Plekanec currently plays for the National Hockey League's Montreal Canadiens. He was drafted in the 3rd round of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. In 2001, he came over to North America and played for the Habs minor league affiliate Hamilton Bulldogs. He made his debut in the NHL during the 2003-2004 season playing in two games, and has since become a fixture in the Canadiens's lineup.

 

Internationally, Plekanec has represented his home nation in multiple international tournaments. He was a member of the Czech National Team at the 2006 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships and the 2007 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships. The 2006 Czech team captured a silver medal in Latvia. He was also a member of the Czech national junior team at the 2002 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.

 

Plekanec's best attributes are his intelligence (which has enabled him to be a key player in defensive situations, such as the penalty kill), his versatility (enabling him to work effectively as an offensive center, and a defensive center) and his work ethic.

 

At the start of the 2006-07 season, Plekanec's emergence as a player allowed GM Bob Gainey to deal the Canadiens second-line centreman, Mike Ribeiro. Although coach Guy Carbonneau used Plekanec in several roles over the course of the season, including time on the fourth line, he spent much time centering a line with Russian forwards Alex Kovalev and Sergei Samsonov. The line was mostly disastrous, with neither Kovalev nor Samsonov contributing the desired offense. In January, the lines were re-shuffled, and Plekanec found himself centering a line with Kovalev, and teenage rookie Guillaume Latendresse. From January onwards, Plekanec proved to be one of the Canadiens' top players. He was awarded the Molson Cup in January, as the Canadiens' top player for the month. Plekanec continued his stellar play down the stretch for the Canadiens, as they tried to make the playoffs. He found himself on a line with Chris Higgins and Andrei Kostitsyn which was Montreal's most effective line on most nights. Unfortunately for Tomas, the Canadiens season ended on 7 April 2007, as the Habs lost to their arch-rivals, Toronto Maple Leafs, ending their playoff hopes.

 

Following the season, Tomas represented the Czech Republic at the 2007 IIHF World Championship. He scored a total of four goals in the tournament (v. Belarus 2 goals; v. Slovakia 1 goal; v. Canada 1 goal).

 

In his third season in the NHL, Plekanec has continued his strong performances with the Canadiens. At present, he centers the Canadiens' second line, featuring Alex Kovalev. Plekanec has also played with Latendresse, and Kostitsyn , who feature on the other wing depending on their individual performances. Plekanec's strong play has been credited in a revival of sorts for Kovalev, who struggled significantly during the 2006/07 season.