Martin Erat

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Drafted 191st overall in 1999, Martin Erat was the Predators' 12th choice that year—a long shot who turned into a cornerstone. In his rookie season (2001–02), he skated on the "vowel line" with Vladimír Országh and Denis Arkhipov, scoring his first NHL point as a game-winning goal against the Calgary Flames on October 11, 2001. He set Nashville rookie records with 80 games played, 24 assists and 33 points. After a sophomore slump in 2002–03 spent mostly with the AHL's Milwaukee Admirals, he changed his number from 19 to 10 and rebounded in 2003–04 with career highs of 16 goals, 33 assists and 49 points, ranking second on the team with a +10 plus-minus rating. His first Stanley Cup playoff point was an assist in a 2–1 loss to the Detroit Red Wings on April 10, 2004. During the 2004–05 lockout, he played for HC Zlín of the Czech Extraliga, finishing eighth in league scoring with 20 goals and 23 assists in 48 games. In 2005–06, he scored a career-high 20 goals with 49 points and helped the Czech Republic win bronze at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin. The 2006–07 season saw him emerge as a legitimate first-line player with 57 points in 68 games, often teaming with Paul Kariya and David Legwand, though he missed the final five weeks with a torn MCL. In 2007–08, he posted a new career-high of 23 goals and 34 assists for 57 points, then signed a seven-year, $31.5 million contract extension. He has two career hat-tricks: the first against the Edmonton Oilers, the second against the Vancouver Canucks on December 8, 2009. On April 3, 2013, the Predators traded Erat and Michael Latta to the Washington Capitals for prospect Filip Forsberg after Erat requested the trade and waived his no-trade clause. On November 25, 2013, Erat requested a trade for the second time since joining the Capitals, after being demoted to the fourth line and then being a healthy scratch for the first time in his career. On March 4, 2014, he was traded alongside John Mitchell to the Phoenix Coyotes for Chris Brown, Rostislav Klesla and a fourth-round pick in 2015. After 13 seasons and 881 regular season games in the NHL, he left North America as a free agent and signed a one-year contract with Avangard Omsk of the KHL on September 17, 2015. In May 2016, he returned to the Czech Extraliga with HC Kometa Brno, helping the team claim its 12th championship on April 19, 2017, ending a 51-year drought. He retired on May 30, 2019.

In Their Own Story

The puck drops at Bridgestone Arena, and Martin Erat glides along the half-wall on the power play. He fakes a pass to the point, drawing two defenders, then slides a backhand through a forest of skates to a teammate alone in the slot. The red light flashes. It's a moment fans saw hundreds of times: the quiet Czech making something out of nothing. His first NHL point was a game-winner against the Calgary Flames on October 11, 2001. In 2007–08, he posted a career-high 23 goals and 34 assists. On December 8, 2009, he scored his second career hat-trick against the Vancouver Canucks. But the story also has a hard turn: on April 3, 2013, Erat requested a trade from Nashville and was dealt to Washington for Filip Forsberg. Eight months later, on November 25, 2013, he asked for another trade after being a healthy scratch for the first time in his career. He was moved to Phoenix on March 4, 2014. After 881 NHL games, he signed with Avangard Omsk of the KHL on September 17, 2015, then returned to the Czech Extraliga with HC Kometa Brno in May 2016, winning a championship on April 19, 2017—the team's first in 51 years. He retired on May 30, 2019.

Reader's Guide

Martin Erat's era in Nashville (1999–2013) spanned the franchise's growth from expansion to playoff mainstay. Drafted 191st overall in 1999, he set rookie records in 2001–02 with 80 games, 24 assists and 33 points. After a sophomore slump in 2002–03 spent mostly in the AHL, he changed his number to 10 and posted career highs of 16 goals, 33 assists and 49 points in 2003–04. During the 2004–05 lockout, he played for HC Zlín, finishing eighth in the Czech Extraliga with 20 goals and 23 assists in 48 games. In 2005–06, he scored a career-high 20 goals and 49 points. The 2006–07 season saw him tally 57 points in 68 games, often on a line with Paul Kariya and David Legwand, before a torn MCL ended his season five weeks early. In 2007–08, he set a new career-high with 23 goals and 34 assists for 57 points, then signed a seven-year, $31.5 million extension. He has two career hat-tricks: the first against Edmonton, the second against Vancouver on December 8, 2009. On April 3, 2013, he was traded to Washington for Filip Forsberg after requesting the move. On November 25, 2013, he requested another trade after being demoted and scratched. On March 4, 2014, he was dealt to Phoenix with John Mitchell for Chris Brown, Rostislav Klesla and a fourth-round pick in 2015. After 881 NHL games, he signed with Avangard Omsk of the KHL on September 17, 2015, then returned to the Czech Extraliga with HC Kometa Brno in May 2016, winning a championship on April 19, 2017—the team's first in 51 years. He retired on May 30, 2019.

Did You Know?

• Martin Erat's first NHL point was a game-winning goal against the Calgary Flames on October 11, 2001.
• He set a then Nashville rookie record in 2001–02 with 80 games played, 24 assists and 33 points.
• During the 2004–05 lockout, Erat played for HC Zlín and finished eighth in the Czech Extraliga in scoring with 20 goals and 23 assists in 48 games.
• Erat has two career hat-tricks: the first against the Edmonton Oilers and the second against the Vancouver Canucks on December 8, 2009.
• On April 19, 2017, Erat helped HC Kometa Brno win its 12th championship, ending a 51-year drought.