Long-time Philadelphia Flyers winger Jakub Voracek has announced his retirement from playing in an 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.
“I started helping with the A team. Voracek said. "[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.”
Voracek will retire as a member of the Arizona Coyotes despite never suiting up with the team. His rights were traded from the Columbus Blue Jackets at last year’s trade deadline, with Columbus receiving Jon Gillies in return.
Columbus drafted Voracek with the seventh-overall pick in the 2007 NHL Draft. Voracek 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.
Voracek was the focal piece of the 2011 blockbuster trade that sent Jeff Carter to Columbus for Voracek and the draft picks used to select Sean Couturier and Nick Cousins. It was in Philadelphia that Voracek 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 Voracek 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. He 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.
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