Vaclav Varada is one of a small handful of Czech players to suit up for the Buffalo Sabres in recent years. He’s one of several players to have worn jersey number 25 for the Sabres, and he’s the player we’ll focus on today…….. including a look at where he is now.
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VACLAV VARADA
Left wing, b. 1976
Acquired by the Sabres via trade
Varada’s NHL career began when he was drafted 89th overall by the San Jose Sharks in 1994. He came to North America after being drafted, spending the following season with the WHL’s Tacoma Rockets. He put up 88 points (50-38) and 108 penalty minutes in 68 games played.
Varada never played a game for the Sharks organization, as he was traded to the Sabres organization on November 16, 1995. San Jose traded Varada to the Sabres, along with the rights to Martin Spanhel and two draft picks (Daniel Briere, Mike Martone). Doug Bodger went to San Jose.
Varada played his first AHL game in the 1995-96 season, spending five games with the Rochester Americans. He scored three goals in that time. He also played his first NHL game that season, but spent most of the year with the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets, where he scored 85 points in 59 games.
The left winger went on to spend most of the next season with Rochester, before the 1997-98 season which saw him split the year between Buffalo and Rochester. He moved full-time ot the NHL in 1998-99, where he had 31 points in 72 games with the Sabres.
Varada went on to spend several more seasons with the Sabres up until February 2003, when the Sabres sent Varada and a draft pick to Ottawa in exchange for Jakub Klepis.
He’d go on to play for three seasons with the Senators before heading overseas to play in the Swiss-A league with Davos and Langnau.
Now, at the age of 37, Varada is still playing, albeit not in the NHL anymore. He currently plays for Trinec Ocelari HC of the Czech Extraliga. He’s been with Trinec for the past four seasons, having also spent time with Vitkovice HC and Brno Kometa.
This season, Varada had four goals and five assists for nine points in 36 games. In 2012-13, he had 37 points (14-23) in 51 games and added four points in 10 playoff games.
Other Sabres to wear #25: Mikhail Grigorenko, Mike Grier, Mark Mancari, Rob Conn, Dave Andreychuk, Mal Davis, Jere Gillis, Bob Mongrain, Terry Martin, Craig Ramsay, Hap Myers, Brian Perry