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Rostislav "Rusty" Klesla (born March 21, 1982) is a
Czech Czech may refer to: * Anything from or related to the Czech Republic, a country in Europe ** Czech language ** Czechs, the people of the area ** Czech culture ** Czech cuisine * One of three mythical brothers, Lech, Czech, and Rus *Czech (surnam ...
former professional
ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey in North America) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an Ice rink, ice skating rink with Ice hockey rink, lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. Tw ...
defenceman Defence or defense (in American English) in ice hockey is a player position that is primarily responsible for preventing the opposing team from Goal (ice hockey), scoring. They are often referred to as defencemen, D, D-men or blueliners (the l ...
. Klesla was selected fourth overall by the
Columbus Blue Jackets The Columbus Blue Jackets (often simply referred to as the Jackets) are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio. The Blue Jackets compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern C ...
in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, making him the first ever pick in an entry draft by the Blue Jackets. He has also played in the NHL with the
Phoenix Coyotes The Arizona Coyotes are an inactive professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. They competed in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division (1996–1998, 2021–2024) and ...
.


Playing career


Junior

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. Klesla began playing junior hockey in North America in 1998–99, when he played for the Sioux City Musketeers of the
USHL The United States Hockey League (USHL) is the top junior ice hockey league sanctioned by USA Hockey. The league consists of 16 active teams located in the Midwestern United States and Great Plains, for players between the ages of 16 and 21. Th ...
. In 54 games, Klesla had four goals and 16 points, while getting 100 penalty minutes. In five playoff games, Klesla scored two goals. Klesla moved to the Brampton Battalion of the
Ontario Hockey League The Ontario Hockey League (OHL; ) is one of the three major junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League, alongside the Western Hockey League and the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League. The league is for players ag ...
(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 The Czech Republic, also known as Czechia, and historically known as Bohemia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast, and Slovakia to the south ...
in the 2001 World Junior Hockey Championship, where he had three goals and seven points in seven games.


