX to Calgary, Jagr to Pittsburgh and Holik to Hartford.

Bobby scored 20 goals in each of his first two seasons. In 1992, he was traded to the New Jersey Devils, where he did not ease up one bit. After the Stanley Cup win in 1995 Bobby Holik took a drink of alcohol for the first time in his life.

In 1996-97 and 1997-98 Holik led his team in scoring, netting a career-high 29 goals in the latter season. In 2000, his checking ability was central to New Jersey's success in the Stanley Cup finals, as the club won its second championship.

Greatest Hockey Legends

For a long time I really thought Bobby Holik was underrated.

He was this hulking, 6'3" 220lb shutdown center, a fantastic faceoff man and one of the best defensive forwards in the game, shutting down the likes of Mark Messier and Eric Lindros. He was a serious hitter, applying bone jarring checks at times. He was a bull in a china shop with the puck, able to drive to the net and apply a bullet of a shot. He was a consistent two way player, better than his annual statistics ever suggested. He was a key player for the New Jersey Devils' Stanley Cup runs in 1995 and 2000.

His status as underrated changed greatly in the summer of 2002, when the New York Rangers grossly overpaid for Holik's services, offering him a $45 million contract over 5 years. $9 million, a whopping $6 million a year increase, for Bobby Holik? For a player who relied on Crash Line teammates Mike Peluso and Randy McKay to light a fire under him? For a player who lacked creativity and vision to ever be more than a third or fourth line defensive stop gap? For a player who in his best years scored 25 goals and 60 points? For a blunt and opinionated aging player who once sprained his ankle playing ping pong?

It's funny how money can make you look differently at a player. I certainly would never blame Holik for taking the contract. He likely never had any offer like that one. And he was one of the most important members of a Devils' near-dynasty that also went to game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals in 2001. But try as he might, he looked like a fish out of water after he crossed the Hudson and played for the Rangers. After two seasons he would have his contract bought out.

Holik signed with Atlanta for three seasons, where I think he once again returned to an underrated role. He was captain of the Thrashers in 2007-08. The Thrashers have never been a good situation, but Holik's experience and savvy was appreciated by teammates and coaches.

Holik returned to New Jersey for one final season in 2008-09. The 38 year old was a shadow of his former self, like most aged players. But he went out on his own terms.

John Fischer, Devils Issues

Holik was a player who always "got it" as a Devil. Where the team needed grit, Holik was more than happy to oblige. The guy was as strong as a bull, sometimes to a fault (as we saw this season). When the Devils needed him to shut down a player, Holik did his job and did it well. Anytime the Devils had a crucial defensive zone faceoff and had to protect a lead? Holik often won that big faceoff (and a lot of faceoffs in general), hold possession, and battle like a beast possessed to keep that puck. Holik knew what Devils hockey was all about then, especially in the days of Lemaire and his neutral zone trap.

He was more than a defensive player, he truly was solid in both ends.

Planet Jackson Hole - 31 Jan 2012

...following in the footsteps of another hockey great, Bobby Holik, the former Devils center.

New York Times - May 13, 2001

Of the game-high eight hits that the Devils' Bobby Holik was credited with delivering tonight, at least two were of highlight-reel quality. ...

New York Post - Apr 24, 2002

Nevertheless, [Bobby Holik] most certainly distinguished himself. With Joe Nieuwendyk still less than 100-percent physically, Holik has stepped up as his team's premier pivot. After a cautious opening game in which he was warned to watch himself by referee Mick McGeough on the very first shift, No. 16 has taken the mean out.

Beyond that, though, required to score goals for the lowest- scoring team entering the playoffs - the 1943 Red Wings and 1949 Maple Leafs are the only teams in NHL history to win the Cup as the lowest - scoring playoff entry, and those teams won when only four teams qualified-Holik is doing just that. He scored his third of the series last night, scored in his third straight game, giving the Devils a 1-0 lead at 1:16 by playing a bank shot off the overmatched whisper of Arturs Irbe.

Holik - who caught a [Rod Brind'Amour] stick across the mouth in Game 3 without drawing a penalty for his sacrifice and without histrionics - doled out abuse all night long, a sly stick here, a face-wash there. The Carolinians spent much of the night running after him, much good that did them.

nydailynews.com - May 29, 2001

Bobby Holik, all sinew and steely determination, is never better than when he is given a target. Not the 6x4 goal cage - more like a 6-4 opposing forward. He's the New Jersey Devils' version of the smart bomb.

In the first round of the playoffs, Holik faced off against Rod Brind'Amour, who was Carolina's top center due to the absence of injured Keith Primeau. Brind'Amour was held to a single goal in six games.

Next up was Toronto, in a series the Devils nearly lost until they decided to put Holik against Shayne Corson's line, which had been terrorizing New Jersey's top line centered by Jason Arnott.