Robert Lang (ice hockey)

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For other people of the same name, see Robert Lang (disambiguation).
Robert Lang
Born (1970-12-19) December 19, 1970 (age 53)
Teplice, Czechoslovakia
Height 6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight 216 lb (98 kg; 15 st 6 lb)
Position Centre
Shot Right
Played for
Phoenix Coyotes
National team  Czechoslovakia and
 Czech Republic
NHL draft 133rd overall, 1990
Los Angeles Kings
Playing career 1988–2010

Robert Lang (born December 19, 1970) is a

Phoenix Coyotes
, with whom he retired with in 2010.

Lang played internationally for both the

Winter Olympics (winning gold in 1998), three Ice Hockey World Championships and two World Cups
.

Playing career

A native of

1990 NHL Entry Draft
.

Lang returned to play another two seasons in the Extraliga before debuting with the Kings in 1992–93. He played the majority of his first two seasons in the International Hockey League (IHL) with the Kings' minor league affiliate, the Phoenix Roadrunners.

Due to the lockout-shortened 1994–95 season, Lang returned to HC Litvínov (now of the Czech Extraliga) for 16 games, scoring 23 points. When NHL play resumed, he landed a full-time roster spot with the Kings. He tallied 22 points in 68 games in 1995–96 before returning to the Czech Extraliga to play for Sparta Praha.

After a brief hiatus from the NHL, Lang returned after one season in Europe, joining the Pittsburgh Penguins as a free agent on September 2, 1997. He was subsequently bounced back and forth between the Penguins and Boston Bruins for a couple of months before he stuck with the Penguins.[1]

Lang remained with the Penguins, joining fellow Czech Jaromír Jágr and increasing his points total in each of his first four seasons with the team. In 2000–01, he scored a career-high 32 goals, 48 assists and 80 points in 82 games. That season, the Penguins reached the Eastern Conference Finals, but were defeated in five games by the New Jersey Devils. Lang added eight points in 16 playoff games.

After the

unrestricted free agent and signed with the Washington Capitals.[1] In Washington, he was re-united with Jágr, who had been traded to the Capitals the year before. He scored 69 points in his first season with Washington, second in team scoring to Jágr.[2]

During the

2006.[4] This marked the first time in NHL history that a player was traded while leading the NHL in points.[citation needed] Shortly after the trade, he was sidelined with a broken rib on March 8.[5] Missing 13 games, he surrendered the NHL scoring lead to the Tampa Bay Lightning's Martin St. Louis and finished with 79 points in 69 games, one point shy of his career-high set in 2000–01 and ninth overall in the League. (Lang's points-per-game of 1.14 was identical to St. Louis'.) Lang returned to the Red Wings in time for the 2004 playoffs, but the team was eliminated by the Calgary Flames
in the second round. He recorded a career-high nine points in 12 playoff games.

In addition to Lang's ninth-place finish in NHL scoring, he had participated in his first

Golden Hockey Stick
as the top Czech hockey player at the end of the season.

Lang remained with the Red Wings until the end of the 2006–07 season, but his production dipped each of his remaining campaign in Detroit. Before signing a two-year contract with the Chicago Blackhawks as an unrestricted free agent in the off-season,[6] Lang embarked on another playoff run with the Red Wings in 2007, but they were halted by the eventual Stanley Cup champions Anaheim Ducks in the semifinals. Lang recorded eight points in 18 playoff games.

In Chicago, Lang recorded 54 points playing behind rookie standouts

2010 (previously acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs) on September 12, 2008.[7]

Lang recorded a natural hat-trick, the second three-goal effort of his career, in his first season with the Canadiens, against the

short-handed in an empty net.[3]
Having played 50 straight games for the Canadiens, leading them in goal scoring, power play points and second on the team in overall points, Lang suffered an achilles tendon injury, sidelining him for the remainder of the regular season.

On September 29, 2009, Lang was signed by the

Phoenix Coyotes to a one-year contract, just days before the start of the 2009–10 season. During the season, Lang recorded 29 points in 64 regular season games while missing the last 17 games of the regular season due to a lower-body injury. His offensive contribution and veteran leadership helped lead the Coyotes to their first playoff berth since the 2001–02 season. The Coyotes were defeated by the Red Wings in seven games in the first round of the 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs
. Lang played in four of the seven games, recording one assist.

International play

Medal record
Representing  Czechoslovakia
Men's ice hockey
World Championships
Bronze medal – third place
1992 Czechoslovakia
Winter Olympics
Bronze medal – third place 1992 Albertville
Representing  Czech Republic
World Championships
Gold medal – first place
1996 Austria
Bronze medal – third place
1997 Finland
Winter Olympics
Gold medal – first place 1998 Nagano
Bronze medal – third place 2006 Turin

Lang debuted internationally with

1992 World Championships
, held in his home country. Scoring four points in eight games, Lang captured his second bronze medal with Czechoslovakia.

In 1996, Lang competed with the recently-independent

Canada Cup
), however the Czechs lost all three round-robin games and did not advance to the medal rounds. Lang failed to register a point.

The following year, Lang competed in the

1997 World Championships, defeating Russia
in the bronze medal game. Lang scored two points in eight games.

In 1998, Lang competed in his second Winter Olympics, capturing gold on a team with Dominik Hašek and Pittsburgh Penguins teammate Jaromír Jágr. He scored two points in six games as the Czechs defeated Canada in the semifinals, then Russia in the final.

Four years later, Lang once again suited up for the Czechs in the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. Lang scored three points in four games, but the Czechs were kept from defending their gold medal, falling to Russia in the quarterfinals.

In 2004, Lang saw his only hockey action of the 2004–05 season at the World Cup due to the NHL lockout. The Czechs were defeated 4–3 in overtime in the semifinals against Canada.

