Martin Rucinsky was groomed in the style of international hockey, where speed to cover more ice was essential. He learned his lessons well, skating for Litvinov in his native Czech Republic from 1988 to 1991.
During the World Junior Championships of 1991, he impressed all observers with his deft scoring touch and quick wheels. Shortly thereafter, the Edmonton Oilers grabbed him in the NHL Entry Draft later that summer.
He never caught on with the Oilers' organization, however. After a short time with Cape Breton of the AHL, he was traded to the Quebec Nordiques. By 1992-93, Rucinsky finally caught a regular NHL shift in Quebec. He demonstrated some effective playmaking and balanced his offense with sufficient attention to keeping the puck out of his own net.
After two NHL seasons, however, Rucinsky elected to play briefly in the Czech Republic before rejoining the Nordiques for 20 games near the end of the year. In 1995-96, the Nordiques transferred to Colorado, taking their speedy left winger along for the ride. He played only 22 games in Denver, however, before being traded to the Montreal Canadiens in the Patrick Roy trade.
As a Hab, Rucinsky came into his own while skating on the club's second line with Valeri Bure and Vincent Damphousse. In his first 56 games he netted 60 points. Over the next two seasons, Rucinsky became a steady, versatile wheel on the Canadiens' caravan. In addition to skating with Damphousse and new addition Brian Savage, he killed penalties and joined the club's second power-play unit. And to add some trimming to the cake, Rucinsky joined Dominik Hasek at the 1998 Olympic Winter Games in Nagano where their native Czech Republic team won the gold medal.
Since that time, Rucinsky has enjoyed a second gold medal victory that came at the World Hockey Championships held in Norway in 1999. After parts of seven seasons in Montreal, Rucinski was dealt to the Dallas Stars in the early stages of the 2001-02 season. The skilled forward played only 42 games with the Stars before landing on Broadway with the New York Rangers in the latter stages of 2001-02 season. With stops in Montreal, Dallas, New York and a second trip to the Olympics with the Czech Republic in Salt Lake City Rucinsky became a member of the St. Louis Blues organization in the early stages of the 2002-03 season.
In his only season with St. Louis, Rucinsky registered 30 points (16-14-30) in 61 games before signing with the New York Rangers in the summer of 2003. Rucinsky's stay in New York was short lived, as he was dealt to the Vancouver Canucks at the 2004 trade deadline, yet would return to the club in the summer of 2005. As a member of the Rangers in 2005-06, Rucinsky would record over a point a game however the club opted not to re-sign the left winger.
In the summer of 2006, Rucinsky was signed as a free agent by the St. Louis Blues.
Throughout his career, Rucinsky has represented his homeland on the international scene on numerous occasions. Aside from his appearance at the 1991 World Junior Championships, the 1998 Winter Olympics and the 1999 World Championships, Rucinsky has represented the Czech Republic at the 1991 Canada Cup, the 1996 and 2004 World Cup, the 2002 Winter Olympics and four more times at the World Championships (1994, 2001, 2004 and 2005).
