Jiří Tlustý

Jiří Tlustý (born 16 March 1988) is a Czech former professional ice hockey left winger. He was originally a first-round draft pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, and split time between the Maple Leafs and the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League (AHL) until he was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes in December 2009. Tlustý was also drafted by Atlant Moscow of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) on 1 June 2009, 43rd overall.

Jiří Tlustý
Tlustý with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2013
Born	16 March 1988 Slaný, Czechoslovakia
Height	6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight	205 lb (93 kg; 14 st 9 lb)
Position	Left Wing
Shot	Left
Played for	HC Kladno Toronto Maple Leafs Carolina Hurricanes Winnipeg Jets New Jersey Devils Oulun Kärpät
National team	Czech Republic
NHL Draft	13th overall, 2006 Toronto Maple Leafs
Playing career	2005–2017

Playing career

Amateur

As a youth, Tlustý played in the 2002 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a team from Chomutov.[1]

Whilst playing for HC Kladno in his native Czech Republic, Tlustý was drafted in the first round, 13th overall, by the Toronto Maple Leafs at the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. On 14 July, several weeks after his selection, Tlustý signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Maple Leafs, wearing jersey number 41 in the team's training camp. On 25 September, he was assigned to the Toronto Marlies, the Maple Leafs' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, where he began his professional career by scoring three goals and one assist in six games to begin the 2006–07 season. On 23 October, however, he was assigned to the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds to begin his major junior career.

Tlustý was assigned to Sault Ste. Marie of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) for the 2006–07 season, the holders of his major junior playing rights. In Tlustý's first 13 games of his OHL career, he sustained a high-ankle sprain that kept him out of the lineup for nearly six weeks as he attended treatment in Toronto. The injury also kept him from joining the Czech junior team at the 2007 World Junior Championships after initially being named to the pre-tournament roster.

Tlustý made his return to the Greyhounds lineup in mid-January 2007, finishing his first season in the OHL with 13 goals, 21 assists for 34 points in 37 games. With Tlustý back in the lineup, the Greyhounds made a strong finish leading into the playoffs and scored an upset in the first round, eliminating the Saginaw Spirit in six games. In the next round, the team faced the London Knights, ultimately losing in seven games. In the playoffs, Tlustý excelled, scoring nine goals and eight assists for 17 points in just 13 games.[2]

Professional

Ahead of the 2007–08 season, Tlustý attended the Maple Leafs' prospect camp tournament, where he played in all four tournament games, scoring three goals and adding one assist for four points. After the prospects' camp, Tlustý then attended the Maple Leafs' training camp and participated in the pre-season action. He played five games in the pre-season, recording one assist and eventually making the final cuts before ultimately being assigned to the AHL again.[3] He played in five games in the AHL, scoring one goal and two assists, before being called-up to the NHL for the first time. On 25 October, he made his NHL debut in a game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, scoring two goals.[4] His first came off a shot from Alexander Steen that deflected off of Tlustý's backside and into the net. Thirty-five seconds later, he scored with a wrist shot from the wing.[4] He later recorded his first career NHL assist in a game on 2 November. After originally wearing jersey number 41 in the NHL, he later switched to number 11.

Tlustý during his tenure with the Hurricanes.

On 15 January 2009, Tlustý registered an NHL career-high of three points, all assists, in a game against the Carolina Hurricanes. The next month, on 18 February, after being reassigned to the Marlies, Tlustý scored five goals on just five shots in a game against the Syracuse Crunch, setting a franchise record for most goals scored in one game by a Marlies player, and the first player to score five goals in an AHL game since Jarkko Immonen did so in 2006. On 4 March, still with the Marlies, Tlustý set another franchise record, this time for most points in a game against the Providence Bruins; he finished with two goals and four assists for six points in a 6–4 Marlies victory.[5]

On 3 December 2009, during the 2009–10 season, Tlustý was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for forward Philippe Paradis.[6] Tlustý scored his first goal for the Hurricanes on 11 December 2009, against the Washington Capitals in his first game for the club. On 1 July 2010, he signed a one-year, one-way contract with Carolina worth US$500,000. On 1 July 2011, Tlustý again signed a one-year, one-way contract with Carolina, this time worth US$525,000.[7]

Tlustý set career-highs of 18 goals and 36 points during the 2011–12 season and was subsequently re-signed by the Hurricanes to a two-year, $3.2 million contract extension.

Tlustý again set a new career-high in goals (23) and points (38) during the lockout-shortened 2012–13 season. Tlustý, playing alongside NHL All-Stars Eric Staal and Alexander Semin, discovered a new-found scoring touch that led him to finish tied for fifth in goal-scoring in the NHL.

On 25 February 2015, during the 2014–15 season and with Tlustý in the final year of his contract and with the Hurricanes out of Stanley Cup playoff contention, he was traded to the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for a third-round draft pick in 2016 and a conditional sixth-round draft pick in 2015.[8]

On 16 September 2015, Tlustý signed a one-year, one-way contract with the New Jersey Devils.[9] In the 2015–16 season with the Devils, Tlustý was hampered with injury and a lack of productivity in a depth role, recording lows of 2 goals and 4 points in 30 games.

