Martin Havlat
Martin Havlat was drafted in the first round of the 1999 NHL Entry Draft, 26th overall by the Ottawa Senators. He entered the league in the 2000 season and was a finalist for the Calder Trophy for top rookie. His point totals have increased each subsequent year in the league.
Havlat's best career season has been in 2003-2004 in which he scored 68 points in 68 games, including 31 goals and 37 assists. He has been criticized publicly for his tendency to use his stick on other players, most notably in the 2003 playoffs. During the 2003-2004 season he was suspended twice, once for kicking and once for high-sticking. Havlat was also suspended in 2005 for another kicking incident.
If Havlat can keep his emotions in check and his stick (and his feet) down, he'll have a brilliant career at the NHL level. He was traded to Chicago in the summer of 2006 as a part of a three-way trade. Since arriving in Chicago, Havlat has made an impact. The 2006-2007 season saw him score 57 points in 56 games, including 25 goals and 32 assists.
Havlat is somewhat injury prone and has never played a full 82 games at the NHL level in a single season. He has tremendous speed and great skating skils, leaving him with the ability to make plays on his own without the help of a good playmaking pivot to guide the way. Havlat is the type of player that can thrive without much help in Chicago, but he needs to keep his emotions in check and grow up a bit to reach a higher level.
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