Jaroslav HOLIK

Jaroslav Holík was a center who started his career as a junior with Jiskra Havlíčkův Brod in 1959, playing two seasons with them, but he then played the rest of his career with HC Dukla Jihlava, retiring after the 1978-79 season. He also competed for Czechoslovakia at the 1972 Winter Olympics, winning a bronze medal, and at seven World Championships (1965-67, 1969-70, 1972-73), winning World gold in 1972, silvers in 1965-66 and 1971, and bronzes in 1969-70 and 1973.

After his retirement Holík became a hockey coach, leading the Czech Under-20 team to the gold medal at the 2000 World Junior Championships. Coming from a hockey family, his brother, Jiří Holík, won four Olympic medals for Czechoslovakia, while his son, Bobby Holík, played almost 20 years in the NHL with the Hartford Whalers, New Jersey Devils, New York Rangers, and Atlanta Thrashers. Jaroslav Holík’s grandson, David Musil, was drafted by the Edmonton Oilers of the NHL.