Luděk Čajka

Luděk Čajka ( born November 3, 1963 in Český Těšín, † 14 February 1990 in Košice ) was a Czechoslovak ice hockey player who played as a defender.

Career

He began his career in the 1982/83 season when TJ Gottwaldov. There he played three years before he moved to HC Dukla Jihlava. For the Czechoslovak national ice hockey team he played among others at the Ice Hockey World Championship in 1987., He also took part in the 1987 Izvestia Cup and the Canada Cup. This year, the NHL had become aware of him and so Čajka was considered as 115 NHL Entry Draft in 1987 by the New York Rangers.

However, he remained in his homeland and returned there for the season 1987/88 back to TJ Gottwaldov. Čajka injured on 6 January 1990 at Hockey Game in Kosice between the VSZ Kosice and his team TJ Gottwaldov so heavy that he succumbed to his injuries after two-month coma. He was to go when attempting to as a defender of the puck to get a Icing, been checked and hit his head on the band on. This accident was one of the reasons to abolish the touch icing in Europe and internationally.

Čajka completed a total of 59 international matches and scored 3 goals.

In memory of the Hockey Hall of Luděk Čajka HC Zlín carries since 1990 the name Zimni stadium Luďka Čajky.