Playing career

Eliáš was drafted by the New Jersey Devils in the second round, 51st overall, in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft.

Along with Petr Sýkora and Jason Arnott, he helped lead the team to the 1999-2000 Stanley Cup championship. He scored twice against Philadelphia Flyers in conference finals deciding game 7, he also assisted on Arnott's Cup-clinching goal in double overtime in Game 6 away against the Dallas Stars. The following year, he scored a team-record 96 points in the regular season, third best in the league. Two years later he played a key role in New Jersey 2003 Stanley Cup victory recording 7 points (3+4) in the finals against Anaheim Ducks .

During the 2004-05 NHL lockout, he played hockey in Russia for the Metallurg Magnitogorsk.

Three months into the 2005-06 season, Eliáš made his first appearance of the season on January 3, 2006, against the Florida Panthers, after missing 39 games due to Hepatitis A, resuming his role as an alternate captain (replacing Alexander Mogilny). He picked up where he left off, scoring eight points in his first four games and helping the Devils win his first nine games back with the team. In the first game of the 2006 playoffs against the New York Rangers, he became the tenth player to score six points in an NHL playoff game, with two goals and four assists. Eliáš' 2006 post-season campaign was spectacular, even though the Devils were eliminated by eventual Cup champions, the Carolina Hurricanes, in the second round. Eliáš scored six goals and added ten assists for an impressive 16 points in just nine games.

Unable to reach a deal with the Devils headed into the 2006 off-season, Elias tested unrestricted free agency. In addition to offers to from the Chicago Blackhawks and the Montreal Canadiens, Eliáš verbally agreed to sign with the rival New York Rangers on July 1. However, talks hit a snag when Rangers General Manager Glen Sather would not agree on a no-movement clause. Eliáš then called Devils GM Lou Lamoriello and the two sides agreed on a seven-year, $42 million contract that included a no-movement clause.

Eliáš was named the Devils' new captain on October 5, 2006, becoming the seventh captain in the team's history. The previous captain of the Devils was defenseman Scott Stevens, now retired. He is also the first European born captain in the history of the franchise. However, at the start of the 2007-08 season, Eliáš was stripped of the captaincy by incoming coach Brent Sutter. The Devils named Jamie Langenbrunner his replacement as captain on December 5, 2007.

Sutter later placed Eliáš on a top scoring line which consisted of Dainus Zubrus and Brian Gionta. Eliáš was also known to work well with Devils winger Zach Parise, with whom he occasionally played with on "Heroes Line" and frequently played with on the power-play unit.

On March 17, 2009, Eliáš became the Devils' all-time leading scorer by recording his 702nd regular season point, an assist on Brian Gionta's shorthanded goal. Gionta's goal was the game-winner in a 3-2 win over the visiting Chicago Blackhawks, providing the difference in goaltender Martin Brodeur's record-breaking 552nd win to surpass Patrick Roy, who held the former record at 551 wins. Chants of "Pa-trik E-li-as" were heard as Devils' PA announcer Kevin Clark confirmed to the crowd that Eliáš had broken John MacLean's record. Eliáš was named the second star of the night, behind only Brodeur.

Eliáš was the winner of the 2009 Golden Hockey Stick as the world's best Czech hockey player, ending Jaromír Jágr's four-year streak. He scored his 300th career goal on December 12, 2009, against the Philadelphia Flyers.

Despite a weak first half by the Devils during the 2010-11 season, Eliáš was selected to be the Devils sole representative at the 2011 NHL All-Star Game in Raleigh, North Carolina. This was his third All-Star appearance, and he was eventually selected by Team Staal in the first-ever NHL All-Star "fantasy draft." On February 19, 2011, Eliáš recorded the 800th point of his career with his third assist of the game against the Carolina Hurricanes. At the conclusion of the season, on April 1, Eliáš scored his eighth career hat trick, coming against the Philadelphia Flyers.

In the following 2011-12 season, Eliáš scored two goals (347, 348) against the Montreal Canadiens to tie, then pass John MacLean as the leading goal scorer for the Devils on December 17, 2011. Eliáš played his 1,000th NHL game on January 6, 2012, against the Florida Panthers. In the game, he scored a goal and recorded two assists in a 5-2 victory.

On January 27, 2013, Eliáš Recorded his 900th career point with a goal and two assists against the Montreal Canadiens. On January 6, 2015, Eliáš became the 82nd player in NHL history to recorded 1,000 career points in a 4-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres. He scored one goal and had two assists. A month later, on February 6, Eliáš scored his 400th NHL goal, becoming the 91st player in the league's history to do so, in the Devils' 4-1 home win over the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Golf career

Along with Patrik's many achievements in ice hockey he also has some on the golf course. On February 22nd, 2015, he managed to shoot 3 under par at the Pebble Beach Pro-am in California playing alongside Zach Johnson.

International play

Medal record
Representing Czech Republic
Ice hockey
Winter Olympics
	2006 Turin
World Championships
	1998 Switzerland
	2011 Slovakia

Eliáš played his first game in the national squad in 1998, and has played 40 times for the national team, score 20 goals (as of end of season 2010/2011). He was selected as the Captain of the Czech Republic for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada.

Personal life

Eliáš married Petra Volakova, also a native Czech, in the 2007 off-season. Together they have one child, a daughter named Sophia Gabriella, born on November 27, 2010.

