Michal Kempný
Kempný with HC Sparta Praha in 2023
Born (1990-09-08) 8 September 1990
Hodonín, Czechoslovakia
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 194 lb (88 kg; 13 st 12 lb)
Position Defence
Shoots Left
ELH team
Former teams		 HC Sparta Praha
HK 36 Skalica
HC Kometa Brno
HC Slavia Praha
Avangard Omsk
Chicago Blackhawks
Washington Capitals
National team  Czech Republic
NHL Draft Undrafted
Playing career 2008–present

Michal Kempný (born 8 September 1990) is a Czech professional ice hockey defenceman who is currently playing with HC Sparta Praha in the Czech Extraliga (ELH). Kempný formerly played in the National Hockey League (NHL) and won the Stanley Cup as a member of the Washington Capitals in 2018.

Playing career

Kempný played as a youth in Czech Republic with HC Dyje Břeclav and made his professional debut in the Slovak Extraliga with HK 36 Skalica.[1]

Moving to play more competitively, Kempný played for HC Kometa Brno of the Czech Extraliga.[2]

After seven seasons of professional hockey in the ELH, Kempný was signed by Russian club, Avangard Omsk, to play in the Kontinental Hockey League on 29 April 2015.[3] In the 2015–16 season, he quickly transitioned to become the club's top defenseman, scoring 21 points in 59 games from the blueline.

Kempný in 2014.

Upon competing in his first senior international tournament for the Czech Republic at the 2016 IIHF World Championships, on 23 May 2016, Kempný as an undrafted free agent was signed to a one-year contract with the Chicago Blackhawks of the NHL.[4] Kempný made his NHL debut on 12 October.[5] He scored the first goal of his NHL career on 30 December against Cam Ward of the Carolina Hurricanes.[6]

In his first season with the club, he recorded 8 points in 50 games. On 27 May 2017, Kempný, who was set to become a restricted free agent, was re-signed by the club to a one-year extension.[7]

On 19 February 2018, Kempný was traded to the Washington Capitals in exchange for the higher of Toronto or Washington's own third-round pick in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft;[8] the pick would later be dealt and ultimately resulted in the selection of Linus Karlsson by the San Jose Sharks. Kempný scored his first career playoff goal in Game 1 of the 2018 Eastern Conference Finals against the Tampa Bay Lightning on a wrist shot from the point.[9] He won the Stanley Cup with the Washington Capitals on June 7, 2018, and subsequently signed a four-year, $10 million extension with Washington.

While training for 2020–21 season, Kempný tore his Achilles tendon. On 7 October 2020, the Washington Capitals announced that the defenseman had surgery to repair his injury.[10] In consequence, Kempný's season was limited to only two games for Capitals' AHL affiliate team, Hershey Bears.[11]

On 27 December 2021, the Capitals recalled him back to active duty after they lost six players due to the league's coronavirus protocols, including three of their top six defensemen. On 29 December 2021, Kempný had an assist in his first regular-season NHL appearance in almost two years.

As a free agent from the Capitals, following five seasons within the organization, Kempný joined his third NHL club after he was signed to a one-year, $750,000 contract with the Seattle Kraken on 24 July 2022.[12] Unable to make the Kraken out of training camp, Kempný was placed on waivers and re-assigned to AHL affiliate, Coachella Valley Firebirds to begin the 2022–23 season. He made two appearances with the Firebirds before he was placed on unconditional waivers by the Kraken in order to mutually terminate his contract on 20 October 2022.[13][14]

