San Jose Sharks / sjsharks.com
SAN JOSE – San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) General Manager Doug Wilson announced on May 23rd that the club has signed unrestricted free agent defenseman Radim Simek (rah-DEEM SHIH-meck) to a one-year contract.
“Radim is a quick transition defenseman who drives the play offensively and plays with a physical edge,” said Wilson. “We like his offensive instincts especially on special teams and think his game will translate well in North America.”
The 24-year-old Simek recorded 24 points (11 goals, 13 assists) and a plus-18 rating in 42 games during the 2016-17 season with Bili Tygri Liberec of the Czech League. He ranked 1st in the league amongst blueliners in goals and game-winning goals (4), T-6th in points, 2nd in plus/minus and 3rd in time on ice per game (23:59). In 16 playoff games, Simek posted two goals and six assists, and ranked T-3rd in the league in points amongst defensemen, and T-3rd in assists as his team reached the league final.
In 211 career games in the Czech leagues, Simek collected 91 points (37 goals, 54 assists) and a plus-51 rating. Simek helped his team win the 2015-16 championship, and was named the league MVP after posting the league’s best plus/minus (+13). He recorded 10 points (3 goals, 7 assists) in 14 games during that postseason run. Simek ranked in the top-3 amongst defenseman in goal scoring in each of the last three regular seasons, leading the league in 2016-17, ranked T-3rd in 2015-16 and T-1st in 2014-15.
The five-foot-eleven, 205-pound native of Benatky nad Jizerou, Czech Republic has represented his country at numerous international tournaments, including the last two World Championships (2016, 2017), recording one goal and one assist in eight games with the Czech Republic during this year’s World Championship.
