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.
