Following our series of the 2006 Carolina Hurricanes Stanley Cup team, we move forward with defenseman František “Frank” Kaberle. One of the most decorated players in Czech hockey history, where did he end up after hoisting Lord Stanley’s Cup?
Drafted 76th overall in the 1999 Draft by Los Angeles, František Kaberle would find himself playing just 37 games in a Kings sweater before being traded to the Atlanta Thrashers (RIP). While suiting up for Atlanta, Kaberle would be no stranger to his future team, the Carolina Hurricanes, as his first NHL goal was scored against Artūrs Irbe in 2000.
Kaberle played 275 games with the Thrashers before signing as a free agent with the Hurricanes in the 2005-2006 season which would turn out to be the best season of his career. Kaberle recorded 6 goals and 38 assists as well as a 126 shots on goal, all career highs say for his 2003 season with Atlanta where he registered 7 goals.
Kaberle was a 5-time Ice World Hockey Championships gold medalist, winning in 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2001 and also competed for Czechoslovakia in the 2005 Olympics where he won bronze. Fun fact: Kaberle is one of three players ever to win a bronze Olympic medal AND the Stanley Cup in a single year, second to Igor Larionov and some guy named Pavel Datsyuk.
The following season in Carolina was not as kind to Kaberle as he saw his points production plummet to 27 games played and only 8 points (2G, 6A) due to a shoulder injury and was played on IR. in 2007-2008, he regained some traction but it wasn’t enough to keep him. On July 28th, 2009, Kaberle’s contract was bought out by the Hurricanes.
After being bought out, František returned to his native country of Czechoslovakia and played three more seasons for three different clubs before quietly retiring without any announcement. The retirement came as a surprise to many, but not to him. After so many years playing hockey, it’s not unreasonable to expect someone in his position to want to finally relax and enjoy life outside of hockey.
Although not much is known about him now, Kaberle lives a retired life in Czechoslovakia with his wife Kateřina and their two daughters. Kaberle’s brother, Tomáš, ranks 2nd in scoring in Toronto Maple Leafs history for defensemen.
Although not a high-power offensive defensemen, Kaberle’s stellar play on the 2006 team was nonetheless essential to winning the Cup and should not be forgotten. For all the goals he didn’t score, he makes up with five gold World Championship medals and the coveted honor of holding the hardest trophy to get in sports above his head.
Question for CC Readers: Were the Hurricanes better off with or without Kaberle during his tenure with the team?