Petr Klima

Petr Klíma (23 December 1964 – 4 May 2023) was a forward in the National Hockey League. He played for the Detroit Red Wings, Edmonton Oilers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Los Angeles Kings, and the Pittsburgh Penguins. He also played part of a season with the IHL Cleveland Lumberjacks and two seasons in the Czech leagues. He is currently a GM for the SK Kadaň.
==Early career and defection==
By the time Klíma was 20 years old, officials on his Dukla Jihlava team knew that the Detroit Red Wings were eager to bring the young star to the NHL. Rumors were rampant that the Wings were trying to pay off Czechoslovakian authorities to get Klíma out of his native country, but despite all the hype that surrounded him, Czech hockey authorities made no real effort to clamp down and prevent Klíma from traveling in Europe. As a result, Klíma managed to defect to North America during the summer of 1985, making him the first Czech player to defect directly to a U.S.-based team rather than one of the NHL's Canadian teams which had smuggled several Czechs out of Europe in the past. Detroit's bold move was entirely orchestrated by the Red Wings, who knew that Klíma was eager to play in North America. After his defection was planned, Klíma ditched his Czech national teammates during a team meal at the Czech training camp in Nussdorf, West Germany, to join Wings executive vice-president Jim Lites and assistant coach Nick Polano at an undisclosed location on Aug 18, 1985. Several days were then spent in the effort to bring Klíma to North America, after Lites and Polano, who had flown to Germany on Aug 15, 1985, kept Klíma under wraps in Nussdorf and other cities to avoid pursuit by Czech police. Polano stayed with Klíma as Lites and other Wings officials arranged for him to gain refugee status to enter the United States. The Wings were assisted by U.S. attorney general Edwin Meese and deputy attorney general Lowell Jensen in expediting the political-asylum process. It was later revealed that plans to get Klíma out of Czechoslovakia reached back as far as the 1984 World Junior Championships, held in Sweden, when Detroit scout Alex Davidson secretly met with Klíma in December 1983. Klíma told Davidson he would not consider defecting until he had completed his military duty (so as not to be labeled a deserter) in 1985. Less than a year later, at the 1984 Canada Cup, Klíma began talking to the Wings about the possibility of coming the NHL after the 1984–85 season. During that time, while in Vancouver with the Czech team, he even signed a secret multiyear contract with the Red Wings. Polano had brought the contract to Klíma without Czech officials realizing it. Klíma, who spoke no English when he finally arrived in Detroit on Sep 22, 1985, was fortunate that the Red Wings also managed to bring his girlfriend to the U.S. In honor of his successful defection, a grateful and overjoyed Klíma requested sweater number 85 and wore it throughout his NHL career as a reminder of the year in which he gained freedom. Klíma was drafted in the fifth round (88th overall) of the 1983 NHL Entry Draft by the Red Wings. He played his junior hockey with the CHZ Litvinov team.
==NHL playing career==
Klíma played four full seasons with the Wings (from 1985 until 1989) before being traded to the Oilers (along with Joe Murphy and Adam Graves) during the 1989–90 season. He scored the winning goal in the third overtime of game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals against the Boston Bruins. He played for the Oilers until 1993, winning the Stanley Cup in 1990. In 1993 Klima was acquired by the Lightning. Klíma remained with the Lightning for three seasons, until 1996. He split the 1996–97 season between the Lumberjacks, Kings, Penguins, and Oilers, and was released in 1997. He played in the DEL in 1997–98, then attempted a comeback with the Wings in 1998. He retired from the NHL in 1999, and then played from 2001–2003 in the Czech leagues before retiring for good.
==Klíma's disciplinary woes==
Although he was one of Detroit's bigger stars in the late 1980s, Petr Klíma was also a problem for the Red Wings management. That situation came to a head during training camp on Sep 23, 1988, when Detroit suspended Klíma indefinitely, along with Bob Probert, for breaking team rules. At the time of the suspension, the Wings said they would trade Klíma, although this never happened. The team also said it would not take Klíma back until he had his drinking under control. As a result, Klíma missed the start of the 1988–89 season before being reinstated on Oct. 13, 1988, and sent to Adirondack (AHL) on Oct 16, 1988. He finally made his 1988–89 NHL regular-season debut during Detroit's Nov 6, 1988, game vs. Edmonton where he posted an assist. At his first practice with the team, on Nov 5, 1988, Klíma offered a heartfelt apology to his Wings teammates for his earlier behavior, much of which was alcohol-related. During his months back, Klíma roomed with Probert, who was also attempting to beat a drinking problem. Klíma managed to stay clean, but Probert wasn't so lucky as his addiction got him in further trouble.
==Personal life and death==
Klíma's sons are also professional ice hockey players. His twin sons Kelly and Kevin signed one-year contracts with the Tucson Roadrunners of the American Hockey League in 2018. At Petr's death, Kelly was playing in The Czech Republic.
