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Lore & Background

Kopecký's tenure with the Panthers began with a trade on 27 June 2011, when Chicago sent him to Florida for a seventh-round draft pick. He signed a four-year deal worth $12 million on 29 June. In his first season, Kopecký played 80 games, scoring 10 goals and 22 assists for 32 points, as the Panthers finished as the third seed in the Eastern Conference and qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2000. The Panthers lost to the New Jersey Devils in seven games in the first round, with Kopecký recording one goal in the series. The lockout-shortened 2012–13 season saw the Panthers finish last in the NHL, marking the first time Kopecký missed the playoffs in his career. Despite the team's struggles, he posted 15 goals and 12 assists for 27 points in 47 games. On 29 December 2013, Kopecký played his 500th NHL game in a 4–1 win over the Montreal Canadiens. However, his 2013–14 season was cut short after he suffered a concussion on 15 February 2014 during the Winter Olympics, missing the rest of the Olympic tournament and the remainder of the Panthers' season. He finished with 4 goals and 8 assists for 12 points in 49 games. In the 2014–15 season, Kopecký played 64 games, recording 2 goals and 6 assists for 8 points. Despite his decreased production, he was named the Panthers' nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for perseverance and dedication to hockey. At the conclusion of his contract, Kopecký went unsigned as a free agent over the 2015 off-season.

In Their Own Story

On 29 December 2013, the Florida Panthers hosted the Montreal Canadiens at the BB&T Center. For Tomáš Kopecký, this was his 500th NHL game—a milestone reached after years of grinding through the minors, injuries, and two Stanley Cup victories. The Panthers won 4–1, and Kopecký logged his minutes on the ice, a steady presence on a team that had struggled to find its footing since his arrival. Just weeks later, on 15 February 2014, Kopecký was playing for Slovakia at the Winter Olympics in Sochi when he absorbed a hit from Slovenia's Sabahudin Kovačevič. The concussion ended his Olympic tournament and his NHL season, leaving him with just 49 games and 12 points for the Panthers that year.

Reader's Guide

Kopecký joined the Panthers in 2011 after two seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks, where he had won his second Stanley Cup. He was acquired via trade on 27 June 2011, with Florida sending a seventh-round pick to Chicago for exclusive negotiating rights. Two days later, he signed a four-year, $12 million contract. In his first season, Kopecký played 80 games, scoring 10 goals and 22 assists for 32 points, helping the Panthers reach the playoffs for the first time since 2000. They were eliminated in seven games by the New Jersey Devils in the first round, with Kopecký scoring one goal in the series. The 2012–13 lockout-shortened season saw the Panthers finish last in the NHL, but Kopecký remained productive with 15 goals and 12 assists for 27 points in 47 games. On 29 December 2013, Kopecký played his 500th NHL game in a 4–1 win over the Montreal Canadiens. However, his 2013–14 season was derailed by a concussion suffered at the 2014 Winter Olympics on 15 February, causing him to miss the rest of the Olympic tournament and the remainder of the Panthers' season. He finished with 4 goals and 8 assists for 12 points in 49 games. In 2014–15, Kopecký played 64 games, recording 2 goals and 6 assists for 8 points. Despite his reduced production, he was nominated by the Panthers for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. After his contract expired, he went unsigned as a free agent and returned to Europe on 22 October 2015, signing with HC Oceláři Třinec in the Czech Republic.

Did You Know?

• Kopecký was acquired by the Panthers via trade on 27 June 2011, just days before he was set to become an unrestricted free agent.
• He played his 500th NHL game on 29 December 2013 in a 4–1 win over the Montreal Canadiens.
• Kopecký's 2013–14 season was cut short after he suffered a concussion at the 2014 Winter Olympics on 15 February.
• Despite a decrease in production in 2014–15, Kopecký was the Panthers' nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy.
• After his Panthers contract ended, Kopecký went unsigned over the 2015 off-season and returned to Europe on 22 October 2015, signing with HC Oceláři Třinec in the Czech Republic.