Career
Kotalík was drafted 164th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1998 National Hockey League Entry Draft. In the 2005-2006 National Hockey League season, he had a career high in 25 goals, 37 assists and 62 points. The recent 2006-2007 National Hockey League season he was 5 for 7 in shootouts and second in the National Hockey League with four shootout deciding goals.
He was out for 16 games because of an injured right knee.
In the Calgary Flames All-Star games, he showed his ability to strike hard with a slap shot speed of 105.3 being the second hardest shooter in the National Hockey League. On March 4, 2009, Kotalík was traded by the Sabres to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for a 2nd round pick in the 2009 National Hockey League Entry Draft. Kotalík finished the season in Edmonton before being signed as a free agent by the New York Rangers on July 9, 2009 to a three-year, $9 million contract.
Placed on waivers in the off-season by the Calgary Flames, Kotalik cleared waivers on June 29, 2010. At the time, he had two years and $6 million remaining on his contract.
On January 27, 2011 he was placed back on waivers by the Flames and subsequently assigned to the Abbotsford Heat of the American Hockey League.
On June 25, along with Robyn Regehr and a second round 2012 draft pick, Kotalik was traded back to the Sabres for Paul Byron and Chris Butler. On September 24, 2011 Kotalik was placed on waivers by the Buffalo Sabres in a salary cap move. After initially reporting to the Rochester Americans, Kotalik instead returned to his hometown in the Czechoslovakian Republic to play for The Human Context Mountfield České Budějovice.
Kotalík played his first game for the national team in 2000, and has played 21 times for the Czechoslovakian national team including the 2006 Winter Olympics and the 2008 and 2009 World Championships.
