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Ex-NHLer Tomas Kloucek Dies In Accident At 45
Tomáš Klouček, a former pro hockey defenseman who played 141 NHL games, died as the result of a ski accident on Sunday in his native Czechia at age 45, according to multiple Czech media reports.
The news was confirmed in an Instagram post by his wife, according to Hokej.cz.
“We were hit by sad news – Tomáš Klouček died following a tragic accident,” Oceláři Třinec, one of his former teams, tweeted on X. “The tough defenseman played a total of 90 games for us. We wish his family and loved ones a lot of strength. Our sincere condolences.”
According to reports, Klouček skied into a power pole on the edge of the slope and died from his injuries on the spot. The incident occurred in Špindlerův Mlýn, a popular ski resort in the north of the country near the border with Poland.
Klouček was born in Prague and grew up playing for local club Slavia. He was drafted in 1998 in the fifth round, 151st overall, by the New York Rangers, then went overseas to play for the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles in the QMJHL.
Between 2000 and 2006, Klouček played 141 NHL games for the Rangers, Nashville Predators and Atlanta Thrashers, scoring two goals and adding eight assists for 10 points with 250 penalty minutes. He spent the rest of the time playing for those teams AHL affiliates in Hartford, Milwaukee and Chicago.
A large, physical defenseman, Klouček was 6’4” and weighed 245 lbs.
From 2007 until his retirement in 2017, Klouček played in Czechia, in the KHL and in Slovakia, finishing with his last two seasons for Epinal in France.
How Oilers' Walman, Stars' Rantanen And Avalanche's Nelson Quickly Fit Into New Places
NHL players moved at the trade deadline have now had more than a week to get accustomed to their new squads. Some players already dealt with switching teams not long ago, while other veterans underwent the big shift for the first time.
Edmonton Oilers defenseman Jake Walman, Dallas Stars right winger Mikko Rantanen and Colorado Avalanche center Brock Nelson are three examples. Each player’s had a different storyline that caught the hockey world’s attention.
Walman, 29, was traded to the San Jose Sharks in June 2024 with a second-round draft pick from the Detroit Red Wings for future considerations. He recorded a career-high 32 points and provided offensive upside with smart defensive play with the Sharks, which received a 2026 first-rounder to trade him to Edmonton less than a year later. Walman’s endeared himself to his new teammates in five games.
"Nice addition for our team. Adds a lot of speed," Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said on Sunday. "He's a great guy to get the puck and get it out of pressure. His mobility is as good as anyone for a defenseman."
Nelson, 33, spent more than a decade with the New York Islanders but was the subject of trade rumors for most of the season as the team struggled. He now has to adjust to a new team in a new conference during an intense playoff push.
It’s also closing in on a decade since the Avalanche drafted Rantanen. But the 28-year-old was shocked when Colorado traded the pending UFA to the Carolina Hurricanes in January. Without a contract extension, Rantanen went on the move again at the trade deadline to Dallas. He joined a contender that already has Jason Robertson, Matt Duchene, Wyatt Johnston and one of the best netminders in the NHL, Jake Oettinger, who is one of three goalies with 30 wins this season.
Avry Lewis-McDougall looks beyond the stats of each player since the trades and examines how they’ve fit in with their new clubs in a short time in his video column.
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Kraken Defenseman Named Third Star Of The Week
Seattle Kraken defenseman Brandon Montour has been named the NHL's third star of the week.
The 30-year-old recorded three goals and six points in three games, including the fastest goal to start any period in NHL history. His electric offensive week helped him tie his career-high in goals at 16, which he previously set in the 2022-23 season with the Florida Panthers.
Darcy Kuemper (@LAKings), Jesper Bratt (@NJDevils) and Brandon Montour (@SeattleKraken) have been named the NHL’s “Three Stars” presented by GEICO for the week ending March 16.#NHLStats: https://t.co/VejWUtMZ1Upic.twitter.com/McEsDq2LuT
— NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) March 17, 2025
Montour's dominance also helped the Kraken finish the week with a 2-0-1 record, moving them within 10 points of the second wild card spot in the Western Conference.
