From the Czech Republic, Martin Straka had a long career in the NHL.  Straka had a pair of 80 Point Seasons for the Pittsburgh Penguins and two 70 Point Seasons for the New York Rangers over his career and he would tabulate 717 Points overall in his career.  Straka was named an All-Star in 1999 and while he never won a Stanley Cup, he did win an Olympic Gold Medal with the Czech Republic in 1998.

Known for his seriousness, discipline and overall toughness Bobby Holik came from Czechoslovakia to the National Hockey League where after two seasons with the Hartford Whalers he found a real home with the New Jersey Devils.  Holik would play for the Devils for ten straight seasons where he would score 463 Points over that period with three consecutive 60 Point campaigns from 1996-97 to 1998-99.  In that later season (98-99) Holik would start a new streak where he went five straight seasons where he earned votes for the Frank J Selke Trophy, a testament to his two-way ability.  With New Jersey, he would help the team win two Stanley Cups (1995 & 2000) and he was himself a two-time All-Star.

From Czechoslovakia, Robert Lang had a very good career in the National Hockey League although it took him some time to really find his groove.  In his late 20’s, Lang came into his own when he was with the Pittsburgh Penguins and in his third season there at age 30, he had an 80 Point Season.  Lang would later join Washington where he performed well and at one point three quarters into the 2003/04 season, he was the leading scorer, and then he was traded to the Detroit Red Wings, which marked the first time that the leading scorer was ever traded during the season.  Lang would be injured shortly thereafter, but he would still finish the season ninth in Assists and Points.  Lang would play for Detroit another two seasons and would finish his career with a season each in Chicago, Montreal and Phoenix.

Petr Svoboda quietly carved out a long and fruitful career in the NHL where he played 1,028 Games.  Svoboda didn’t actually enter the National Hockey League in the quietest of ways, as he was a Czechoslovakian defector but it proved advantageous quickly as he was a member of the Stanley Cup Championship Montreal Canadians in his second year in the league. 

A four time All-Star, Tomas Kaberle is the second all-time leading scorer among Toronto Maple Leaf Defensemen, which is no small feat considering we are talking about an Original Six Team.

From the Czech Republic, Tomas Vokoun had a fantastic career in the NHL, most notably with the Nashville Predators where he had three straight seasons where he finished in the top ten in Vezina Trophy voting with a 10^th, 8^th and 4^th place finish in the 2003/04, 04/05 and 06/07 respectively.  The year after the two-time NHL All-Star would play for the Florida Panthers and would lead the league in Goalie Point Shares.

Milan Hejduk played 1,020 Games in the National Hockey League all with the Colorado Avalanche, which is a franchise record.  A solid scorer who accumulated 805 Points, the Czech born star would assist the Avs win the Stanley Cup in 2001.  Two years later Hejduk would have his best individual season where his 50 Goals would be enough to win the Maurice Richard Trophy and was also the league leader in Plus/Minus.  He would also be named a Second Team All Star and finished fourth in Hart Trophy voting.

A long time defensemen in the NHL, Roman Hamrlik has appeared on many power plays and punished a lot of attackers into the boards. The former first overall pick has not disappointed with a long and productive career and it isn’t over yet. The three time All Star though, likely does not have the stat accumulation for the Hall of Fame, but throughout his career he was always one of the better blue liners in hockey.

A long tenured layer for the New Jersey Devils, Patrik Elias established himself as one of the top players ever to play in the Garden State. Elias would progress to a 1,025 point career and anyone who does that (especially after the dead puck era) is at least in the conversation for the Hall of Fame. Just how deep that conversation goes, is yet to be determined.