New York made another expected move official today with the announcement that left wing Martin Straka has agreed to come back next year. The 33 year old forward had his third best season of his career last season playing opposite of Jaromir Jagr for much of the year. Straka registered 20 goals for the fourth time of his career, and 70 points for just the 3rd time. His +17 plus/minus rating ranked as his third best total of his career, while his 171 shots was also third the third highest of his career.
After several seasons impacted by injuries and trades, Straka returned and thrived with the league’s crackdown on obstruction. One of just four Blueshirts to play in all 82 games, the Czech forward earned the appreciate of the fans with his effort and his timely passing and scoring. With Patrik Elias locked up by the Devils in the early hours this morning, and a general paucity of quality left wingers , the Rangers needed to solidify their left wing position before he drew too much interest from other clubs.
Straka will likely again play the left wing on the Rangers top line with Jagr .
| Martin Straka | |
| Height: 5-9 | Age: 33 |
| Weight: 178 | Birthday: September 2, 1972 |
| Position: Left Wing / Center | Birthplace: Plzen, Czech Republic |
| Shoots: Left | Drafted: 1992 NHL Entry Draft – Pittsburgh Penguins – #19 (1st round) |
| Salary: 1 year, 3.1 million | |
| REGULAR SEASON | ||||||||||||
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | +/- | PIM | PPG | SHG | SOG | |
| 1989-1990 | Plzen Skoda | CZE | 1 | 0 | 3 | 3 | – | 0 | – | – | – | |
| 1990-1991 | Plzen Skoda | CZE | 47 | 7 | 24 | 31 | – | 6 | – | – | – | |
| 1991-1992 | Plzen Skoda | CZE | 50 | 27 | 28 | 55 | – | 20 | – | – | – | |
| 1992-1993 | Cleveland Lumberjacks | IHL | 4 | 4 | 3 | 7 | – | 0 | – | – | – | |
| 1992-1993 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 42 | 3 | 13 | 16 | +2 | 29 | 0 | 0 | 28 | |
| 1993-1994 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 84 | 30 | 34 | 64 | +24 | 24 | 2 | 0 | 130 | |
| 1994-1995 | Plzen | CZE | 19 | 10 | 11 | 21 | – | 0 | – | – | – | |
| 1994-1995 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 31 | 4 | 12 | 16 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 36 | |
| 1994-1995 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | |
| 1995-1996 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 43 | 9 | 16 | 25 | -14 | 29 | 5 | 0 | 63 | |
| 1995-1996 | New York Islanders | NHL | 22 | 2 | 10 | 12 | -6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 18 | |
| 1995-1996 | Florida Panthers | NHL | 12 | 2 | 4 | 6 | +1 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 17 | |
| 1996-1997 | Florida Panthers | NHL | 55 | 7 | 22 | 29 | +9 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 94 | |
| 1997-1998 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 75 | 19 | 25 | 42 | +-1 | 28 | 4 | 3 | 117 | |
| 1998-1999 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 80 | 35 | 48 | 83 | +12 | 26 | 5 | 4 | 177 | |
| 1999-2000 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 71 | 20 | 39 | 59 | +24 | 26 | 3 | 1 | 146 | |
| 2000-2001 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 82 | 27 | 68 | 95 | +19 | 38 | 7 | 1 | 185 | |
| 2001-2002 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 13 | 5 | 4 | 9 | +3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 33 | |
| 2002-2003 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 60 | 18 | 28 | 46 | -18 | 12 | 7 | 0 | 136 | |
| 2003-2004 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 22 | 4 | 8 | 12 | -16 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 34 | |
| 2003-2004 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 32 | 6 | 8 | 14 | -9 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 34 | |
| 2004-2005 | Plzen | CZE | 45 | 16 | 18 | 34 | – | 76 | – | – | – | |
| 2005-2006 | New York Rangers | NHL | 82 | 22 | 54 | 76 | +17 | 42 | 4 | 0 | 171 | |
| NHL Totals | 812 | 214 | 392 | 606 | +46 | 314 | 43 | 10 | 1432 | |||