In a press release from the NHL, they said this about Montour:
"Montour totaled 3-3—6 across three appearances to lift the Kraken (29-34-5, 63 points) to five out of a possible six standings points. He tallied 2-2—4, highlighted by the winning goal four seconds into overtime (tied for the fastest goal from the start of any period in NHL history), in a 5-4 triumph versus the Montreal Canadiens March 14. Montour then scored once in a 4-2 victory against the Utah Hockey Club March 14 before collecting one assist in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Winnipeg Jets March 16. The 30-year-old Montour shares fourth place among NHL defensemen with 16 goals through 67 total contests this season (16-22—38), matching a career-high established in 80 games in 2022-23 (16-57—73 w/ FLA)."
Finishing as the first and second stars this week were Los Angeles Kings goaltender Darcy Kuemper, recording a .987SV%, a 0.33GAA and two shutouts, and New Jersey Devils forward Jesper Bratt, scoring two goals and nine points in three games.
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Kings Quick Trip a Chance to Reignite Their Past Identity
At 23-3-4 at home this season, the Los Angeles Kings are the best team in that regard. However, at 13-17-2 on the road, many teams are operating at and above .500.
In fact, the Kings have the worst road record amongst playoff-positioned teams. Only the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference have less than a .500 winning percentage on the road (14-15-3). If my recent playoff hockey memory serves me correctly, it has burned them in recent years.
It's not something that consistently turns over year to year going into the playoffs; for the most part, being a good home team in the regular season amounts to a whole lot of nothing come playoff time. It's just an entirely different ball game. Even if it's a decade ago, does anyone recall the Kings-Blues series from 2012?
The best home team in the league was swept at home. These things happen.
Best records at home through the first 30 home games in the last 10 seasons
— Blake Warye (@bwaryeofblake) March 16, 2025
25-2-3 by 2022-23 Bruins
24-3-3 by 2021-22 Avalanche (won cup)
24-3-3 by 2016-17 Penguins (won cup)
23-3-4 by 2024-25 Kings@KingsMenPodcast@mayorNHL@LAKingsPR
Outliers aside, the Kings have a massive opportunity to return to a 'road warrior' mentality, a moniker of past Kings teams. There are six games left on the road, and if their record and play at home stand for anything, it shows they can operate at a .600+ winning percentage the rest of the way, barring anything drastic. These six games, however, are much-needed wins for a team that has a flair for toppling high-end competition but will also squeak out points or get cut down by the league's lower half. It's been done particularly while on the road.
The Kings have lost on the road nine times being outscored by three goals or more. A little over two weeks ago, the Chicago Blackhawks, a lottery team being built around Connor Bedard, dismantled the Kings 5-1 in their barn. A week later, on the second half of a back-to-back? They beat the Pacific Division Golden Knights 6-5 in a game where it should not have been that close. Where does this context position the Kings, who will play an excellent team in Minnesota and the same Chicago team that embarrassed this squad over two weeks ago on this quick road trip?
What team will show up for either game is that of suspect. Will the Kings that beat the league-leading Washington Capitals 3-0 and the Knights 6-5 come to play? Or is it the Kings that snoozed for 50 minutes against the Predators?
Is this a coaching issue, a leadership issue, personnel? A questioning attitude is an aspect of the game, just like it is in life. All of that vanishes with wins. Wins matter--that should probably be written down a few times. Just like the recent game against Nashville, or even the poor performance against the Islanders, wins erase all of the pessimistic language that could be used to describe either game. Live and you learn right?
It brings me back to these six games left. What have the Kings learned?
The lesson is simple: The Kings will absolutely need to take advantage of these games, as they are burgeoning with first place in the division, jockeying with Edmonton back and forth for second while Vegas finds itself scrambling to put grease on the wheels. Wins on the road while safeguarding their dominance at home could be the formula that unlocks home-ice and even, a first ever Pacific Division title.
Kings will have 2 games in hand on both teams by the end of the day. If you told me in September that this LA roster would have a viable shot at the division title, I may have reported you for harmful content. https://t.co/Um87XzULC8
— The Bannermen (@TheBannermenPod) March 16, 2025
The Kings' home record is strong and won't be going anywhere anytime soon. The team will, in fact, have the opportunity to expand its home excellence even further.
