Jaroslav Svejkovský

Jaroslav "Yogi" Svejkovský (born October 1, 1976) is a Czech ice hockey coach and former professional left wing. He currently serves as an assistant coach of the Vancouver Canucks. He was drafted in the first round, 17th overall, by the Washington Capitals in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft, and played for them and the Tampa Bay Lightning.

As a player
Drafted from the Western Hockey League's Tri-City Americans, Svejkovský made his professional debut with the Portland Pirates of the American Hockey League in the 1996–97 season. He played a key part in the Pirates' offence; his 38 goals and 66 points earned him the Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award as the league's best rookie. He made his NHL debut during the same season with the Capitals, appearing in 19 games and scoring seven goals. In the Capitals' last game of the 1996–97 season, Svejkovský scored four goals, as Washington beat the Buffalo Sabres 8–3. He remains the only Capitals rookie to date to score four goals in one game.

Svejkovský's subsequent playing years were plagued by injuries and inconsistent play. He played only 42 games over the next two seasons, missing significant time due to ankle injuries and a concussion. By mid-January 2000, Svejkovský had played only 23 of the Capitals' 37 games that season, missing seven games with a shoulder injury. He had served as a healthy scratch for seven of the Capitals' last eight games when, on January 17, he was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning for a seventh-round draft pick in the 2000 NHL entry draft and a third-round pick in the 2001 draft. Up to that point, Svejkovský had not registered a goal since the Capitals' first game of the season.

Svejkovský finished the season with the Lightning, then was assigned to begin the 2000–01 season in the International Hockey League with the Detroit Vipers. He sustained a concussion during his second game for the Vipers, subsequently retiring from the sport without taking part in any more games. In a 2002 USA Today story, Tampa Bay Lightning general manager Jay Feaster said that Svejkovský was out of hockey due to post-concussion syndrome. In his NHL career, Svejkovský appeared in 113 games, scoring 23 goals and adding 19 assists.

As a coach
In 2024, Svejkovský was named an assistant coach for the Vancouver Canucks. He is also Director of Hockey Operations with the Seafair Minor Hockey Association, and Program Director of the BC Bears AAA spring hockey association.

Awards

 * WHL West Second All-Star Team – 1995-96 season
 * Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award (most outstanding rookie in AHL): 1996–97 season