Professional

Klesla appeared in eight games with the Columbus Blue Jackets in the team's inaugural 2000–01 season, scoring two goals for the team before being sent back to junior hockey with the Battalion. He stayed in the NHL on a full-time basis in 2001–02, scoring eight goals and adding 16 points in 75 games with the Blue Jackets and earning a spot on the NHL All-Rookie Team. After the season, he 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 The 2004–05 NHL lockout was a labor lockout that resulted in the cancellation of the National Hockey League (NHL) season, which would have been its 88th season of play. The main dispute was the league's desire to implement a salary cap to ...
cancelling the season, he played with VHK Vsetín of the
Czech Extraliga The Czech Extraliga () is the highest-level ice hockey league in the Czech Republic. It was created in 1993 following the peaceful dissolution of Czechoslovakia midway through the 1992–93 Czechoslovak Extraliga season (which all Slovak and ...
, where he had seven goals and 24 points in 41 games. Klesla also played with HPK of the Finnish
SM-liiga The Liiga, colloquially called the Finnish Elite League in English or FM-ligan in Swedish, is the top professional ice hockey league in Finland. The league comprises 16 teams from all around Finland with relegation and promotion between the Mest ...
, 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, scoring six goals and 19 points in only 51 games played. After the season, Klesla signed a four-year contract extension with the team. On September 26, 2006, Klesla was suspended for two regular season games for a hit on the
Chicago Blackhawks The Chicago Blackhawks (spelled Black Hawks until 1986, and known colloquially as the Hawks) are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago. The Blackhawks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (N ...
'
Tuomo Ruutu Tuomo Iisakki Ruutu (born 16 February 1983) is a Finnish former professional ice hockey Forward (ice hockey), forward and current assistant coach with the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League. Ruutu was drafted in the first round, nint ...
in a pre-season game on September 22. Ruutu missed ten games due to a grade two sprain on his knee. Klesla had a very solid 2006–07 season, as he was placed alongside Adam Foote as the Blue Jackets' top defensive pairing after Head Coach
Ken Hitchcock Kenneth S. Hitchcock (born December 17, 1951) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey coach. Hitchcock coached the Dallas Stars, Philadelphia Flyers, Columbus Blue Jackets, St. Louis Blues and Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League ...
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 Výborný 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 The Detroit Red Wings (colloquially referred to as the Wings) are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit. The Red Wings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the East ...
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 The Arizona Coyotes are an inactive professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. They competed in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division (1996–1998, 2021–2024) and ...
for Scottie Upshall and Sami Lepistö. Klesla was the last Blue Jacket from the team's first season (2000–01) still active on the team before he was traded in 2011. Klesla went on to play 16 regular season and four playoff games for the Coyotes in 2011, registering one goal. On March 28, 2013, in a 7–4 Coyotes win over the
Los Angeles Kings The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles. The Kings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. ...
, Klesla recorded four assists in the opening period of the game, becoming only the eight player since the 1984–85 season to record four assists in the first period of a game. The four points scored in this period would be half the points that Klesla would score that season, as he would finish the year with eight points in 38 games played. Klesla suffered an injury in a September 15, 2013, pre-season game against the
Los Angeles Kings The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles. The Kings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. ...
and was taken off the ice on a stretcher. The hit was delivered by Kings' forward Jordan Nolan, who received four minutes in penalties and a 10-minute misconduct for the hit. On November 26, 2013, Klesla was placed on waivers by the Coyotes and the following day, he was sent down to play with the Coyotes’
American Hockey League The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America that serves as the primary developmental league of the National Hockey League (NHL). The league comprises 32 teams, with 26 in the United States and 6 in Cana ...
(AHL) affiliate, the
Portland Pirates The Portland Pirates were a minor league professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL). Their home arena was the Cross Insurance Arena in downtown Portland, Maine. The franchise was previously known as the Baltimore Skipjacks ...
. On December 19, 2013, Klesla was recalled to the Coyotes. Klesla featured in 25 games with the Coyotes, primarily as an extra defenseman, before on March 4, 2014, he was traded to the
Washington Capitals The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The Capitals compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NH ...
in a deal along with
Chris Brown Christopher Maurice Brown (born May 5, 1989) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. A Pop music, pop and hip-hop-influenced contemporary R&B, R&B musician who works in a variety of genres, he has been called the "Honorific nic ...
, and a fourth-round pick in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft for Martin Erat and John Mitchell. On March 5, 2014, just one day after being traded to the Capitals, Klesla was traded to the
Buffalo Sabres The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. The Sabres compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern Con ...
, along with Michal Neuvirth, for Jaroslav Halák and a third-round draft pick. On March 8, Klesla decided to not report to the Sabres, stating, " th all due respect to the Sabres organization, I decided this week not to continue playing hockey this season. It has been a tough year for injury and moving several times to new teams...I will now take some time off and get ready to continue my career in Europe. I would like to thank my fans and all the people that have helped me. I am grateful for the career I have had in the NHL and all the people that I have met along the way who have supported me and my family." The Sabres suspended Klesla for not reporting to their AHL affiliate, the
Rochester Americans The Rochester Americans (colloquially known as the Amerks) are a professional ice hockey team based in Rochester, New York. They are the American Hockey League affiliate of the National Hockey League's Buffalo Sabres. The team plays its home g ...
. Klesla officially ended his NHL career when he returned to his native Czech Republic, signing for a second stint with HC Oceláři Třinec on a two-year contract on June 25, 2014.


Career statistics


Regular season and playoffs


International


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Klesla, Rostislav 1982 births Brampton Battalion players Columbus Blue Jackets draft picks Columbus Blue Jackets players Czech ice hockey defencemen HC Oceláři Třinec players HPK players Living people NHL first-round draft picks Ice hockey people from Nový Jičín Phoenix Coyotes players Portland Pirates players Sioux City Musketeers players VHK Vsetín players Czech expatriate ice hockey players in Canada Czech expatriate ice hockey players in the United States Czech expatriate ice hockey players in Finland 21st-century Czech sportsmen