Having returned to the Czech Republic, Kempný returning to the Extraliga for the first time since 2015, agreeing to a two-year contract with HC Sparta Praha, on 25 October 2022.[15]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2005–06 HK 36 Skalica SVK U18 42 1 5 6 24 2 0 0 0 0
2006–07 HK 36 Skalica SVK U18 50 6 14 20 40 — — — — —
2006–07 HK 36 Skalica SVK U20 7 0 0 0 4 1 0 0 0 0
2007–08 HK 36 Skalica SVK U18 14 5 12 17 36 — — — — —
2007–08 HK 36 Skalica SVK U20 37 1 13 14 68 — — — — —
2007–08 HK 36 Skalica Slovak 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
2008–09 HC Kometa Brno CZE U20 23 2 5 7 91 — — — — —
2008–09 HC Kometa Brno CZE.2 18 1 0 1 6 14 1 0 1 6
2008–09 SHK Hodonín CZE.3 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
2009–10 HC Kometa Brno CZE U20 8 2 1 3 34 — — — — —
2009–10 HC Kometa Brno ELH 24 0 0 0 18 — — — — —
2009–10 SK Horácká Slavia Třebíč CZE.2 8 1 0 1 14 11 2 1 3 32
2010–11 HC Kometa Brno ELH 21 0 0 0 14 — — — — —
2010–11 HC Rebel Havlíčkův Brod CZE.2 32 3 4 7 26 14 1 6 7 16
2011–12 HC Kometa Brno ELH 23 1 1 2 14 — — — — —
2011–12 HC Rebel Havlíčkův Brod CZE.2 3 0 0 0 2 — — — — —
2012–13 HC Slavia Praha ELH 51 5 9 14 32 11 1 3 4 12
2013–14 HC Kometa Brno ELH 51 7 8 15 74 18 2 4 6 20
2014–15 HC Kometa Brno ELH 43 8 21 29 94 2 1 0 1 2
2015–16 Avangard Omsk KHL 59 5 16 21 46 11 2 2 4 12
2016–17 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 50 2 6 8 22 1 0 0 0 0
2017–18 Chicago Blackhawks NHL 31 1 6 7 12 — — — — —
2017–18 Washington Capitals NHL 22 2 1 3 14 24 2 3 5 10
2018–19 Washington Capitals NHL 71 6 19 25 60 — — — — —
2019–20 Washington Capitals NHL 58 3 15 18 22 5 0 1 1 4
2020–21 Hershey Bears AHL 2 0 1 1 0 — — — — —
2021–22 Hershey Bears AHL 24 0 7 7 32 — — — — —
2021–22 Washington Capitals NHL 15 1 1 2 16 — — — — —
2022–23 Coachella Valley Firebirds AHL 2 1 0 1 0 — — — — —
2022–23 HC Sparta Praha ELH 35 1 27 28 28 6 2 1 3 2
ELH totals 248 22 66 88 274 37 6 8 14 36
KHL totals 59 5 16 21 46 11 2 2 4 12
NHL totals 247 15 48 63 146 30 2 4 6 14
Medal record
Representing  Czech Republic
Ice hockey
World Championships
Bronze medal – third place2022 Finland

International

Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2008 Czech Republic U18 D1 11th 5 0 2 2 0
2010 Czech Republic WJC 7th 6 0 2 2 0
2016 Czech Republic WC 5th 8 0 2 2 10
2016 Czech Republic WCH 6th 3 0 0 0 2
2017 Czech Republic WC 7th 8 2 1 3 12
2022 Czech Republic WC 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 8 0 0 0 8
2023 Czech Republic WC 8th 8 2 5 7 8
Junior totals 11 0 4 4 0
Senior totals 35 4 8 12 40

Awards and honours

Award Year
NHL
Stanley Cup champion 2018 [16]

References

  1. ↑ "2010-11 Scoring for Brno Kometa". hockeydb.com. 14 May 2014. Retrieved 14 May 2014.
  2. ↑ "Michal Kempny player profile" (in Czech). HC Kometa Brno. 15 May 2014. Retrieved 15 May 2014.
  3. ↑ "Kempny agrees to contract in KHL with Avangard Omsk" (in Czech). hokej.cz. 29 April 2015. Retrieved 29 April 2015.
  4. ↑ "Blackhawks agree to terms with Johansson, Kempny and Lundberg". Chicago Blackhawks. 23 May 2016. Retrieved 23 May 2016.
  5. ↑ Kuc, Chris (12 October 2016). "Wednesday's recap: Blues 5, Blackhawks 2". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  6. ↑ Lazerus, Mark (30 December 2016). "Blackhawks stymied by Cam Ward in loss to Carolina". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 31 December 2016.
  7. ↑ "Blackhawks sign Michal Kempny to one-year extension". Sportsnet.ca. 27 May 2017. Retrieved 27 May 2017.
  8. ↑ "Capitals Acquire Michal Kempny from Chicago Blackhawks". NHL.com. 19 February 2018. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
  9. ↑ "Washington Capitalizes in Game 1 Against Tampa Bay". si.com. 11 May 2018. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
  10. ↑ Oland, Ian (6 October 2020). "Michal Kempny out 6-8 months after injuring Achilles tendon". Russian Machine Never Breaks. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
  11. ↑ "Washington Capitals Michal Kempny Toronto Maple Leafs Kurtis Gabriel waivers - TSN.ca". 9 October 2021.
  12. ↑ "Michal Kempny says goodbye to Capitals, signs with Kraken". washingtonhockeynow.com. 24 July 2022. Retrieved 24 July 2022.
  13. ↑ "Seattle Kraken place Kempny on unconditional waivers". The Sports Network. 20 October 2022. Retrieved 20 October 2022.
  14. ↑ "Kempny bought out by Kraken". The Sports Network. 21 October 2022. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
  15. ↑ "Kempny to Sparta!" (in Czech). HC Sparta Praha. 22 October 2022. Retrieved 22 October 2022.
  16. ↑ "The Washington Capitals, after years of frustration, win the Stanley Cup". The New York Times. 7 June 2018. Retrieved 7 June 2018.
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