| Born: | Mar 25, 1975 | Draft: | 1994 Oilers, 266th Overall |
| Hometown: | Olomouc, Czechoslovakia | Position: | Defense |
| Known For: | 3x Czech Extraliga Champion | Shoots: | Left |
| National Team: | Czechia | Current Status: | Retired |
Ladislav Benysek (born March 25, 1975) is a former Czechia ice hockey player, having played his final year in the NHL with the Minnesota Wild during the 2002-2003 season. Drafted 266th overall by Edmonton Oilers in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft, Benysek played in one full season with the Oilers’ minor-league affiliate before returning to Czechia to dress for HC Olomouc, the team he played for before being drafted, as well as HC Sparta Praha. In the 1997-98 season, he made his NHL debut and appeared in two games but was relegated back to the American Hockey League (AHL) for the duration of the year, prompting his return back overseas.
Despite being claimed off waivers by the Anaheim Ducks the same year, Benysek remained with HC Sparta Praha for three seasons. It wasn’t until the Wild selected him in the 2000 NHL Expansion Draft that Benysek became an NHL regular. With the newly-established team, he gained a full-time role on the Wild’s blue line, appearing in 145 games combined in his first two seasons with the new team. Unfortunately, he was sent down to the minors during the 2002-03 season after just 14 games, failing to register a point and sporting a minus-3 rating. Upon completing the season with the Houston Aeros, Benysek opted to end his tenure in the NHL and return to Europe.
In ten seasons, Benysek made stops in Sweden, Finland, Czechia, France, Denmark, Italy, and Scotland, building a large trophy case along the way. A champion in Czechia, Italy, and France, Benysek’s best season came as a member of Rouen in France’s Ligue Magnus, where he registered 16 points in 26 games. After nine games with Braehead Clan of UK’s Elite Ice Hockey League (EIHL), he called it a career and re-joined the Wild organization, serving as a scout for European leagues.
Ladislav Benysek Statistics
Deeper Dive
Staff History
- Minnesota Wild (European Scout) 2018-current
Achievements
- 3x Czech Extraliga Champion (1993, 1997, 2009)
- Czech Extraliga Bronze Medal (1997)
- World Championship Bronze Medal (1997)
- 2x World Championship Gold Medal (1999, 2000)
- AHL Calder Cup Champion (2003)
- SM-liiga Bronze Medal (2004)
- HockeyAllsvenskan to Elitserien Promotion (Leksand) (2005)
- French All-Star Team (2008)
- French Champion (Rouen) (2008)
- Ligue Magnus Cup Champion (Rouen) (2008)
- Italy Champion (2011)
- EIHL Gardiner Conference Champion (2013)