Rostislav Klesla
| Rostislav Klesla | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | March 21, 1982 Nový Jičín, Czechoslovakia |
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
| Weight | 220 lb (100 kg; 15 st 10 lb) |
| Position | Defence |
| Shoots | Left |
| NHL team Former teams |
Phoenix Coyotes Columbus Blue Jackets |
| NHL Draft | 4th overall, 2000 Columbus Blue Jackets |
| Playing career | 2000–present |
Rostislav "Rusty" Klesla (born March 21, 1982) is a Czech professional ice hockey defenceman for the Phoenix Coyotes of the National Hockey League (NHL). During the off season, Klesla spends his time in the Czech Republic. Klesla was selected fourth overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, making him the first ever pick in an entry draft by the Blue Jackets. He also played with the Brampton Battalion of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). He currently wears number 97 after beginning his career with the number 44.
Contents |
[edit] Junior career
[edit] Czech Republic
Klesla spent the 1997–98 season with HC Opava Jr. of the Czech Republic Junior League, where in 38 games, Klesla scored 11 goals and 29 points. In eight playoff games, Klesla had two goals and four points.
[edit] Sioux City Musketeers
Klesla began playing junior hockey in North America in 1998–99, when he played for the Sioux City Musketeers of the USHL. In 54 games, Klesla had four goals and 16 points, while getting 100 penalty minutes. In five playoff games, Klesla scored two goals.
[edit] Brampton Battalion
Klesla moved to the Brampton Battalion of the OHL for the 1999–2000 season. In 67 games with Brampton, Klesla had 16 goals and 45 points, along with 174 penalty minutes, as he helped the Battalion to their first ever playoff berth. In six playoff games, Klesla had a goal and two points. He returned to the Battalion in 2000–01 season, having a break out season offensively. In 45 games, Klesla had 18 goals and 54 points. Klesla then added two goals and 11 points in nine playoff games. Klesla also played for the Czech Republic in the 2001 World Junior Hockey Championship, where he had three goals and seven points in seven games.
[edit] Professional career
[edit] Columbus Blue Jackets
Klesla appeared in eight games with the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2000–01 season, as he scored two goals for the team, before being sent back to junior hockey with the Brampton Battalion. He stayed in the NHL on a full time basis in 2001–02, as Klesla had eight goals and 16 points in 75 games with the Blue Jackets, earning a spot on the NHL All-Rookie Team. After the season, Klesla played for the Czech Republic in the World Hockey Championship, where he had a goal and three points in seven games.
Klesla had two goals and 16 points with the Blue Jackets in 2002–03, while scoring two goals and 13 points in a 47 game injury shortened season with Columbus in 2003–04. With the 2004–05 NHL lockout cancelling the season, Klesla played with HC Vsetin of the Czech Extraliga, where he had seven goals and 24 points in 41 games. Klesla also played with HPK Hameenlinna of the SM-liiga, where he had a goal and three points in nine games, followed by two assists in 10 playoff games with the club.
Klesla returned to the Blue Jackets in 2005–06, where he had six goals and 19 points in only 51 games played. After the season, Klesla signed a four-year contract extension with the team.[1] On September 26, 2006, Klesla was suspended for two regular season games for a hit on the Chicago Blackhawks Tuomo Ruutu in a preseason game on September 22. Ruutu missed ten games due to a grade two sprain on his knee.[2] Klesla had a very solid 2006–07 season, as he was placed alongside Adam Foote as the Blue Jackets top defensive pairing after coach Ken Hitchcock was hired by the team. In 75 games, Klesla had nine goals and 22 points. In 2007–08, Klesla appeared in all 82 Blue Jacket games, scoring six goals and 18 points. In the off-season, teammate David Vyborny left the Blue Jackets, making Klesla the last remaining player from the Blue Jackets inaugural season.
During an injury shortened 2008–09 season, in which Klesla appeared in only 34 games, he scored a goal and nine points, helping Columbus to their first ever post-season appearance. In four playoff games, Klesla had an assist as the Detroit Red Wings swept the Blue Jackets. Injury problems plagued Klesla in the 2009–10 season, as he played in only 26 games, scoring two goals and eight points. In 2010–11, Klesla had three goals and 10 points in 45 games with Columbus. On February 28, 2011, the Blue Jackets traded Klesla and Dane Byers to the Phoenix Coyotes for Scottie Upshall and Sami Lepisto. He was referred to by fans (and the Blue Jackets' TV broadcast team) as "Rusty". He also used to end every interview with Jim Day of Fox Sports Net with variations of "Thank you, Jim Day."
[edit] Career statistics
[edit] Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1997–98 | Opava Junior | Czech Jr | 38 | 11 | 18 | 29 | 87 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 | ||
| 1998–99 | Sioux City Musketeers | USHL | 54 | 4 | 12 | 16 | 100 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | ||
| 1999–00 | Brampton Battalion | OHL | 67 | 16 | 29 | 45 | 174 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 21 | ||
| 2000–01 | Columbus Blue Jackets | NHL | 8 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2000–01 | Brampton Battalion | OHL | 45 | 18 | 36 | 54 | 59 | 9 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 26 | ||
| 2001–02 | Columbus Blue Jackets | NHL | 75 | 8 | 8 | 16 | 74 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2002–03 | Columbus Blue Jackets | NHL | 72 | 2 | 14 | 16 | 71 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003–04 | Columbus Blue Jackets | NHL | 47 | 2 | 11 | 13 | 27 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2004–05 | HC Vsetin | Czech | 41 | 7 | 17 | 24 | 136 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2004–05 | HPK | FNL | 9 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 12 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 12 | ||
| 2005–06 | Columbus Blue Jackets | NHL | 51 | 6 | 13 | 19 | 75 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 | Columbus Blue Jackets | NHL | 75 | 9 | 13 | 22 | 105 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 | Columbus Blue Jackets | NHL | 82 | 6 | 12 | 18 | 60 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 | Columbus Blue Jackets | NHL | 34 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 38 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2009–10 | Columbus Blue Jackets | NHL | 26 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 26 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010–11 | Columbus Blue Jackets | NHL | 45 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 26 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010–11 | Phoenix Coyotes | NHL | 16 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | ||
| NHL totals | 531 | 42 | 92 | 134 | 520 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7 | ||||
[edit] International
| Year | Team | Comp | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Czech Republic | WJC-A | 7 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 4 | |
| 2002 | Czech Republic | WC-A | 7 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | |
| 2007 | Czech Republic | WC-A | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 8 | |
| International totals | 18 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 14 | |||
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ "Klesla extends for four years". TSN. 2006-04-16. http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=163127&hubname. Retrieved 2010-04-10.[dead link]
- ^ "Ruutu suffers knee injury". TSN. 2006-09-26. http://tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=178885&hubname=nhl. Retrieved 2010-04-10.[dead link]
[edit] External links
| Awards and achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by None |
Columbus Blue Jackets first round draft pick 2000 |
Succeeded by Pascal Leclaire |
