Forgotten Hurricanes: Jiri Tlusty Is One of Many “What-Ifs” in Raleigh – The Hockey Writers – Carolina Hurricanes

Throughout the “dark ages” of Carolina Hurricanes hockey from 2009-10 to 2017-18, many players fell short of expectations. Some could attribute it to terrible rosters, roster management, setting players up for failure, and a multitude of other reasons. Some did shine through the darkness but became “what-ifs” in a decade of mediocre hockey. One of those was Czech forward Jiri Tlusty. In this edition of “Forgotten Hurricanes,” we look back at Tlusty’s time in Raleigh and how he became one of the “what-ifs.”

Tlusty’s Tenure as a Hurricane

Before joining the Hurricanes, the Toronto Maple Leafs selected Tlusty with the 13th overall pick in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft. He came off a season where he had four goals and six points in six games with HC Kladno’s U20 team. In six playoff games, Tlusty had seven goals and 13 points.

That following season, the Czech forward finished with 13 goals and 34 points in 37 games with the Soo Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). During the OHL Playoffs, he had nine goals and 17 points in 13 games.

After bouncing back and forth between the Maple Leafs and the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League (AHL) from the 2007-08 season to 2009-10, he was traded to the Hurricanes on Dec. 3, 2009, for Philippe Paradis. In 18 games during the 2009-10 season, he had one goal and six points with the Hurricanes.

It wasn’t until the 2011-12 season that Tlusty started to show his skating abilities and offensive skills. That season, he finished with 17 goals and 36 points in 79 games. The following season saw the league in a partial lockout in 2012-13, with the teams returning after the new year.

In 48 games, Tlusty had 23 goals and 38 points. That came after playing for Rytíři Kladno of the Czech league, tallying 12 goals and 23 points in 24 games. He even finished 35th in Selke Trophy voting. Some viewed that season as a breakout campaign for Tlusty.

Tlusty’s last full season with the Hurricanes came in 2013-14, when he finished with 16 goals and 30 points in 68 games. The next season, he was traded to the Winnipeg Jets after putting up 23 points in 52 games. In his best season with the Hurricanes, when he got Selke Trophy votes, he averaged 18:15 of ice time. Otherwise, he averaged about 14:50 to 15:10 minutes per night.

Tlusty spent some of his time with the Hurricanes playing for Kirk Muller, who lasted three seasons from 2011-12 to 2013-14. He played for Paul Maurice for a couple of seasons before Muller took over, and all of 52 games under Bill Peters before the trade to the Jets. While he had his best season under Muller in 2012-13, there was a sense that he was never used correctly with the Hurricanes.

There is a case to be made that his defensive game never really improved during his time in the NHL. However, he had a sneaky good shot and could put up points when utilized correctly. He essentially got lost in the shuffle while playing for some not-so-great Hurricanes teams in the early 2010s. In 322 games, he finished with 76 goals, 69 assists, 145 points, 12 power-play goals, and nine game-winning goals. He averaged 14:49 of ice time, the most of any team in his career.

Whether it was poor teams, poor management, or maybe not reaching his full potential, Tlusty was someone who could have had a decent career. In the end, he was out of the league after 30 games with the New Jersey Devils in 2015-16. He retired after 14 games with Karpat of the Finnish Liiga, tallying five points. When it comes to “what-ifs,” Tlusty is one of those guys on the Hurricanes in the franchise’s dark ages who never got to reach his full potential.