Former NHLer Petr Klima dead at 58

On Thursday morning, various Czech media outlets reported that Stanley Cup winning forward Petr Klima has passed way at the age of 58. According to reports from Czech media, he was found in his home in Chomutov. No specific cause is known, but he reportedly died “unexpectedly.”

Klima was a Detroit Red Wings fifth-round draft pick in 1983, one of the early Czech defectors in the days of the Iron Curtain. He enjoyed a productive NHL career, racking up 313 goals and 576 points in 786 games, including six 30-goal seasons and one 40-goal effort. In November 1989, Klima was part of a blockbuster trade that brought him, Adam Graves and Joe Murphy to Edmonton as part of a package for Jimmy Carson. Klima famously played a big part in the Oilers’ run to the 1989-90 Stanley Cup, their lone title without Wayne Gretzky. Klima scored the winner for Edmonton in an infamous triple-overtime victory in Game 1 of the 1990 Stanley Cup Final against the Boston Bruins, which remains the longest Stanley Cup Final game in history. Klima had spent most of the game benched by coach John Muckler for poor defensive play but redeemed himself with fresh legs in the third overtime, which had been delayed by 25 minutes when a bank of lights at the Boston Garden went out.

Klilma went on to become a fixture on some early Tampa Bay Lightning teams, including the one that made the playoffs for the first time in franchise history in 1995-96. He sits sixth in NHL history in goals among Czech-born players, sandwiched between Petr Sykora and Petr Nedved. Klima is survived by his twin sons, Kelly and Kevin, who both became professional hockey players, competing as high as the AHL with the Tucson Roadrunners before returning to play in Czechia.