Klíma died on 4 May 2023, at his home in Chomutov, at the age of 58.
==Career statistics==
===Regular season and playoffs===
 	 	 		Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season		Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs
Season 	Team 	League 		GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM 		GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM
1981–82 	TJ CHZ Litvínov 	CSSR 		18 	7 	3 	10 	8 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1982–83 	TJ CHZ Litvínov 	CSSR 		44 	19 	17 	36 	74 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1983–84 	ASD Dukla Jihlava 	CSSR 		41 	20 	16 	36 	46 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1984–85 	ASD Dukla Jihlava 	CSSR 		35 	23 	22 	45 	76 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1985–86 	Detroit Red Wings 	NHL 		74 	32 	24 	56 	16 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1986–87 	Detroit Red Wings 	NHL 		77 	30 	23 	53 	42 		13 	1 	2 	3 	4
1987–88 	Detroit Red Wings 	NHL 		78 	37 	25 	62 	46 		12 	10 	8 	18 	10
1988–89 	Adirondack Red Wings 	AHL 		5 	5 	1 	6 	4 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1988–89 	Detroit Red Wings 	NHL 		51 	25 	16 	41 	44 		6 	2 	4 	6 	19
1989–90 	Detroit Red Wings 	NHL 		13 	5 	5 	10 	6 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1989–90 	Edmonton Oilers 	NHL 		63 	25 	28 	53 	66 		21 	5 	0 	5 	8
1990–91 	Edmonton Oilers 	NHL 		70 	40 	28 	68 	113 		18 	7 	6 	13 	16
1991–92 	Edmonton Oilers 	NHL 		57 	21 	13 	34 	52 		15 	1 	4 	5 	8
1992–93 	Edmonton Oilers 	NHL 		68 	32 	16 	48 	100 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1993–94 	Tampa Bay Lightning 	NHL 		75 	28 	27 	55 	76 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1994–95 	AC ZPS Zlín 	CZE 		1 	1 	0 	1 	0 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1994–95 	EHC Wolfsburg 	DEL 		12 	27 	11 	38 	28 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1994–95 	Tampa Bay Lightning 	NHL 		47 	13 	13 	26 	26 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1995–96 	Tampa Bay Lightning 	NHL 		67 	22 	30 	52 	68 		4 	2 	0 	2 	14
1996–97 	Cleveland Lumberjacks	IHL 		19 	7 	14 	21 	6 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1996–97 	Los Angeles Kings 	NHL 		8 	0 	4 	4 	2 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1996–97 	Pittsburgh Penguins 	NHL 		9 	1 	3 	4 	4 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1996–97 	Edmonton Oilers 	NHL 		16 	1 	5 	6 	6 		6 	0 	0 	0 	4
1997–98 	Krefeld Pinguine 	DEL 		38 	7 	12 	19 	18 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1998–99 	Adirondack Red Wings 	AHL 		15 	2 	6 	8 	8 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1998–99 	Detroit Red Wings 	NHL 		13 	1 	0 	1 	4 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2001–02 	HC Chemopetrol 	CZE 		52 	24 	10 	34 	36 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
2002–03 	HC Chemopetrol 	CZE 		41 	13 	6 	19 	28 		— 	— 	— 	— 	—
NHL Totals	NHL Totals 	NHL Totals		786 	313 	260 	573 	671 		95 	28 	24 	52 	83
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
 	 	 		 	 	 	 	 		 	 	 	 	
===International===
Year 	Team 	Event 	 	GP	G 	A 	Pts	PIM
1982 	Czechoslovakia	EJC 	 	5 	7 	2 	9 	12
1983 	Czechoslovakia	WJC 	 	7 	4 	4 	8 	6
1984 	Czechoslovakia	WJC 	 	7 	6 	4 	10 	22
1984 	Czechoslovakia	CC 	 	5 	2 	1 	3 	4
Junior totals	Junior totals 	Junior totals	 	19	17	10	27 	40
Senior totals	Senior totals 	Senior totals	 	5 	2 	1 	3 	4
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
==Achievements==
*1989–90 – NHL – Stanley Cup (Edmonton)
*1985 – First Czechoslovak born player after the Stastny brothers to defect straight to an NHL team (Detroit Red Wings)
==References==
* 
==Sources/External References==
*
Category:Born in 1964
Category:Dead in 2023
Category:Adirondack Red Wings players
Category:Detroit Red Wings draft picks
Category:Detroit Red Wings players
Category:Edmonton Oilers players
Category:Los Angeles Kings players
Category:Pittsburgh Penguins players
Category:Stanley Cup champions
Category:Tampa Bay Lightning players
Category:Cleveland Lumberjacks players
Category:Czech ice hockey players
Category:Krefeld Pinguine players
Category:Retired in 2003