Coyotes winger Radim Vrbata started playing hockey in his hometown less than an hour outside of Prague in the Czech Republic, a city of almost 50,000 anchored by an automobile factory.
He embarked on a junior-hockey career in Quebec at 17 and was in the NHL just three seasons later.
His first ever game was with the Avalanche at Madison Square Garden and his first goal came the next night against the Islanders.
Stops in Carolina, Chicago, Tampa and Vancouver ensued, adding to the mileposts that have spanned his journey, but none have been as memorable as his time – all three stints – with the Coyotes in Arizona, which was a fitting backdrop to Vrbata’s 1,000th regular-season game Thursday at Gila River Arena against the Senators.