In 2003, Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Jaroslav Spacek enjoyed the best season of his NHL career. The Rokycany, Czech Rep. native set career highs with nine goals and 36 assists for 45 points in 81 games. The smooth skating, heady defenseman, only missed one game that season. The one game he missed—Columbus at Phoenix—was on February 18, 2003. On that date, Spacek and his wife Lenka welcomed their first child David.
Jaroslav went on to play a total of 14 NHL seasons and 880 games for Florida, Edmonton, Chicago, Buffalo, Montreal and Carolina. The Spacek family followed along as most NHL families do, with David in tow and countless days at the rink. Although he was too young to remember most of the stops, his father’s three years in Montreal standout.
“I remember going to school and hockey there,” said Spacek. “I made some good friends there that I still see today. Our stop in Montreal was memorable.”
Once the elder Spacek’s playing days concluded, the family moved back home to Plzen, the Czech Republic’s fourth largest city that lies 48-miles west of Prague. The couple wanted to raise David and his younger brother, Jacob in their native country. David was nine when they moved back.
“I loved it,” said the dual citizen of the Czech Republic and USA. “Before we moved there, we would speak English in schools and in the metro. I was always studying speaking Czech at home with my mom. When we came back, it was all Czech. Eventually, I got used to speaking Czech regularly.”
Upon returning, Jaroslav became heavily involved in the youth hockey scene and David’s focus on the ice started to fall into place.
“Growing up, I used to play golf, tennis, and hockey,” said the 21-year-old. “I would always be going back and forth. I stopped playing tennis first. Around 13 or 14 it was just hockey. That's when it got serious.”
The path to professional hockey took a handful of moves for the young defenseman. He played so well at the club level in Plzen, that the Spacek was named to Team Czechia and skated on the global scene in the U-17 and U-18 World Juniors.
Before his 18th birthday, Spacek made the difficult decision to leave his family and return to North America, 3,763 miles away from Plzen. To fulfil his dream of one day playing in the NHL, he knew he needed more exposure to scouts heading into his year of draft eligibility.
“I wanted to take my hockey to another level,” said the 6-foot, 190-pounder. “I thought moving into major juniors, especially for my future, would be better for my career than staying back home.”
He joined the QMJHL’s Sherbrooke Phoenix for the 2021-22 season and did not disappoint. In 57 games, the young defenseman posted 12 goals and 38 assists for 50 points. He added another 11 assists and 13 points in the playoffs. Spacek was the recipient of the Raymond Lagace Trophy, essentially the QMJHL rookie defenseman of the year.
That was plenty for the Minnesota Wild, who selected him in the fifth round (#153) of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. Ironically, his father was also a fifth rounder, drafted by the Florida Panthers in 1998.
Spacek followed up with another standout season in Sherbrooke and an incredible run to a silver medal with Czechia at the 2023 World Junior Championships. He was a pivotal piece in the medal run, scoring three goals and adding five assists for eight points in as many games. The experience ranks among the best of his hockey career.
“That was an unreal tournament,” added the defenseman. “The moments that happened during, before, or after, were an unbelievable experience.”
It was apparent it was time for him to turn pro. Spacek spent the bulk of his rookie season with Minnesota’s AHL affiliate, the Iowa Wild. In 61 outings, Spacek scored three times and set up nine tallies for 12 points. As with most rookies, there was an adjustment.
“It was different,” he explained. “I had to get used to a lot. But, throughout the year, I think I made big progress. I’ve had positive talks about my game with the coaches. I think I’m taking a good step.”
His improvement in the 2024-25 campaign is noticeable. In his second professional there is an uptick in production and clear development. Through his first 31 games, the young defender had three goals and 14 points, surpassing the previous season totals nearly halfway through the season.
“We’re very happy with David’s development this season,” said Iowa’s Head Coach Brett McLean. “He’s learning how to be consistently hard in battles and our net front. His growth in this, and all areas of the game has been very positive. He’s trending to be an all-around defenseman that can be used in all situations.”
When you talk to most hockey players, they will rattle off their favorite players growing up and who they wanted to emulate their game after. Nothing beats having your father fill that role. Dad’s advice carries significantly more weight coming from someone who played at the highest level and knows you as well as anyone in the universe.
“He’s just always told me not to give up,” said David. “Just go and pursue your dream.”
The teaching continues at all levels of life. Despite the time differential, his father watches every game.
“He always gives me some small little tips and tricks,” said Spacek. “After every game, he will text me what I did wrong, what I did better, or what I should do better. It helps me a lot.”
Jaroslav Spacek had some impressive numbers from the blueline, but one that stands out was his plus/minus rating. The savvy defenseman finished his career with seven straight NHL seasons with a plus rating. The younger Spacek takes pride in that aspect of the game.
“Everybody likes to go and score goals,” said Spacek. “But I would love to not get scored on. I'm working hard at not getting scored on.”
It makes sense considering his father’s track record and Spacek’s previous success. In his two seasons with Sherbrooke, the youngster racked up a +84 rating. The numbers indicate his dedication to the defensive side of the game will pay off.
It’s this dedication that will help David Spacek find his way to the State of Hockey.
