Kai Uchacz
| Kai Uchacz | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Born |
June 24, 2003 Calgary, Alberta, Canada | ||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) | ||
| Weight | 206 lb (93 kg; 14 st 10 lb) | ||
| Position | Centre | ||
| Shoots | Right | ||
| NHL team (P) Cur. team |
Vegas Golden Knights Henderson Silver Knights (AHL) | ||
| NHL draft | Undrafted | ||
| Playing career | 2024–present | ||
Kai Uchacz (born June 24, 2003) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who is a centre for the Henderson Silver Knights of the American Hockey League (AHL) as a prospect for the Vegas Golden Knights of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Playing career
Uchacz played youth hockey in Okotoks, Alberta with the Okotoks Oilers U15AAA and U18AAA teams.[1] He would be drafted tenth overall in the 2018 WHL Draft by the Seattle Thunderbirds,[2] and played for Team Alberta at the 2019 Canada Winter Games. After a racist incident where Uchacz and a teammate bullied a black teammate, Uchacz was removed from the Thunderbirds' roster for the 2020–21 season. Uchacz's rights would later be traded to the Red Deer Rebels for a second-round bantam draft choice.[3] After leading the Rebels in scoring in the previous season, Uchacz would be named captain of the Rebels for the 2023–24 season.[4][5]
After attending development camp with the Vegas Golden Knights of the National Hockey League (NHL) in the summer of 2024,[6] Uchacz began his professional career in signing a one-year contract with Vegas' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Henderson Silver Knights, on July 9, 2024.[7][8] In the midst of what would ultimately be a 30 point (15 G, 15 A) in a 68 game rookie season in the 2024–25 season, Uchacz would sign a two-year entry-level contract with the Golden Knights on March 2, 2025.[9] The following season, after an injury to Jonas Røndbjerg, Uchacz was called up to the Golden Knights on February 3, 2026.[10] Uchacz would make his NHL debut the following day against the Vancouver Canucks, playing 11:49 and recording five hits.[11]
Personal life
Bullying incident
After a racist incident where Uchacz and a teammate bullied their lone black teammate, Mekai Sanders, they were removed from the Seattle Thunderbirds roster for the 2020-21 season.
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2018–19 | Seattle Thunderbirds | WHL | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2019–20 | Seattle Thunderbirds | WHL | 52 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 34 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2020–21 | Spruce Grove Saints | AJHL | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2021–22 | Red Deer Rebels | WHL | 52 | 14 | 19 | 33 | 39 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 6 | ||
| 2022–23 | Red Deer Rebels | WHL | 68 | 50 | 35 | 85 | 75 | 12 | 5 | 9 | 14 | 10 | ||
| 2023–24 | Red Deer Rebels | OHL | 68 | 42 | 39 | 81 | 66 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 4 | ||
| 2024–25 | Henderson Silver Knights | AHL | 68 | 15 | 15 | 30 | 75 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| AHL totals | 68 | 15 | 15 | 30 | 75 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
References
- ^ "Kai Uchacz - Stats, Contract, Salary & More". www.eliteprospects.com. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
- ^ "2018 WHL Bantam Draft". Moose Jaw Warriors. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
- ^ "Jul 2021: WHL player allowed to return after anti-racism training". Winnipeg Free Press. July 31, 2021. Retrieved March 10, 2026.
- ^ Stoller, Jacob (September 29, 2023). "WHL's Red Deer Rebels name Kai Uchacz captain despite racist past". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved March 10, 2026.
- ^ Gillard, Troy (September 29, 2023). "Rebels announce 2023-24 leadership group". chl.ca. Red Deer Rebels. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
- ^ "Vegas Golden Knights Announce Roster and Schedule for Rookie Camp presented by Martin-Harris Construction". Vegas Golden Knights. September 2, 2024. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
- ^ Gustafson, Ian (March 18, 2025). "Former Rebels captain Kai Uchacz making most of opportunity after signing pro contract". rednewsnow.ca. Pattison Media. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
- ^ "Vegas Golden Knights Announce Roster Transactions". Vegas Golden Knights. September 28, 2024. Retrieved March 11, 2026.
- ^ "Vegas Golden Knights Sign Forwards Braeden Bowman and Kai Uchacz to Two-Year, Entry-Level Contracts". Vegas Golden Knights. March 2, 2025. Retrieved March 3, 2025.
- ^ Gillard, Troy (February 3, 2026). "Former Rebels captain Kai Uchacz recalled by Vegas Golden Knights". Red Deer Rebels. Retrieved March 10, 2026.
- ^ Tidcombe, Matt (February 5, 2026). "CHL to NHL: former Rebels captain Uchacz debuts with Golden Knights". Canadian Hockey League. Retrieved March 10, 2026.
External links
- Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or The Internet Hockey Database