Vladimír Martinec

Vladimír Martinec was a four-time winner of Czechoslovakia’s Golden Stick Award, given to the top Czechoslovakian hockey player each year. Winning in 1973, 1975-76, and 1979, his four wins is surpassed among Czech hockey players only by Jaromír Jagr (10) and Dominik Hašek (5). Known as “The Fox” for his clever play, Martinec is considered among the most technically skilled Czech players ever. His senior club career was played in his home country almost exclusively with Tesla Pardubice, from 1965-81, although he was briefly with HC Dukla Jihlava in 1978-79. He finished his career with four seasons in Germany (1981-85) with ESV Kaufbeuren.

Martinec played for Czechoslovakia at 11 World Championships, winning medals each time, with gold in 1972 and 1976-77, silver in 1971, 1974-75 and 1978-79, and bronze in 1970, 1973, and 1981. He was chosen to the World Championship All-Star team in 1974-77, and was selected as the best forward in 1976. Martinec also played at three Winter Olympics, winning a silver medal in 1976 and a bronze in 1972, in addition to playing on the runner-up side at the 1976 Canada Cup. He was capped 289 times, scoring 155 international goals.

After his playing days ended, Martinec became a coach, serving as an assistant with the Czech Republic national tean at the 1998 Winter Olympics and at the 1999-2001 World Championships. He also coached his two former clubs, Tesla Pardubice and ESV Kaufbeuren. Martinec was inducted into the International Ice Hockey Hall of Fame in 2001.