Jiří Tlustý
Jiří Tlustý | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 16, 1988 Czech Republic |
| Occupation | Professional ice hockey player (retired) |
| Years active | 2006–2016 |
| Known for | Left winger in NHL for Toronto Maple Leafs, Carolina Hurricanes, Winnipeg Jets, New Jersey Devils |
Jiří Tlustý (born 16 March 1988) is a retired Czech professional ice hockey player who played as a left winger. In the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, he was selected in the first round, 13th overall, by the Toronto Maple Leafs. Tlustý alternated between the Maple Leafs and their AHL team, the Toronto Marlies, until December 2009 when he was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes. Additionally, he was chosen 43rd overall by Atlant Moscow during the 2009 KHL Draft.
Amateur
Tlustý participated in youth hockey representing a Chomutov team at the 2002 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament.
While competing for HC Kladno in the Czech Extraliga, Tlustý was drafted by Toronto in 2006 and shortly thereafter inked a three-year entry-level deal. He launched his professional journey with the Toronto Marlies in the AHL, tallying three goals and one assist across six games in the 2006–07 season before being assigned to the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL).
During his rookie OHL campaign, a high-ankle sprain sidelined him for close to six weeks, causing him to miss the 2007 World Junior Championships. Upon returning in mid-January 2007, he concluded the season with 13 goals and 21 assists over 37 games. In the playoffs, Tlustý delivered a strong showing with nine goals and eight assists in 13 contests as the Greyhounds progressed beyond the opening round but were ultimately eliminated in seven games by the London Knights.
Professional
Prior to the 2007–08 season, Tlustý attended the Maple Leafs’ prospect camp where he appeared in four games, registering three goals and one assist. He then took part in Toronto’s training camp and pre-season action, playing five games and recording one assist before being assigned back to the AHL. After five games with one goal and two assists at that level, he earned a call-up to make his NHL debut on 25 October against the Pittsburgh Penguins, scoring twice. He notched his first NHL assist on 2 November and subsequently changed his jersey number from 41 to 11.
On 15 January 2009, Tlustý achieved a personal best by assisting on three goals during a game versus the Carolina Hurricanes. Following a reassignment to the Marlies in February, he set a franchise milestone by scoring five goals on five shots in a single contest. In March, he established another team record by amassing six points (two goals and four assists) in one game.
Tlustý was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes on 3 December 2009 in exchange for forward Philippe Paradis. He netted his inaugural goal for Carolina on 11 December of that year. He secured consecutive one-year, one-way contracts with Carolina valued at $500,000 in 2010 and $525,000 in 2011. During the 2011–12 campaign, Tlustý posted career-high totals of 18 goals and 36 points, which led to a two-year contract extension worth $3.2 million. In the lockout-shortened 2012–13 season, he improved further with 23 goals and 38 points, tying for fifth place among NHL goal scorers while playing alongside All-Star teammates Eric Staal and Alexander Semin.
On 25 February 2015, as Carolina fell out of playoff contention and with Tlustý entering his contract's final year, he was traded to the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2016 draft and a conditional sixth-round pick in 2015.
Tlustý agreed to a one-year, one-way deal with the New Jersey Devils on 16 September 2015. The following season saw limited output due to injury setbacks and reduced playing time, resulting in just two goals and four points over 30 appearances.
Entering free agency during summer 2016 without a contract, Tlustý attended Colorado Avalanche’s training camp on a professional try-out basis but was released after not passing medical and fitness evaluations. On 31 October 2016, he signed a try-out agreement with Oulun Kärpät of Finland’s Liiga. He participated in 14 games before being released in December due to ongoing injury issues.
Personal
In November 2007, a series of photographs featuring Tlustý, including a nude picture taken during his tenure with Sault Ste. Marie, emerged on the internet, attracting considerable media scrutiny. These images initially appeared on a Canadian celebrity gossip platform, leading Tlustý to retain the services of the Toronto-based law firm Adair Morse to initiate legal proceedings against the websites distributing the photos. He publicly admitted to a lapse in judgment and conveyed that he had gained an important lesson from the experience. Subsequently, another collection of images from an evening at a bar circulated, with one photo notably appearing on the front page of the Toronto Sun.
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2003–04 | HC Rabat Kladno | CZE U20 | 51 | 10 | 3 | 13 | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–05 | HC Rabat Kladno | CZE U20 | 42 | 15 | 12 | 27 | 54 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005–06 | HC Rabat Kladno | CZE U20 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005–06 | HC Rabat Kladno | ELH | 44 | 7 | 3 | 10 | 51 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–07 | Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds | OHL | 37 | 13 | 21 | 34 | 28 | 13 | 9 | 8 | 17 | 14 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2006–07 | Toronto Marlies | AHL | 6 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–08 AHL season | Toronto Marlies | AHL | 14 | 7 | 11 | 18 | 8 | 19 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–08 NHL season | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 58 | 10 | 6 | 16 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008–09 NHL season | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 14 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008–09 AHL season | Toronto Marlies | AHL | 66 | 25 | 41 | 66 | 26 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009–10 NHL season | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009–10 AHL season | Toronto Marlies | AHL | 19 | 8 | 7 | 15 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| >2009–10 | >Carolina Hurricanes | >NHL | >18 | >1 | >5 | >6 | >6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| >2009–10 | >Albany River Rats | >AHL | >20 | >6 | >9 | >15 | >10 | >5 | >0 | >1 | >1 | >0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| >2010–11 AHL season | >Charlotte Checkers | >AHL | >5 | >1 | >1 | >2 | >4 | >— | >— | >— | >— | >— | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| >2010–11 NHL season | >Carolina Hurricanes | >NHL | >57 | >6 | >6 | >12 | >14 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| >2011–12 NHL season | >Carolina Hurricanes | >NHL | >79 | >17 | >19 | >36 | >26 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| >2012–13 Czech Extraliga season | >Rytíři Kladno | >ELH | >24 | >12 | >11 | >23 | >12 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| >2012–13 NHL season | >Carolina Hurricanes | >NHL | >48 | >23 | >15 | >38 | >18 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| >2013–14 NHL season | >Carolina Hurricanes | >NHL | >68 | >16 | >14
International
External links | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||