It’s a case of what might have been for Jiří Tlustý, whose career was blighted by injuries which ultimately led to early retirement.

The forward from the Czech Republic spent his junior career in his homeland for HC Kladno before being drafted 13th overall, by the Toronto Maple Leafs at the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.

Signed to a three-year, entry-level contract with the Maple Leafs, Tlustý immediately began his career with the Toronto organisation and was reassigned to the Toronto Marlies to begin the 2006-07 season.

The left-winger made an immediate impact, netting on his professional debut against Syracuse Crunch but despite adding a further two goals and an assist in just six games, Tlustý was reassigned to Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds who held his OHL rights.

A high-ankle sprain sustained early in that season kept him out of the line-up for over five weeks and meant he missed competing at the 2007 World Junior Championships for the Czech Republic.

When Tlustý returned in January he did so with a bang, finishing the year with 34 points (13-21-34) in 37 games and thus propelling the Greyhounds into the playoffs.

A further nine goals and eight assists in the post-season from Tlustý helped them score an upset in the first round against Saginaw Spirit and take the London Knights to seven games in the second round despite falling behind 3-0 in that series

An excellent showing in prospect camp allied with making a strong impression in the full Maple Leafs training camp and pre-season games wasn’t enough to secure an NHL spot for Tlustý who was reassigned to the AHL to begin the 2007-8 campaign.

A goal and two assists in five AHL games later and a first call-up to the Maple Leafs arrived.
On 25 October, Tlustý made his NHL debut in a game against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

It was certainly memorable as the Czech native netted twice in very different manners!
The first came off a shot from Alexander Steen that deflected off of the left-winger’s backside.
Thirty-five seconds later, he scored with a wrist shot.

The following month, photos of Tlustý, one of which was of him nude, appeared on the Internet, causing a media frenzy (unlike Toronto media I know).
Tlustý had apparently taken some photos with his cell phone while still playing for Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds the previous season.

He issued a press release saying, “I used poor judgment in this instance and I have learned a valuable lesson. It will not happen again and I have no further comment.”

The Leafs banned all cell phones from their locker room (unclear as to whether this occurred at the start of the season or because of this incident) and GM John Ferguson stood by his rookie stating “He made a naïve mistake as a teenager. It’s a lesson in how something private can easily become very public in the Internet age. Hopefully, it’s a lesson that other people will learn from as well.”

Tlustý went on to play 58 NHL games that year, recording ten goals and six assists.
At the AHL level, he continued to make an impact with the Marlies, finishing the regular season with eighteen points (7-11-18) in fourteen games and a farther ten points in nineteen playoffs games as Toronto progressed to the Conference Finals.

During the 2008-9 season, Tlustý would feature in just fourteen NHL games though he would record a career-high of three points (all assists) in a single game against Carolina.

The Toronto Marlies benefited from the addition of the Czech winger who produced at a point per game pace through 66 games and set franchise records along the way.

On February 18, after being reassigned to the Marlies, Tlustý scored five goals on just five shots in a game against the Syracuse Crunch, setting a franchise record for most goals scored in one game by a Marlies player.

On March 4, Tlustý set another franchise record, this time for most points in a game against the Providence Bruins. He finished with two even-strength goals, three primary power-play assists and a secondary assist on an empty-net goal for six points in a 6-4 victory.

The 2009-10 season saw the Czech winger traded by Toronto on December 3, 2019, in exchange for Carolina Hurricanes forward, Philippe Paradis.
His last action in Toronto saw him play two NHL games and put up fifteen points (8-7-15) in nineteen games with the Marlies.

Tlustý would spend two and a half years with Carolina, signing concurrent one-year, one-way contract worth around half a million dollars.

After setting career-highs of 18 goals and 36 points during the 2011–12 season the left-winger was subsequently re-signed by the Hurricanes to a two-year, $3.2 million contract extension.

Tlustý again set a new career-high in goals (23, tied for fifth in NHL) and points (38) during the lockout-shortened 2012–13 season.
A memorable campaign included a first NHL hat-trick.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jutSj10SpVY

That’s as good as it would get for the Czech native in the NHL as his career somewhat flattened out in Carolina.

In the final year of his contract and with the Hurricanes out of Stanley Cup playoff contention and looking to rebuild, he was traded to the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for a third-round draft pick in 2016 and a conditional sixth-round draft pick in 2015.

He wouldn’t know it then but Tlustý would only play a further fifty NHL games.
Twenty of those were for Winnipeg in the back half of the 2014-15 season and just thirty the following year after penning a one-year contract with New Jersey.
A combination of injuries and a depth role limited the scoring winger to just two goals and four points during his time with the Devils.

An attempt to resurrect his career in Colorado went south due to failing a medical and there was a stint in Europe with Finnish team Oulun Kärpät that lasted only fourteen games.

Tlustý officially retired from professional hockey on June 7, 2018, through injuries including wrist issues which had dogged him for some time.

After having to retire early at the age of thirty, Tlustý appears to have chosen to stay out of the hockey spotlight and very little is known about what he is doing with himself these days.
What we do know is that he became a father last year as per his Instagram account.

Tlustý played 446 NHL regular-season games in which he recorded 89 goals and 177 points but only made four post-season appearances.

In the AHL the Czech forward was essentially a point per game producer until the injuries took hold.
In 130 American League outings, he produced fifty goals and seventy assists for 120 points.

In a combined 105 games for the Toronto Marlies, Tlustý registered 103 points in 105 games including 43 goals.

During 25 playoffs games, the Czech forward added a further three goals and thirteen points.
Finally, as much I abhor the shootout, Jiří Tlustý had a real penchant for that aspect of the game during his time in the AHL. He was 9-18 in his career including this one.