Rostislav Klesla
Jersey Number: 44, 97
Player information for Rostislav Klesla
Position
Defense
Height
6'3" (191cm)
Born
March 21, 1982
Number
44, 97
Shoots
Left
Weight
215 lbs (98kg)
Birthplace
Novy Jicin, CZE
Years in Columbus
10
Player Images
Player Career Notes
- Was the Blue Jackets’ first-ever draft pick and went on to play 10 seasons with the franchise, totaling 41-92-133 in 515 contests from 2000-11.
- Ranks third among Blue Jackets defensemen in career goals and games played, while his points rank sixth.
- Made his NHL debut as an 18-year-old in the first game in Blue Jackets’ history on Oct. 7, 2000 vs. Chicago.
- Scored his first career NHL goal on Oct. 12, 2000 at Calgary (Mike Vernon).
- Named to the NHL All-Rookie Team in 2001-02 after registering 8-8-16 in 75 outings.
- Set single-season career highs in goals, points and penalty minutes in 2006-07 with 9-13-22 and 105 PIM in 75 games with Columbus.
- Finished his 13-year NHL career with 48-111-159 and 620 penalty minutes in 659 games with the Phoenix Coyotes and Blue Jackets from 2000-14.
- Split his final campaign in North America in 2013-14 between the Coyotes and their American Hockey League affiliate, the Portland Pirates.
- Went on to play two seasons with HC Ocelari Trinec in the Czech league from 2014-16.
- Represented the Czech Republic on the international stage at the 2002 and 2007 IIHF World Championships and 2001 IIHF World Junior Championships.
- Led blueliners at the 2001 IIHF World Juniors in goals and points and was named the tournament’s Best Defenseman after posting 3-4-7 in seven games and leading the Czech Republic to a gold medal.
- Played junior hockey with the Brampton Battalion in the Ontario Hockey League, notching 34-65-99 and 233 penalty minutes in 112 appearances from 1999-2001.
- Shifted into coaching following his retirement, becoming a development coach with HC Vitkovice of the Extraliga from 2017-21.
CBJ Career Regular Season Stats
| Season | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | PIM | SOG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000-2001 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 2 | -1 | 6 | 10 |
| 2001-2002 | 75 | 8 | 8 | 16 | -6 | 74 | 102 |
| 2002-2003 | 72 | 2 | 14 | 16 | -22 | 71 | 89 |
| 2003-2004 | 47 | 2 | 11 | 13 | -16 | 27 | 74 |
| 2005-2006 | 51 | 6 | 13 | 19 | -4 | 75 | 84 |
| 2006-2007 | 75 | 9 | 13 | 22 | -13 | 105 | 159 |
| 2007-2008 | 82 | 6 | 12 | 18 | 7 | 60 | 130 |
| 2008-2009 | 34 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 2 | 38 | 30 |
| 2009-2010 | 26 | 2 | 6 | 8 | -7 | 26 | 24 |
| 2010-2011 | 45 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 26 | 45 |
| Totals | 515 | 41 | 92 | 133 | -50 | 508 | 747 |
CBJ Playoff Statistics
| Season | GP | G | A | PTS | +/- | PIM | SOG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-2009 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Playoff Totals | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Transaction History
- Drafted by Columbus in the first-round, fourth overall, in the 2000 NHL Draft.
- Traded to Phoenix with C Dane Byers in exchange for LW Scottie Upshall and D Sami Lepisto on Feb. 28, 2011.