Karel Rachunek: Lokomotiv’s lost captain

Our latest look at a KHL legend tells the story of Czech defenseman Karel Rachunek, a cult hero in Yaroslavl where he captained the Lokomotiv team destroyed by an air disaster.On a par with Jagr or DatsyukKarel Rachunek made his pro debut in 1997 as an 18-year-old for Zlin. At the time, the big star on the team with Petr Cajanek, who would play with Karel again a decade later at Dynamo Moscow. The two-way defenseman was called up to various national teams and played at two World Juniors. Nonetheless, he wasn’t highly rated at the NHL draft and in 1997 he was taken in the ninth round with the 229th pick. Two years later, Rachunek crossed the Atlantic. The first season was one of acclimatization, mostly in the minor leagues. But in 2000 he began to play regularly for Ottawa. In 2002 he made the NHL YoungStars roster.Russian Champion (2003) Czech Extraliga runner-up (1999) World Champion (2010) World Championship bronze (2011) Spengler Cup winner (2008) Top-scoring KHL defenseman (2011) KHL All-Star (2009, 2010, 2011) Karel Rachunek 187 games 126 (42+84) points 1997 – made his Czech Extraliga debut as an 18-year-old with Zlin 1999 – finished runner-up in Czechia with Zlin Apr. 10, 2003 – Lokomotiv, for whom Rachunek played nine games in the 2002-2003 season, won the Russian Superleague Apr. 8, 2008 – Returned from North America to sign a contract with Dynamo Moscow. Sep. 3, 2008 – KHL debut against Sibir Dec. 31, 2008 – Won the Spengler Cup Jan. 10, 2009 – First KHL All-Star appearanceRachunek was one of Ottawa’s biggest stars. After his rookie contract ended, he could not agree a new deals and decided to use his strong position to head to Russia and play for Lokomotiv. That forced the hand of his NHL club and it wasn’t long before Rachunek was back in Ottawa. But it wasn’t the end of his connection with Yaroslavl.Rachunek’s NHL career was interrupted by the lock-out. At first, he went home to play for Znojmo in the Czech league. During the season, he once again headed to Yaroslavl. It turned out to be a memorable season for Lokomotiv. True, the team didn’t win the league. But there was a spectacular first-round playoff success against an Ak Bars team studded with so many NHL stars it drew comparisons with Real Madrid’s Galacticos.  Lada halted the playoff run, but the season still ended on a high with victory over Avangard in a two-game series for bronze.Although Rachunek himself didn’t play the full season in the Superleague still secured a Golden Helmet – one of the highest individual awards. Karel found himself alongside Pavel Datsyuk, Jaromir Jagr, Viktor Kozlov and Andrei Markov on the team of the year.Maybe that’s why the defenseman didn’t rush back across the Atlantic once the NHL and its players finally reached a new collective agreement. Rachunek opted to stay at Lokomotiv for another year. The 2005-2006 campaign was a transition season for Loko. The management decided to change direction and replaced Finn Kari Heikkila with the legendary Vladimir Yurzinov, who said that this job would be his “last hockey project.”Lokomotiv was solid in regular season and finished in the top three. However, in the semi-final Ak Bars avenged its defeat from the previous season and went on to win the championship. Lokomotiv was left without a medal: there was no bronze-medal playoff and the prize went to Metallurg, which finished higher in the regular season.Yurzinov left Lokomotiv and, as promised, retired from the game. Rachunek headed back to the NHL after signing with the Rangers’ Czech diaspora led by Jagr.Goal and assist on the way to World Championship gloryFor a long time, Rachunek was seldom seen on his national team. It’s high to say way he didn’t get more call-ups. Presumably the defenseman had his reasons for turning down some invitations but the fact remains that he did not play at a World Championship until 2009, at the age of 29. After that he was an ever-present until his death.In 2009, the Czechs lost to every big nation it played: Finland and Canada in the group stage, then Sweden in the quarterfinal. The best game was an 8-0 victory over Slovakia, with Rachunek giving three assists including helpers on goals from Jagr and Patrik Elias.The next two tournaments were much better for the Czechs. In 2010, in Germany, the team suffered a shock defeat to Norway but then hit its best form against the favorites, defeating Finland, Canada and Sweden (in the group stage and again in the semi-final). The final was against a Russian team stacked with star