Long-time Philadelphia Flyers winger Jakub Voráček has announced his retirement from playing in an exclusive March interview with Martina Jandová of Czechia’s Showtime Program. The 1,000-game veteran cited 12 concussions as the reason he can no longer play, describing four of the injuries as, “heavy”. This announcement brings an official end to Voracek’s career, something many speculated would happen after he accepted a job supporting Jaromir Jagr’s Kladno at the start of the season. Voráček said, “I started helping with the A team. [Jagr] called me in September to ask if I could help. So I decided to try it part-time. I enjoy it a lot. We’ll see what happens in the future, but I can’t go on the ice anymore.”
Voráček will retire as a member of the Arizona Coyotes despite never suiting up with the team. His rights were traded away from the Columbus Blue Jackets at last year’s Trade Deadline, with Columbus receiving Jon Gillies in return for the cap dump. Columbus drafted Voráček with the seventh-overall pick in the 2007 NHL Draft, taking him in a top 10 that also featured Patrick Kane, James van Riemsdyk, and Logan Couture. Voráček played one more season in the QMJHL – the league he was drafted out of – before debuting with the Blue Jackets in the 2008-09 season. His rookie year brought just nine goals, but still a solid 38 points, in 80 games.
Voráček was the focal piece of the 2011 blockbuster trade that sent a then 27-year-old Jeff Carter to Columbus for a 21-year-old Voráček and the draft picks used to select Sean Couturier and Nick Cousins. It was in Philadelphia that Voráček built his legacy, recording six separate 20-goal seasons and consistently rivaling 50 or 60 points. His career-year came in 2017-18, when he managed 20 goals and 85 points in just 82 games.
Columbus would re-acquire Voráček in 2021, sending Cam Atkinson to Philadelphia. Voráček would play in 90 more games with the Blue Jackets, scoring 68 points, before his career came to a close midway through the 2022-23 season. Voráček totaled 1,058 games in the NHL, netting 223 goals and 806 points. He remains the third-highest scoring Czech player in NHL history, behind just Jagr and Patrik Elias.
I can’t speak for others, but every time I read about a player being forced to retire due to concussions, it really pisses me off. Bettmans’s done nothing of substance to curb this. Now, Jake is one of the latest victims. I hope he is able to heal, in time. Thanks for the memories, and enjoy retirement, Jake.
I wish there were a way, but when you put 220 lb athletes on ice skates and they barrel into each other at the speed of a car-crash I don’t know how we make that absolutely safe for head injuries (let alone knees and hips and shoulders and every other body part.) I wish we could.
What should be done?
@doghockey — Something more than the nothing that Bettman’s been doing. How many $5K fines do we have to see from the DOPeS’ office before the punishment gets right and proper? I get the speed of the game thing, but now it seems we have players not protecting themselves AND the attacking player having less than no regard for the other guy’s well-being. Guys are taking head shots, but more often than not, no mention of the concussion spotter can be heard. It’s like the league and teams are treating it as old news or just a “phase” the NHL went through.