Martin Havlát

From Freepedia

Martin Havlát, #9 (born April 19 1981) is a top young ice hockey player with the Ottawa Senators of the NHL. He is nicknamed Mach-9 for his speed and player number.

Born in Mladá Boleslav, Czechoslovakia he was drafted in the first round of the 1999 NHL Entry Draft, 26th overall. He plays right-wing, and along with Daniel Alfredsson and Dany Heatley is a part of the strongest right side in the NHL today.

He entered the league in the 2000 season and had an immediate impact and was a finalist for the Calder Trophy for top rookie. He improved each subsequent year and by the 2003-04 season was a point per game player.

Havlát has developed a reputation as a somewhat dirty player. He was lambasted in the 2003 playoffs by Philadelphia Flyers coach Ken Hitchcock for his stickwork. During the 2003-2004 season he was suspended twice, once for kicking, and once for cross-checking. He was most recently suspended on October 17, 2005, five games for another kicking incident againt Boston Bruins Hal Gill.

Havlát plays for the Czech Republic internationally, and was a star player for them at the 2002 Winter Olympics where he had three goals. During the off season he lives in Brno, Czech Republic.