Václav Karabáček

Václav Karabáček (born May 2, 1996) is a Czech professional ice hockey right wing who currently plays for Motor České Budějovice of the 1st Czech Republic Hockey League on loan from Mountfield HK of the Czech Extraliga (ELH). He was drafted in the second round, 49th overall, by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.

Václav Karabáček
Born (1996-05-02) May 2, 1996
Prague, Czech Republic
Height 5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight 185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb)
Position Right Wing
Shoots Right
ELH team (P)
Cur. team
Former teams		 Mountfield HK
HC České Budějovice (Czech.1)
Rochester Americans
HC Kometa Brno
NHL Draft 49th overall, 2014
Buffalo Sabres
Playing career 2016–present

Karabáček played the first game of the 2014 NHL preseason with the Sabres before being sent back to the QMJHL.[1] After playing one preseason game for the team in the 2015 NHL preseason as well, he was again sent back to juniors.[2]

Playing career

He began his North American career with the Gatineau Olympiques of the QMJHL in 2013-14 season before being traded to Baie-Comeau during the 2014-15 season in exchange for Valentin Zykov.[3] Prior to that trade, the Olympiques had made a deal with the Charlottetown Islanders to send Karabáček there in advance of the 2014 QMJHL Entry Draft; however, complications surrounding that proposal ultimately led to Karabáček staying with Gatineau.[4]

Karabáček was expected to represent the Czech Republic at the 2015 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships, but he was cut from the team prior to the tournament for arriving late to a team meeting.[5]

Karabáček was also selected with the 36th pick of the 2013 KHL Junior Draft by KHL Medveščak Zagreb.[6] On May 26, 2016, Karabáček marked the end of his junior career after he was signed to a three-year entry-level contract with the Buffalo Sabres.[7] He made his professional debut in November 2016 playing for the Elmira Jackals of the ECHL.[8] He was named a 2017 ECHL All-Star alternate after scoring 11 points in nine games with the team.[9]

Karabáček was recalled by the Rochester Americans on December 14, 2016.[10] He began the 2017-18 season with the Americans, but was sent down to the ECHL's Cincinnati Cyclones in November.[11]

Karabáček scored no goals and had only five assists in 28 games with the Cyclones, and the Sabres bought out his contract on September 20, 2018.[12]

Karabáček signed with HC Kometa Brno of the Czech Extraliga for the 2018–19 season on September 24, 2018.[13] He went scoreless in 4 games with Brno before leaving the club for rivals Mountfield HK on October 27, 2018.[14]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs
Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2013–14 Gatineau Olympiques QMJHL 65 21 26 47 40 9 6 6 12 10
2014–15 Gatineau Olympiques QMJHL 31 11 14 25 44 — — — — —
2014–15 Baie-Comeau Drakkar QMJHL 28 6 9 15 18 12 4 7 11 14
2015–16 Baie-Comeau Drakkar QMJHL 23 8 8 16 30 — — — — —
2015–16 Moncton Wildcats QMJHL 24 10 4 14 26 17 6 3 9 14
2016–17 Elmira Jackals ECHL 9 5 6 11 10 — — — — —
2016–17 Rochester Americans AHL 23 3 5 8 4 — — — — —
2017–18 Cincinnati Cyclones ECHL 28 0 5 5 18 — — — — —
2017–18 Rochester Americans AHL 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
2018–19 HC Kometa Brno ELH 4 0 0 0 4 — — — — —
2018–19 Mountfield HK ELH 5 0 0 0 2 — — — — —
2018–19 HC České Budějovice Czech.1 27 8 12 20 86 11 5 9 14 14
AHL totals 24 3 5 8 4 — — — — —

International
Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2013 Czech Republic IH18 4 0 2 2 2
2014 Czech Republic WJC18 7 3 3 6 4
Junior totals 11 3 5 8 6

References
  1. Calvin H (2014-09-23). "Sabres trim training camp roster". Die By The Blade. Retrieved 2014-09-25.
  2. Jack Goods (2015-09-23). "Sabres send Estephan, Karabacek, Martin and Stephens back to juniors". Die By The Blade. Retrieved 2014-09-25.
  3. Jonathan Briggins (2014-12-22). "QMJHL trades see Remparts add scoring, goaltending". Sportsnet. Retrieved 2015-01-17.
  4. Jason Malloy (2014-05-30). "Czech winger refuses to report to major junior Islanders". The Guardian. Retrieved 2015-01-17.
  5. Jonathan Briggins (2015-09-22). "It's back to the drawing board for Drakkar". Sportsnet. Retrieved 2015-09-24.
  6. "2013 KHL Draft". Elite Prospects. Retrieved 2015-01-17.
  7. "Sabres sign Karabacek to entry-level deal". Buffalo Sabres. 2016-05-26. Retrieved 2016-05-26.
  8. John Vogl (2016-11-25). "Sabres Notebook: Grubauer parties; Kane still limited". The Buffalo News. Retrieved 2016-12-05. Karabacek, drafted in the second round in 2014, suffered an injury with Rochester during the preseason. The Amerks assigned him to Elmira of the ECHL on Friday.
  9. Andrew Legare (2017-01-03). "Jackals' Karabacek named All-Star alternate". Star-Gazette. Retrieved 2016-01-08.
  10. "Wednesday's Sports Transactions". WTOP-FM. 2016-12-14. Retrieved 2017-01-08. ELMIRA JACKALS — Announced F Vaclav Karabacek has been recalled by Rochester (AHL).
  11. Leo Roth (2017-11-16). "Day of roster moves for Sabres, Amerks, Cyclones". Democrat and Chronicle. Retrieved 2018-04-29.
  12. Bill Hoppe (2018-09-20). "Sam Reinhart practices, happy to be back with Sabres". Buffalo Hockey Beat. Retrieved 2018-09-21. [A]fter Vaclav Karabacek cleared unconditional waivers today, the Sabres terminated the contract of the former second-round pick.
  13. "Kometa posiluje ze zámoří. Po pěti letech v Americe se vrací útočník Karabáček". Brněnský (in Czech). 2018-09-24.
  14. "Mountfield will tryout Vaclav Karabacek". Mountfield HK. 2018-10-28. Retrieved 2018-10-28.


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