But taking care of business on the road for the rest of the season could be a key factor in building up the potential for this Kings team to finally do something they haven't done in a long time: damage in the playoffs.
Ilya Kovalchuk Has Advice For Ivan Demidov
Rg.org has done wonderful work interviewing former Russian NHLers recently, and their latest interview is with a former Montreal Canadiens player, Ilya Kovalchuk, even though he wasn’t with the team for long.
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While he played less than 1,000 games in the NHL, Kovalchuk was a great offensive talent who scored 876 points over the course of his career. He’s also one of those players who played in the NHL but felt the need to go home after a while; after signing a 15-year deal with the New Jersey Devils in 2010, he announced his retirement from the NHL in 2013 and walked away from the 77 million left on his contract.
After playing part of six seasons in the KHL with SKA St. Petersburg, Kovalchuk decided to return to the NHL, signing a contract with the Los Angeles Kings. After 17 games in his second season in LA, he was traded to the Canadiens and played 22 games with the Habs during the 2019-20 campaign before being flipped to the Washington Capitals. He went back to Russia at the end of that season.
In his short tenure with the Canadiens, the left winger scored six goals and seven assists for 13 points, but he still made some highlight-reel plays that quickly made him a fan favorite. The "Kovalshow" brought in some light in an otherwise very bleak season for the Canadiens.
In an exclusive interview with RG.org, the former NHL star was asked about Canadiens’ prospect Ivan Demidov and praised him, saying he was a bright and hard-working young man with a true passion for the game. He also mentioned that he’s heard he puts in a lot of extra work and is confident he will do well in Montreal.
Just like Andrei Kovalenko a couple of days ago, Kovalchuk emphasizes the importance of respecting the local culture and not being shy about speaking the language. He also agrees hockey is like a religion in Montreal, which comes with intense scrutiny, and that’s something he’ll need to be ready for.
Thankfully, the organization is well-aware of that fact, and any player joining the Canadiens has to complete a training and awareness program that prepares them for that reality, as France Margaret Belanger explained in a recent interview.
There are only three games left in SKA St. Petersburg’s regular season, and after a losing streak, Roman Rotenberg’s men have straightened the ship of late, winning their last four games. We’ll see if that translates to success in the playoffs.
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Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.
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Ex-NHL D-Man Will Return To Finnish Team Next Year
Canadian defenseman Éric Gélinas, 33, has agreed to a one-year contract extension with Lukko Rauma, the Finnish Liiga club announced on Monday.
Gélinas joined the club in December and produced 17 points in 21 regular-season games. The 6-foot-4, 227-pound rearguard also had 12-penalty minutes and was a plus-2.
“One of the biggest reasons to continue here is that we have a really strong team,” said Gélinas. “When you reach a certain age, winning championships is what you play for.”
Indeed, Lukko is one of the top contenders to win it all in Finland this season after finishing first overall in the regular season. Lukko ended the regular season on a six-game heater, edging out Ilves Tampere for top spot by one point.
“In addition, the organization welcomed me with open arms, which has been great of course,” he continued. “We have a great atmosphere in the locker room and the chemistry works great, so the decision to continue with Lukko was quite easy.”
“Gélly came to Rauma in really good shape, and it didn’t take long for him to play when he was at full strength on the ice,” Lukko sports director Kalle Sahlstedt said about the defenseman’s mid-season arrival. “He immediately played at an extremely high level.”
Ex-Penguins Prospect Off To Hot Start In Finland Finnish defenseman Niclas Almari was the Pittsburgh Penguins fifth-round choice in 2016 and had three stints with their AHL farm team in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, but has played for Lukko Rauma in Finland’s Liiga since early 2022.
Born in Vanier, Ont. and raised in Saint-Jean, Que., Gélinas played junior hockey for the QMJHL’s Lewiston MAINEiacs, Chicoutimi Sagueneens and Saint John Sea Dogs, winning a Memorial Cup with the latter in 2011.
