Aleš Stezka

Aleš Stezka (born January 6, 1997) is a Czech professional ice hockey goaltender for the Coachella Valley Firebirds of the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the Seattle Kraken of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted 111th overall by the Minnesota Wild in 2015.
==Playing career==
Stezka played junior hockey with the regional Czech team HC Meteor Třemošná before he joined the Bílí Tygři Liberec of the Czech Extraliga (ELH) in 2010.
===Play in North America===
In the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, Stezka was selected 111th overall by the Minnesota Wild. He spent the 2015–16 season with the Sioux Falls Stampede of the USHL and the following season (2016–17) with the Chicago Steel of the same league.
===Return to Czech Republic===
After the 2016-17 season, Stezka returned to the Czech Republic, playing for Liberec, where he formed a goalkeeping duo with Roman Will. During the season, he played only two games with Liberec and another twenty-seven on loan with HC Benátky nad Jizerou of the 2nd Czech Republic Hockey League, where he alternated in goal with Josef Kořenář. 
Stezka spent the next season (2018–19) on loan with Piráti Chomutov of the ELH and HC Slovan Ústí nad Labem of the 2nd Czech Republic Hockey League. He then spent the following two seasons playing for AZ Havířov. He then started playing for HC Vítkovice Ridera of the ELH, where he spent two seasons. At the end of the 2022–23 season, representatives of the newspaper Právo honored him when they chose him as the best goalkeeper of the Extraliga.
===Seattle Kraken===
Following the 2022–23 season, Stezka moved to North America, where he signed a 1-year, entry-level contract with the Seattle Kraken of the National Hockey League (NHL), taking effect in the 2023–24 season. He participated in the Kraken’s training camp, and was then sent down to the Kraken’s American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Coachella Valley Firebirds. He achieved his first AHL shutout against the Abbotsford Canucks on January 6, 2024, in a 4–0 win.
==International play==
Stezka played with the Czech Republic men's national under-18 ice hockey team during the 2015 IIHF World U18 Championship. The Czech Republic was eliminated in a 3–2 loss to Canada, in which Stezka made 22 saves. The next year, he played with the Czech Republic men's national junior ice hockey team in the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championships.
==Career statistics==
===Regular season and playoffs===
 	 	 		Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season		Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs
Season 	Team 	League 		GP 	W 	L 	OTL 	MIN 	GA 	SO 	GAA 	SV% 		GP 	W 	L 	MIN 	GA 	SO 	GAA 	SV%
2015–16 	Sioux Falls Stampede 	USHL 		19 	6 	10 	1 	1014 	56 	1 	3.32 	.893 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2016–17 	Chicago Steel 	USHL 		37 	22 	10 	3 	2154 	82 	4 	2.28 	.916 		13 	9 	4 	796 	27 	3 	2.04 	.812
2017–18 	HC Bílí Tygři Liberec 	ELH 		2 	0 	2 	0 	100 	7 	0 	4.20 	.868 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2017-18 	HC Benátky nad Jizerou (loan) 	CZE.3 		27 	5 	22 	0 	1397 	113 	0 	4.85 	.858 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2018–19 	Piráti Chomutov (loan) 	ELH 		5 	0 	5 	0 	235 	15 	0 	3.83 	.883 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2018–19 	HC Slovan Ústí nad Labem (loan)	CZE.3 		28 	8 	20 	0 	1641 	103 	1 	3.77 	.903 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2019–20 	AZ Havířov 	CZE.3 		50 	28 	21 	0 	2928 	125 	4 	2.56 	.909 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2020–21 	AZ Havířov 	CZE.3 		20 	8 	11 	0 	1184 	50 	1 	2.53 	.914 		— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	— 	
 	— 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
2021–22 	HC Vítkovice Ridera 	ELH 		46 	24 	21 	0 	2736 	116 	1 	2.54 	.910 		8 	3 	5 	491 	18 	0 	2.20 	.923
2022–23 	HC Vítkovice Ridera 	ELH 		39 	25 	14 	0 	2382 	85 	5 	2.14 	.924 		12 	6 	6 	874 	18 	2 	1.24 	.960
ELH totals	ELH totals 	ELH totals		92 	49 	42 	0 	5453 	223 	6 	2.45 	.896 		20 	9 	11 	1365 	36 	2 	1.72 	.942
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
===International===
Year 	Team 	Event 	Result 		GP	W	L	OT	MIN	GA	SO	GAA 	SV%
2015 	Czechia U-18 	IIHF World U18 Championship 	6th 		2 	0	1	0 	105	6 	0 	3.46	.908
2016 	Czechia 	IIHF World Junior Championship	5th 		1 	0	0	0 	40 	5 	0 	7.50	.800
Junior totals	Junior totals	Junior totals 	Junior totals		3 	0	1	0 	145	11	0 	5.48	.854
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
==References==
==External links== 
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Category:1997 births
Category:Living people