Jaroslav Modrý

Jaroslav Modrý (born 27 February 1971) is a Czech former professional ice hockey defenseman who played 13 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the New Jersey Devils, Ottawa Senators, Los Angeles Kings, Atlanta Thrashers, Dallas Stars, and Philadelphia Flyers.

He is currently an assistant coach in the St. Louis Blues organization with the Springfield Thunderbirds of the AHL.

Playing career
Modrý was selected 179th overall in the ninth round of the 1990 NHL Entry Draft by the New Jersey Devils. He made his NHL debut with the Devils during the 1993–94 season. A trade to the Ottawa Senators in July 1995 was followed months later in March 1996 by a trade to the Los Angeles Kings. Modrý started seeing more playing time in the NHL and eventually became an NHL regular with the Kings, playing his first full season in 2000–01. The following season, 2001–02, saw Modrý set career highs in assists (38) and points (42) and play in the NHL All-Star Game. He scored a career-high 13 goals in 2002–03.

After the 2003–04 season, Modrý left the Kings as an unrestricted free agent and signed with the Atlanta Thrashers. He returned to the Czech Extraliga and played for HC Liberec during the 2004–05 NHL lockout. After only one season with Atlanta, Modrý was traded along with Patrik Štefan to the Dallas Stars for Niko Kapanen and a 2006 7th round draft pick. After playing half of the 2006–07 season with the Stars, Dallas sent him back to the Kings as part of a deadline-day deal to acquire former Kings teammate Mattias Norström. A year later during the following season, Modrý was on the move again as the Kings traded him to the Philadelphia Flyers for a 2008 3rd round draft pick.

Modrý left the NHL for the Czech Extraliga when he signed a two-year contract with HC Liberec for the 2008–09 season. He took up the position of captain upon his arrival in Liberec. At the end of the season, however, he left the club. Modrý left Liberec on 1 May 2009 and signed with HC Plzeň.

Later
After his playing career concluded, Modrý got involved in coaching. From 2016 to 2021, he worked as a youth coach in the Los Angeles Kings organization, including three seasons as an assistant coach with the AHL's Ontario Reign. Modrý then returned to his native Czech Republic to coach there with HC Motor České Budějovice and HC Kometa Brno. In June 2024, he left his head coaching position in Brno, citing family reasons, and accepted an assistant coaching position with the AHL's Springfield Thunderbirds.