Chosen in the second round, 54th overall, by the New Jersey Devils in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, Gélinas played 189 NHL games for the Devils and Colorado Avalanche between 2013 and 2017, recording 55 points and 92 penalty minutes. He was also NHL property of the Montreal Canadiens and Carolina Hurricanes.
Other than a nine-game AHL stint in 2021, Gélinas has played in Europe since 2018, with stops in Slovakia, Sweden and Switzerland.
Gélinas has not played since Feb. 12 due to an undisclosed injury. Thanks to its finish in the standings, Lukko has a bye through the first round of the playoffs and will open at home in the quarterfinals next Wednesday, March 26 against a yet-to-be-determined opponent. Also to be determined is exactly when Gélinas will return to the lineup.
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NHL Nugget: San Jose Sharks' Will Smith's Birthday Backcheck
Here's today's NHL Nugget – this Birthday Backcheck features San Jose Sharks rookie Will Smith, who turns 20 years old on March 17.
Smith became the youngest player in Sharks history since Patrick Marleau to score multiple goals in a game when he netted his first two NHL markers.
Brian T. Dessart takes fans on a distinctive ride through the historic-laden NHL with the #NHLNugget. Check out NHLNugget.com to find where to follow NHL Nugget on social media. And for past NHL Nuggets, click here.
NHL Nugget: San Jose Sharks' Will Smith's Birthday Backcheck
Here's today's NHL Nugget – this Birthday Backcheck features San Jose Sharks rookie Will Smith, who turns 20 years old on March 17.
Smith became the youngest player in Sharks history since Patrick Marleau to score multiple goals in a game when he netted his first two NHL markers.
Brian T. Dessart takes fans on a distinctive ride through the historic-laden NHL with the #NHLNugget. Check out NHLNugget.com to find where to follow NHL Nugget on social media. And for past NHL Nuggets, click here.
Red Wings Weekly News Recap: Post 2025 Trade Deadline
While nagging can build frustration, a little reminder never hurt anyone.
The Detroit Red Wings have been a busy team over the last week. Like the rest of the NHL, they are dealing with the aftermath of a hectic trade deadline.
Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features.
*Highlights from the Red Wings' most recent win.
Last Sunday (March 9th, to be precise), Red Wings newcomers Petr Mrazek and Craig Smith joined the team for their first practice. Their new jersey numbers were also revealed at that time.
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The following day, the Red Wings took on the Ottawa Senators in a very important matchup. They ultimately lost the contest 2-1, with goaltender Linus Ullmark pulling out all the stops - 48 of them.
Players can only participate in a playoff run if they are acquired by the NHL's Trade Deadline. However, teams are still allowed to make trades. The Red Wings AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins, pulled off a minor deal with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins by acquiring defender Nikolai Knyzhov for future considerations.
Swedish prospect Axel Sandin-Pellikka is having a season. Just this past week, he set an SHL record. Additionally, rumors are swirling that he will join the Red Wings once his SHL season and playoffs have reached their end.
While this hasn't been officially confirmed at this time, all signs point to it being the case.
The Red Wings broke a streak of bad luck by walloping the Buffalo Sabres 7-3. Patrick Kane had a huge night, recording two goals and three assists in 17:21 minutes of work to propel them to a victory.
Another Swedish defenseman made headlines with the Red Wings last week. Anton Johansson signed a three-year entry-level contract with the team. The 6-foot-4 right-handed defender has played full-time in the SHL for the last two years and will report to the Griffins under an AHL tryout.
And just when you thought things were going well, the Red Wings get handed another loss. This time, it came at the hands of the Carolina Hurricanes. Alex DeBrincat and Michael Rasmussen scored for the Red Wings in a 4-2 result.
Thanks to Trey Augustine, Michigan State is going to the Big Ten Championship game. Augustine is having quite the season. He's already won a World Junior Gold Medal with Team USA this season, and adding another Big Ten Championship would put an emphatic exclamation point on his season.
Finally, the Red Wings capped off their week by gaining ground on the final Eastern Conference Wild Card spot. They earned a 3-0 shutout victory over the Vegas Golden Knights. Mrazek earned an 18-save shutout while Albert Johansson, Lucas Raymond, and Marco Kasper contributed the run support.
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