Friday, May 6, 2011

Rangers Sign 2009 5th Round Pick Roman Horak

The New York Rangers have agreed to terms with 2009 fifth round pick Roman Horak on an entry level contract.  In 64 games with the Chiliwack Bruins of the Western Hockey League (WHL) this season he scored 26 goals and had 52 assists, which were career highs.

Horak is a center who is very good on faceoffs, defensively responsible and very dangerous while shorthanded.  His offense continues to develop and those who initially saw him as a fourth or checking line center are now seeing more offensive upside to his game.  He will compete for a spot next season, but is likely to spend the year in the AHL with the Connecticut Whale.




Full Press Release:


New York, May 6, 2011 – New York Rangers President and General Manager Glen Sather announced today that the club has agreed to terms with forward Roman Horak.

Horak, 19, skated in 64 games with the Chilliwack Bruins of the Western Hockey League (WHL) this season, registering 26 goals and 52 assists for 78 points, along with 60 penalty minutes. He established career-highs in goals, assists, points, and power play goals (19). Horak tied for 12th in the WHL with 15 power play assists, and led all Chilliwack skaters with a 1.22 points per game average. He also tied for first on the Bruins in assists and shorthanded goals (two), ranked second in goals and points, and third in power play goals. Horak posted a career-high, 11-game scoring streak from October 16 vs. Vancouver to November 12 vs. Red Deer, tallying 14 points (six goals, eight assists) over the span. He recorded a career-high, 19 multi-point performances, including four straight multi-point efforts to begin the season from September 25 at Kamloops to October 9 vs. Seattle (five goals, six assists during the stretch). In addition, Horak tallied one goal and two assists in five playoff contests.

The 6-1, 180-pounder has skated in 130 career WHL contests with Chilliwack, registering 47 goals and 78 assists for 125 points, along with 99 penalty minutes and a plus-eight rating. In 2009-10, he tied for first among WHL rookies with six game-winning goals and a team record, five shorthanded goals. Horak tied for fifth in the league overall in shorthanded goals and 17th in game-winning goals, and tied for third on Chilliwack in goals (21) and ranked fourth in assists (26) and points (47). Horak has also registered nine points (three goals, six assists) in 11 career WHL playoff contests. He tied for the team lead in points (six), ranked second in assists (four) and tied for third in goals (two) in six games during the 2010 WHL playoffs. Horak made his WHL debut on September 18, 2009 vs. Kamloops, and recorded his first career point with an assist on September 19, 2009 at Kamloops.

Internationally, Horak has represented his native Czech Republic in several tournaments, including the 2010 and 2011 World Junior Championships. In 2011, he recorded one assist and ranked third on the team with 15 shots on goal. Horak tallied one goal and one assist in six tournament contests in 2010.
The Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic native was originally the Rangers fifth round choice, 127th overall, in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.