Former NHL Defenseman Tomáš Klouček Passes Away at 45
The NHL Alumni Association announced this afternoon that former NHL player Tomáš Klouček passed away on Sunday in a skiing accident at the age of 45.
Over the course of his NHL career, which included stints with the Nashville Predators and Atlanta Thrashers, Klouček tallied 2 goals and 8 assists in 141 games before retiring from the league in 2006.
The NHL Alumni Association is heartbroken to learn that Tomáš Klouček has passed away at the age of 45.
— NHL Alumni (@NHLAlumni) March 17, 2025
A defenceman, the New York Rangers selected Tomáš with the 131st pick in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft after three seasons with his hometown HC Slavia Praha of the Czechia U20… pic.twitter.com/P54PtprmVj
Early Career and Rise
A native of Czechia, Klouček began his junior career in his hometown of Prague. His impressive performance there caught the attention of the New York Rangers, who selected him in the fifth round of the 1998 NHL Draft.
He quickly moved to North America, spending a year with the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles of the QMJHL before turning professional with the Rangers organization for the 1999-00 season.
Known for his physical play, Klouček made an immediate impact, recording 113 penalty minutes and a +22 rating in 73 games with the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack. His standout defensive contributions helped the team win the Calder Cup and earned him a spot on the AHL All-Rookie Team.
Klouček made his NHL debut with the Rangers during the 2000-01 season, which turned out to be the most successful of his career. After being called up early in the season, he appeared in 43 games, averaging a career-high 16:43 of ice time per game.
He recorded 1 goal and 4 assists, along with a -3 rating—a respectable achievement given the Rangers’ struggles defensively that year—and 74 penalty minutes.
Post-NHL Career and International Play
Following his NHL career, Klouček continued to play at a high level for another decade. He spent the 2006-07 season with the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch, then affiliated with the Columbus Blue Jackets, before returning to Europe to play for HC Zlín in Czechia and Barys Astana in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).
He spent three seasons with Barys Astana—the longest tenure with any team outside of Hartford—and recorded 7 goals and 26 assists in 111 KHL games.
In the latter years of his career, Klouček played in his home country for HC Oceláři Třinec and Rytíři Kladno, the latter owned by hockey legend Jaromír Jágr. He also played in Slovakia, where he won an Extraliga championship with HC Košice in 2014.
Klouček concluded his professional hockey career in France, playing for Épinal in the Ligue Magnus during the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons.
Image - Lou Capozzola-Imagn
