 Tatíček was drafted ninth overall by the Florida Panthers in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft from the Sault Ste.Marie Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and played just three games for the Panthers during the 2005–06 NHL season, going pointless.On 9 March 2006, Tatíček was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Richard Jackman, but never played for them, spending the remainder of the season with their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.