players and eager to atone after a painful defeat at the Vancouver Olympics. The Russians were hot favorites, but goalie Tomas Vokoun played the game of his life to backstop the Czech Republic to gold.Rachunek played a key role in the Czech success. In the final, he had an assist on Tomas Rolinek’s game-winning goal, bringing the puck from his own zone to the Russian net. Earlier, he scored a vital tying goal eight second before the end of the semi-final, forcing the game to overtime and a shoot-out that the Czechs won.In 2011, the Czechs again stunned Russia. This time, they did it twice: in the group stage, and again in the bronze medal game. Throughout the tournament, the Czech Republic played well and lost just one game – the semi-final against Sweden. Bronze was well deserved.A third time in Russia and YaroslavlRachunek’s return to the NHL didn’t last all that long. After two seasons with the Rangers and New Jersey he was back in Russia in the newly-formed KHL. He signed a two-year deal with Dynamo Moscow under his compatriot Vladimir Vuitek, who made the defenseman a top transfer target. At the time, the Blue-and-Whites pursued an aggressive recruitment policy and brought in many big names. The team featured Swedes Mattias Weinhandl and Linus Omark, Czechs Cajanek and Jiri Hudler, Belorusian Alexei Kalyuzhny and Finn Leo Komarov. Ex-NHLers Alexei Zhitnik and Daniil Markov joined up, while Rachunek wore the ‘A’ on a powerful roster. However, it wasn’t enough to win a medal in Moscow.In 2010, Rachunek went back to Lokomotiv.“It feels like I’m almost coming home. It’s already my third time with this club, so I’m really happy. There were no serious offers from the NHL. And, to be honest, I wasn’t that interested in going back there. I prefer it in Russia.” Karel Rachunek in an interview with Sport Day-by-DayThe Czech blue liner also spoke very highly of the KHL.“I can compare it with how it was when I first came here and how things are now. The progress is obvious. They’ve built many new arenas, there are more strong teams and the overall level is noticeably higher. The organization is better as well. There’s much more hockey on TV now. Finally, look at how the national team is playing. This all shows that you’re on the right path.” Karel Rachunek speaking to the Dynamo media teamRachunek played in three KHL All-Star Games, starting with the inaugural event on Red Square. He said the historic event was a great idea.May 18, 2010 signed a contract with Lokomotiv May 23, 2010 won the World Championship with Team Czechia May 20, 2011 won the prize for the top-scoring KHL defenseman Sep. 7, 2011 killed in the Yaroslavl air disasterRachunek spoke good Russian and had no trouble giving interviews. He told Dynamo’s media staff that he learned his Russian when playing with Pyotr Schastlivy at Ottawa and again at Lokomotiv.“We played together for a long time in North America, we chatted a lot, and since at the time he didn’t speak much English it was up to me to learn some Russian. Also, your language has some things in common with Czech. You can feel a common Slavic root.” Karel RachunekIn 2010, Rachunek became Lokomotiv’s captain. One of the league’s most consistent teams again showed its class, finishing third in the regular season and getting to the playoff semi-final for the second year. At that stage, the run was halted by Milos Riha’s Atlant, which enjoyed its best ever season. Once again, though, Lokomotiv did well, collecting a bronze medal that would become the last in Rachunek’s career. He also had his most productive campaign with 46 (11+35) points in the regular season and 13 (8+5) in the playoffs.There would be no more. Rachunek was among the players and coaching staff killed on Sep. 7, 2011, when the plane taking them to the season opener in Minsk crashed after take off from Yaroslavl’s airport. In Nov. 2012, during a break for international games, the newly rebuilt Lokomotiv went to Zlin for a training camp. In Rachunek’s home town, his first and last clubs played a charity game in his memory.FactfileKarel RachunekBorn Aug. 27, 1979 in Gottwaldov, Czechoslovakia (now Zlin)Playing career: 1997-1999 – Zlin (CZE), 1999-2000 – Grand Rapids (IHL), 1999-2004 – Ottawa (NHL), 2002-2003, 2004-2006, 2010-2011 – Lokomotiv (RUS, KHL), 2002-2003 – Binghampter (AHL), 2003-2004, 2006-2007 – NY Rangers (NHL), 2004-2005 – Znojmo (CZE), 2007-2008 – New Jersey (NHL), 2008-2010 – Dynamo Moscow (KHL).Honors: World Champion (2010), bronze medallist (2011); bronze medallist, Russian championship (2005, 2011).