As an un-signed free agent over the following summer, on 20 September 2016, Tlustý agreed to a professional try-out contract to participate in the training camp of the Colorado Avalanche.[10] He was subsequently released from his try-out with the Avalanche after failing to pass the initial medical and physical test.[11] On 31 October 2016, Tlustý signed a try-out contract with Finnish based, Oulun Kärpät of the Liiga.[12] He appeared in 14 games in Kärpät before he was released following his trial period due to lingering injury on 12 December 2016.

Personal

In mid-November 2007, photos of Tlustý, one of which was of him nude, appeared on the Internet, causing a media frenzy. Tlustý took the photos with his cell phone while still playing for Sault Ste. Marie the previous season.[13] The photos of Tlustý first appeared on Canadian gossip site isthishappening.com, after which Tlustý retained the Toronto law firm Adair Morse, which began threatening some websites that had put the photos up with legal action.[14] He issued a press release saying, "I used poor judgment in this instance and I have learned a valuable lesson."[15] A second set of photos, reportedly taken during a night at a bar, was also circulating on the Internet. One photo showed Tlustý with his tongue out towards a male friend who was leaning in over his shoulder. This photo was published as the full-front page photo of the 14 November 2007, issue of the Toronto Sun.[16][17]

Career statistics

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	Toronto Marlies	AHL		14	7	11	18	8		19	2	8	10	8
2007–08	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL		58	10	6	16	14		—	—	—	—	—
2008–09	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL		14	0	4	4	0		—	—	—	—	—
2008–09	Toronto Marlies	AHL		66	25	41	66	26		6	1	2	3	2
2009–10	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL		2	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
2009–10	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	Charlotte Checkers	AHL		5	1	1	2	4		—	—	—	—	—
2010–11	Carolina Hurricanes	NHL		57	6	6	12	14		—	—	—	—	—
2011–12	Carolina Hurricanes	NHL		79	17	19	36	26		—	—	—	—	—
2012–13	Rytíři Kladno	ELH		24	12	11	23	12		—	—	—	—	—
2012–13	Carolina Hurricanes	NHL		48	23	15	38	18		—	—	—	—	—
2013–14	Carolina Hurricanes	NHL		68	16	14	30	22		—	—	—	—	—
2014–15	Carolina Hurricanes	NHL		52	13	10	23	16		—	—	—	—	—
2014–15	Winnipeg Jets	NHL		20	1	7	8	4		4	0	0	0	0
2015–16	New Jersey Devils	NHL		30	2	2	4	6		—	—	—	—	—
2016–17	Kärpät	Liiga		14	1	4	5	4		—	—	—	—	—
AHL totals				130	50	70	120	56		30	3	11	14	10
NHL totals				446	89	88	177	126		4	0	0	0	0

International

Year	Team	Event	Result		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2005	Czech Republic	U17	7th		5	5	4	9	4
2005	Czech Republic	WJC18	4th		7	3	0	3	2
2006	Czech Republic	WJC18			7	4	3	7	8
2006	Czech Republic	WJC	6th		4	0	0	0	0
2013	Czech Republic	WC	7th		8	1	3	4	8
Junior totals					23	12	7	19	14
Senior totals					8	1	3	4	8

References

1. "Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA" (PDF). Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. 2018. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
2. "Jiri Tlusty player profile". Ontario Hockey League. 6 May 2012. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
3. "Jiri Tlusty assigned to the Toronto Marlies". sootoday.com. 2 October 2007. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
4. "Tlusty shines for Maple Leafs in NHL debut". cbc.ca. 26 October 2007. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
5. "Jiri Tlusty has six points in Marlies win". Toronto Star. 4 March 2009. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
6. "Leafs ship Tlusty to 'Canes for Paradis". Sportsnet.ca. 3 December 2009. Archived from the original on 6 December 2009. Retrieved 3 December 2009.
7. "Hurricanes agree to terms with Jiri Tlusty". Carolina Hurricanes. 1 July 2011. Retrieved 1 July 2011.
8. "Jets acquire Tlusty for two draft picks". The Sports Network. 25 February 2015. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
9. "Devils sign centre Jiri Tlusty to one-year, $800,000 contract". NHL. 16 September 2015. Retrieved 16 September 2015.
10. "2016 Colorado Avalanche training camp roster" (PDF). Colorado Avalanche. 20 September 2016. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
11. "Rantanen, Tlusty and Vogelhuber miss camp". Colorado Avalanche. 23 September 2016. Retrieved 23 September 2016.
12. "Forward Jiri Tlusty agrees to try-out" (in Finnish). Oulun Kärpät. 31 October 2016. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
13. "Leafs' Jiri Tlusty regrets internet pics". cbc.ca. 14 November 2007. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
14. "Image of Letter from Adair Morse". flickr.com. 15 November 2007. Retrieved 15 November 2007.
15. McGran, Kevin (14 November 2007). "Tlusty says sorry for nude pictures on Internet". Toronto Star. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
16. "TorontoSun.com - Front Page - November 14: Cover". Toronto Sun. 14 November 2007. Archived from the original on 17 December 2007. Retrieved 17 November 2007.
17. "Maple Leaf Rookie's Nude Pictures Show Up On Net". 365Gay.com. 14 November 2007. Archived from the original on 16 November 2007. Retrieved 2007-11-17.

External links

• Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Eurohockey.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database