Jiří Tlustý

Infobox Ice Hockey Player
position = Left Wing
shoots = Left
height_ft = 6
height_in = 0
weight_lb = 209
team = Toronto Maple Leafs
league = NHL
nationality = Czech Republic
birth_date = Birth date and age|1988|3|16|mf=y
birth_place = Slaný, Czechoslovakia
draft = 13th overall
draft_year = 2006
draft_team = Toronto Maple Leafs
career_start = 2007
nickname =

Jiří Tlustý (born March 16 1988) is a Czech professional ice hockey player who currently plays for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League.

Junior career

Tlustý was assigned to the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League, holders of his OHL rights. In Tlustý's first 13 games of his OHL career, he sustained a bad high-ankle sprain that kept him out of the lineup for nearly 6 weeks as he attended treatment in Toronto. The injury also kept him from joining the Czech National team at the World Junior Hockey Championships although he was named to the pre-tournament roster.

He made his return to the lineup in mid-January 2007. He finished his first regular 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 6 games. In the next round they faced the London Knights and lost in 7 games. Tlustý played well in the playoffs scoring 9 goals and 8 assists for 17 points in 13 games.

Professional career

Training camps and the AHL

On July 14, 2006, Tlustý signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs, while appearing wearing #41 in training camp. On September 25, 2006, Tlustý was assigned to the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League (AHL) where he started his professional career by scoring three goals and one assist in six games. On October 23, 2006, he was sent back to Sault Ste. Marie.

Tlustý attended the 2007 Toronto Maple Leafs prospect camp tournament for players who had been selected in the NHL Entry Draft, but had yet to play in the NHL. He played in all four games scoring three goals and adding an assist for a total of four points.

After the 2007 Prospects camp, Tlustý attended the Toronto Maple Leafs training camp and pre-season. He played four games in the pre-season and earned three assists. He qualified for final cuts before being sent down to the AHL again. He played in 5 games in the AHL, scoring one goal and two assists.

NHL

On October 26, 2007, Tlustý played his first regular season NHL game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, scoring two goals in his debut. His first goal was originally a shot by Alex Steen, but it deflected off of Tlustý's backside and went in the net. Thirty-five seconds later, he scored with a wrist shot from the wing. He earned his first assist on November 2. When he got into the NHL he was number 41, however, he later switched his number to 11.

Nude photo incident

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 in Sault Ste. Marie the previous season. The photos of Tlustý first appeared on Canadian gossip site [http://isthishappening.com isthishappening.com] , after which Tlustý retained the Toronto law firm Adair Morse, which began issuing cease and desist orders to some websites that had put the photos up. [ [http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2070/2034537760_63f74f94de_o.jpg(Image of C&D Order)] ] He issued a press release saying: "I used poor judgment in this instance and I have learned a valuable lesson". 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 November 14, 2007 Toronto Sun. [cite web | url = http://www.torontosun.com/FrontPage/2007/11/14/4654616.html | title=TorontoSun.com - Front Page - November 14: Cover |publisher = Toronto Sun | date = 2007-11-14 | accessdate = 2007-11-17] [cite news | title = Maple Leaf Rookie's Nude Pictures Show Up On Net | url = http://365gay.com/Newscon07/11/111407leaf.htm | publisher = "365Gay.com" |date = 2007-11-14 | accessdate = 2007-11-17]

Career statistics

References

External links

* [http://www.ontariohockeyleague.com/stats/player.php?id=4689/ OHL Profile]
*hockeydb|89369