Roman ÃÂechmánek (; 2 March 1971 â 11 November 2023) was a Czech professional ice hockey goaltender. He played professionally in the United States, the Czech Republic, and Germany, including in the National Hockey League with the Philadelphia Flyers and Los Angeles Kings from 2000 to 2004. ÃÂechmánek also played for the Czech national team at multiple international tournaments, including seven World Championships.
ÃÂechmánek played for HC VsetÃÂn in the Czech Republic from 1994 to 2000. He was drafted in the sixth round as the 171st overall pick of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft by the Philadelphia Flyers. The Flyers traded veteran John Vanbiesbrouck hoping the newly-opened backup goaltender position would encourage ÃÂechmánek, who had previously rejected offers from other NHL teams to come to North America, to sign a contract, which he did a few weeks after the draft. In his first season with the Flyers, ÃÂechmánek surprised many by capturing the starting job from Brian Boucher and being one of the best goaltenders in the league. In his first season, he played in the NHL All-Star Game and finished second in voting for the Vezina Trophy. He had a disappointing playoff, however, including allowing five goals in an 8âÂÂ0 loss in the final game of the Flyers' first-round series against the Buffalo Sabres.
The next season ÃÂechmánek had another good year and played fairly well in the first round of the playoffs. However the Philadelphia offense failed, scoring a record-low number of only two goals in five games against the Ottawa Senators. ÃÂechmánek was publicly annoyed at his teammates' performance and was replaced by Boucher in the series-elimination game 5. The next year he had another superior season, sharing the William M. Jennings Trophy with Flyers teammate Robert Esche, and Martin Brodeur of the New Jersey Devils. ÃÂechmánek recorded two shutouts in a second round loss to Ottawa but many blamed him for the loss due to the number of soft goals he allowed in the other four games. At the end of the season he was traded to the Los Angeles Kings for a second-round draft pick.
Playing behind a mediocre Kings team, ÃÂechmánek had a disappointing season in 2003âÂÂ04. He returned to the Czech Republic to play with his old team HC VsetÃÂn during the cancelled 2004âÂÂ05 NHL season. He split the 2005âÂÂ06 hockey season between HC Karlovy Vary and the Hamburg Freezers. In the beginning of 2007, ÃÂechmánek left Linköpings HC and was replaced by Rastislav Staà Âa. He then played for HC Oceláà Âi Tà Âinec in the Czech Extraliga for three seasons. He retired following the 2008âÂÂ09 season.
ÃÂechmánek was on the Czech national team at both the 1998 Winter Olympics and 2002 Winter Olympics, but did not play any games, instead serving as backup to goaltender Dominik Haà ¡ek. ÃÂechmánek won a gold medal in 1998. His other appearances were in the 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2004, and 2007 World Championships.
ÃÂechmánek was born in Gottwaldov, Czechoslovakia on 2 March 1971. He died on 12 November 2023, at the age of 52.