Competing in his fourth Olympics, Lang tallied four assists in eight games as team captain in the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin as the Czechs returned to the Olympic medal podium, capturing bronze against Russia. It would prove to be his last Olympics, as, at the age of 39, he would not be invited back for a fifth turn during the 2010 Winter Olympics, despite still playing in the NHL. The Czechs finished fifth, failing to reach the medal podium.

Personal life

Former Detroit Red Wings teammate (and fellow Czech) Jiří Hudler spent time living in Lang's home as Lang took him under his wing during his time in Detroit. Lang refers to Hudler as his "third son."[8]

Lang resides in San Diego, California, with his wife Jennifer. The couple have two sons, Kelly and Brooks.[9]

Awards and achievements

Transactions

  • June 16, 1990 – Drafted 133rd overall by the
    1990 NHL Entry Draft
    .
  • September 2, 1997 – Signed as a free agent by the Pittsburgh Penguins.
  • September 28, 1997 – Claimed by the
    1997 NHL Waiver Draft
    .
  • October 25, 1997 – Claimed off waivers by the Pittsburgh Penguins from the Boston Bruins.
  • July 1, 2002 – Signed as a free agent by the Washington Capitals.
  • February 27, 2004 – Traded to the
    2006
    .
  • July 2, 2007 – Signed to a two-year contract by the Chicago Blackhawks.
  • September 12, 2008 – Traded to the
    2010 (previously acquired from the Toronto Maple Leafs
    ).

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season
 Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1988–89
TJ CHZ Litvínov
CSSR
 7 3 2 5 0 — — — — —
1989–90 TJ CHZ Litvínov CSSR 32 8 7 15 — 8 3 3 6 0
1990–91 TJ CHZ Litvínov CSSR 56 26 26 52 38 — — — — —
1991–92 HC Chemopetrol Litvínov CSSR 43 12 31 43 34 — — — — —
1992–93 Los Angeles Kings NHL 11 0 5 5 2 — — — — —
1992–93 Phoenix Roadrunners IHL 38 9 21 30 20 — — — — —
1993–94 Los Angeles Kings NHL 32 9 10 19 10 — — — — —
1993–94 Phoenix Roadrunners IHL 44 11 24 35 34 — — — — —
1994–95 HC Chemopetrol Litvínov CZE 16 4 19 23 28 — — — — —
1994–95 Los Angeles Kings NHL 36 4 8 12 4 — — — — —
1995–96 Los Angeles Kings NHL 68 6 16 22 10 — — — — —
1996–97 HC Sparta Praha CZE 38 14 27 41 30 5 1 2 3 4
1997–98 Boston Bruins NHL 3 0 0 0 2 — — — — —
1997–98 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 51 9 13 22 14 6 0 3 3 2
1997–98 Houston Aeros IHL 9 1 7 8 4 — — — — —
1998–99 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 72 21 23 44 24 12 0 2 2 0
1999–00
 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 78 23 42 65 14 11 3 3 6 0
2000–01 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 82 32 48 80 28 16 4 4 8 4
2001–02 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 62 18 32 50 16 — — — — —
2002–03 Washington Capitals NHL 82 22 47 69 22 6 2 1 3 2
2003–04 Washington Capitals NHL 63 29 45 74 24 — — — — —
2003–04 Detroit Red Wings NHL 6 1 4 5 0 12 4 5 9 6
2005–06 Detroit Red Wings NHL 72 20 42 62 72 6 3 3 6 2
2006–07 Detroit Red Wings NHL 81 19 33 52 66 18 2 6 8 8
2007–08 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 76 21 33 54 50 — — — — —
2008–09 Montreal Canadiens NHL 50 18 21 39 36 — — — — —
2009–10
Phoenix Coyotes
 NHL 62 9 20 29 28 4 0 1 1 0
CSSR totals 138 49 66 115 72 8 3 3 6 0
NHL totals 987 261 442 703 422 91 18 28 46 24

International

Year Team Event   GP G A Pts PIM
1992 Czechoslovakia
OLY
 8 5 8 13 8
1992
 Czechoslovakia
WC
 8 2 2 4 2
1996
 Czech Republic WC 8 5 4 9 2
1996 Czech Republic WCH 3 0 0 0 2
1997
 Czech Republic WC 8 1 1 2 25
1998 Czech Republic OLY 6 0 3 3 0
2002 Czech Republic OLY 4 1 2 3 2
2006 Czech Republic OLY 8 0 4 4 4
Senior totals 53 14 24 38 43

References

  1. ^ a b "Robert Lang on NHL.com". National Hockey League. Archived from the original on 2007-08-08. Retrieved 2008-09-13.
  2. ^ "2002-03 Washington Capitals (NHL)". hockeydb.com. Retrieved 2008-09-13.
  3. ^ a b "Lang's hat trick lifts Habs over Rangers". CBC. 2009-01-08. Retrieved 2009-01-10.
  4. ^ White, Joseph (February 28, 2004). "Red Wings acquire Lang from Capitals". USA Today. Retrieved 2008-09-13.
  5. ^ "Injuries may prove toughest opponents". ESPN. 2004-04-05. Retrieved 2008-09-13.
  6. ^ "Blackhawks sign free agent center Robert Lang". USA Today. 2007-07-02. Retrieved 2008-09-13.
  7. ^ "Canadiens acquire Robert Lang from Blackhawks". CBC Sports. 2008-09-12. Retrieved 2008-09-13.
  8. ^ [1] Archived September 29, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  9. ^ "Hokeje jsem se nabažil, nestýská se mi, říká Robert Lang. Veškerý čas teď v Kalifornii věnuje rodině". Hokej.cz. Retrieved 2013-12-27.[permanent dead link]

External links

Preceded by Golden Hockey Stick
2004 		Succeeded by
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