Records

• New Jersey Devils record for career points (1017).
• New Jersey Devils record for career goals (406).
• New Jersey Devils record for career assists (611).
• New Jersey Devils all-time leader in playoff goals (45), assists (80), and points (125).
• New Jersey Devils record for most points in one season (96).
• New Jersey Devils record for most points in a playoff season (23).
• New Jersey Devils record for career game-winning goals (79).
• New Jersey Devils record for career overtime goals (16).
• Most overtime goals in a season (4).
• New Jersey Devils record for career hat tricks (8).
• New Jersey Devils record for career shots on goal (3,201).
• New Jersey Devils record for career power play goals (110).
• Eliáš is the only NHL player to be awarded two penalty shots in overtime. Both occurred in separate games versus the New York Islanders, and in both cases, Eliáš missed the penalty shot.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1992-93	HC Kladno	TCH		2	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
1993-94	HC Kladno	CZE		15	1	2	3	0		11	2	2	4	0
1994-95	HC Kladno	CZE		28	4	3	7	37		7	1	2	3	12
1995-96	Albany River Rats	AHL		74	27	36	63	83		4	1	1	2	2
1995-96	New Jersey Devils	NHL		1	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
1996-97	Albany River Rats	AHL		57	24	43	67	76		6	1	2	3	8
1996-97	New Jersey Devils	NHL		17	2	3	5	2		8	2	3	5	4
1997-98	Albany River Rats	AHL		3	3	0	3	2		—	—	—	—	—
1997-98	New Jersey Devils	NHL		74	18	19	37	28		4	0	1	1	0
1998-99	New Jersey Devils	NHL		74	17	33	50	34		7	0	5	5	6
1999-00	New Jersey Devils	NHL		72	35	37	72	58		23	7	13	20	9
1999-00	HC Pardubice	CZE		5	1	4	5	31		—	—	—	—	—
1999-00	Horácká Slavia Třebíč	1.Liga		2	1	2	3	18		—	—	—	—	—
2000-01	New Jersey Devils	NHL		82	40	56	96	51		25	9	14	23	10
2001-02	New Jersey Devils	NHL		75	29	32	61	36		6	2	4	6	6
2002-03	New Jersey Devils	NHL		81	28	29	57	22		24	5	8	13	26
2003-04	New Jersey Devils	NHL		82	38	43	81	44		5	3	2	5	2
2004-05	HC JME Znojemští Orli	CZE		28	8	20	28	65		—	—	—	—	—
2004-05	Metallurg Magnitogorsk	RSL		17	5	9	14	28		—	—	—	—	—
2005-06	New Jersey Devils	NHL		38	16	29	45	20		9	6	10	16	4
2006-07	New Jersey Devils	NHL		75	21	48	69	38		10	1	9	10	4
2007-08	New Jersey Devils	NHL		74	20	35	55	38		5	4	2	6	4
2008-09	New Jersey Devils	NHL		77	31	47	78	32		7	1	2	3	2
2009-10	New Jersey Devils	NHL		58	19	29	48	40		5	0	4	4	2
2010-11	New Jersey Devils	NHL		81	21	41	62	16		—	—	—	—	—
2011-12	New Jersey Devils	NHL		81	26	52	78	16		24	5	3	8	10
2012-13	New Jersey Devils	NHL		48	14	22	36	22		—	—	—	—	—
2013-14	New Jersey Devils	NHL		65	18	35	53	30		—	—	—	—	—
2014-15	New Jersey Devils	NHL		69	13	21	34	12		—	—	—	—	—
2015-16	New Jersey Devils	NHL		16	2	6	8	10		—	—	—	—	—
NHL totals				1240	408	617	1025	549		162	45	80	125	89

International

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1994	Czech Republic	EJC18	03 !		5	2	5	7	2
1998	Czech Republic	WC	03 !		3	1	0	1	0
2002	Czech Republic	Oly	7th		4	1	1	2	0
2004	Czech Republic	WCH	SF		5	2	3	5	10
2006	Czech Republic	Oly	03 !		1	0	0	0	2
2008	Czech Republic	WC	5th		7	6	3	9	6
2009	Czech Republic	WC	6th		3	2	0	2	2
2010	Czech Republic	Oly	7th		5	2	2	4	2
2011	Czech Republic	WC	03 !		9	4	5	9	6
2014	Czech Republic	Oly	6th		3	0	1	1	0
Junior totals					5	2	5	7	2
Senior totals					40	18	15	33	28

Awards

• 1998: World championship Bronze medal, Czech Republic
• 1997-98: NHL All-Rookie team
• 1999-2000: Stanley Cup champion, New Jersey Devils
• 1999-2000: NHL All-Star Game participant
• 2000-01: NHL First All-Star team
• 2000-01: NHL Bud Light Plus/Minus Award (shared with Joe Sakic)
• 2001-02: NHL All-Star Game participant
• 2002-03: Stanley Cup champion, New Jersey Devils
• 2006: Olympic Bronze medal, Czech Republic
• 2009, 2012: Golden Hockey Stick
• 2010-11: NHL All-Star Game participant
• 2011: World championship Bronze medal, Czech Republic
• 2014-15: NHL All-Star Game participant

[ Source: Wikipedia ]