Czech national team and, in 2002–03, he coached Russian team Avangard Omsk for one season. Coaching record Death Hlinka was supposed to be once again head coach of the Czech national team in the 2004–05 season. However, he died on August 16, 2004, at age 54 when his car collided head-on with a Daewoo Avia truck driving the wrong way on the E48 highway 200 yards from the town of Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic. He had gone to Karlovy Vary to ensure that Jaromír Jágr would participate in the 2004 World Cup of Hockey. The truck suddenly appeared in Hlinka's lane. The truck driver claimed that he had to avoid a collision with an animal. More likely (the court was inclined to believe this), he turned from the main road and made a left at an intersection where it was prohibited. Hlinka was not using a safety belt, but according to experts, it would not have prevented his death. Acknowledgement and awards Czechoslovak Player of the Year (1977–78) All-Star Centre at the 1978 IIHF World Championship Inducted to the IIHF Hall of Fame (2002) Czech Ice Hockey Legend (2004) Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament for national U18 ice hockey teams named after him Ivan Hlinka Stadion, arena of HC Litvínov is named after him Records Vancouver Canucks team record for most points by a rookie (60) (surpassed by Elias Pettersson during the 2018–19 NHL season). Career statistics Regular season and playoffs International Career coaching statistics World Championships: 1 gold (1999), 4 bronzes (1992, 1993, 1997, 1998). Olympics: gold (1998), bronze (1992) Quotes about Hlinka "It's not that he was just a coach, but he was sort of like Herb Brooks was for America." – Tomáš Vokoun "Ivan Hlinka was a tremendous ambassador for the game of hockey." – Craig Patrick, general manager of the Pittsburgh Penguins "He was a real high-quality player. He probably never got the billing over here he should have. You look back on his hockey career on both sides of the pond and he had quite a resume." – Tiger Williams Quotes of Hlinka "We had a small problem that we didn't know whether Jarda Jágr would go fifth or Vláďa Růžička would go fifth but then, I would say, a respect overpoised because when Vláďa Růžička said he wanted to go fifth, then Džegr said he would go fourth. Patýs was a bit surprised when we