Jan Hejda

{{Infobox ice hockey biography

| name = Jan Hejda

| image = JanHejda.jpg

| image_size = 230px

| caption= Hejda with the Columbus Blue Jackets in December 2010

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1978|6|18}}

| birth_place = Prague, Czechoslovakia

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 3

| weight_lb = 209

| position = Defence

| shoots = Left

| played_for = Slavia Praha
CSKA Moscow
Khimik Moscow Oblast
Edmonton Oilers
Columbus Blue Jackets
Colorado Avalanche

| ntl_team = Czech Republic

| draft = 106th overall

| draft_year = 2003

| draft_team = Buffalo Sabres

| career_start = 1997

| career_end = 2016

}}

Jan Hejda (born June 18, 1978) is a Czech former professional ice hockey defenceman who played with the Edmonton Oilers, the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Colorado Avalanche in the National Hockey League (NHL).

Playing career

Hejda was originally selected in the fourth round, 106th overall in the 2003 NHL entry draft by the Buffalo Sabres. He played six seasons with Slavia Praha of the Czech Extraliga, two seasons with CSKA Moscow of the Russian Superleague (RSL), and one season with Khimik Moscow Oblast, also of the RSL.

In July 2006, Hejda was traded to the Edmonton Oilers by the Sabres in exchange for a seventh-round draft pick.{{cite web | url = https://www.espn.com/nhl/news/story?id=2515848 | title = Sabres agree with Peters; deal Hejda's rights | publisher = ESPN | date = 2006-07-11 | access-date = 2011-07-01 }} He was then signed to his first NHL contract by the Oilers, to a one-year deal the same week.

Hejda scored his first NHL goal on January 8, 2007, against the Los Angeles Kings netminder Mathieu Garon. The Kings' Konstantin Pushkarev had scored his first NHL goal in the game's third period to send the game into overtime; Hejda's goal in overtime gave the Oilers their 2–1 win.{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/recap?gameId=270108008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107165549/http://www.espn.com/nhl/recap?gameId=270108008|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 7, 2017|title=Oilers defeat Kings 2-1 in OT | publisher = ESPN | date = 2007-01-08 | access-date = 2008-10-21}}

In July 2007, Hejda signed a 1-year, $1 million deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets. He turned out to be one of the club's best defensemen the following season, ending with a team-record +20 plus-minus on a team that had never had anyone finish higher than +13 before.

He subsequently signed a 3-year deal worth $6 million on April 29, 2008.{{cite news |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/news?slug=ap-bluejackets-hejda&prov=ap&type=lgns|title=Columbus Blue Jackets re-sign Hejda | work = Yahoo Sports | date = 2008-04-29 | accessdate = 2008-10-21}} After not scoring the previous season, Hejda scored three goals in addition to 18 assists during the 2008–09 season. He also played in three of the Blue Jackets' four playoff games in their opening-round series against the defending Stanley Cup champion and second-seeded Detroit Red Wings, Columbus' first-ever playoff appearance.

On April 1, 2011, in a 4–3 shootout loss to the Chicago Blackhawks, Hejda delivered an elbow to the head of Blackhawks’ forward Marcus Krüger. Although Krüger was not injured, the NHL gave Hejda a two-game suspension.{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcsports.com/nhl/news/nhl-suspends-jan-hejda-two-games-for-elbowing-chicagos-marcus-kruger |title=NHL suspend Jan Hejda two games for elbowing Chicago's Marcus Kruger |website=nbcsports.com |publisher=NBC Sports |author=Joe Yerdon |date=April 2, 2011 |access-date=October 16, 2024}} He ended the 2010–11 season with five goals and 15 assists for 20 points in 77 contests played.

File:Jan Hejda - Colorado Avalanche.jpg in November 2014.]]

On the first day of free agency prior to the 2011–12 season, Hejda's emergence as a stay-at-home defenseman was rewarded when he was promptly signed to a four-year, $15 million contract with the Colorado Avalanche on July 1, 2011.{{cite web| url = http://avalanche.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=568073 | title = Avalanche signs Jan Hejda | publisher = Colorado Avalanche | date = 2011-07-01 | accessdate = 2011-07-01}} Hejda made his Avalanche debut on opening night in a 3–0 defeat to the Detroit Red Wings on October 8, 2011.{{cite web| url = https://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/col-vs-det/2011/10/08/2011020018 | title = Red Wings shut out Avalanche to open season | publisher = National Hockey League | date = 2011-10-08 | access-date = 2011-10-08}} He instantly established himself within the Avalanche blueline, playing in 81 games and leading all Avalanche players in ice time throughout the season. He tied first amongst the defenseman with 5 goals and featured in his 400th career NHL game against the Winnipeg Jets on February 19, 2012.{{Cite web| url = https://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/col-vs-wpg/2012/02/19/2011020882 | title = Jets trounce Avalanche 5-1 | publisher = Colorado Avalanche | date = 2012-02-19 | access-date = 2012-02-21}}

In the lockout-shortened 2012–13 season, Hejda appeared in 46 games and finished second on the blueline in scoring with only 10 points. On February 26, 2013, Hejda matched a career high in posting 2 assists in a shootout defeat to the San Jose Sharks to reach the 100-career point mark in the NHL.{{cite web| url = https://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/col-vs-sjs/2013/02/26/2012020283 | title = Avs tie game late, but Sharks take it in a shootout | publisher = National Hockey League | date = 2013-02-26 | access-date = 2013-02-26}}

In the 2013–14 season, Hejda helped the Avalanche rebound to reach the post-season, playing alongside defensive partner Erik Johnson, to form the team's top defensive pairing. He scored a career high 6 goals in 78 games and made his 500th regular season appearance against the San Jose Sharks on December 23, 2013.{{cite web| url = https://www.nhl.com/gamecenter/col-vs-sjs/2013/12/23/2013020566 | title = Sharks outlast Avs in Shootout | publisher = Colorado Avalanche | date = 2013-12-23| access-date = 2013-12-23}} In the last regular season game, Hejda suffered two broken fingers against the Anaheim Ducks on April 13, 2014. Although visibly impeding his game, Hejda appeared in all 7 post-season contests, leading the club with 18 blocked shots, against the Minnesota Wild.{{cite web| url = https://www.thescore.com/nhl/news/493456 | title = Hejda played with two broken fingers in Round 1 against the Wild | website = thescore.com | date = 2014-05-02 | accessdate = 2014-05-02}}

At the completion of his four-year contract with the Avalanche following the 2014–15 season, Hejda became a free agent over the summer. Unable to earn a contract offer from an NHL team, Hejda accepted a try-out invitation to attend the Chicago Blackhawks training camp on September 12, 2015.{{cite web| url = https://www.espn.com/blog/chicago/blackhawks/post/_/id/4690416/source-jan-hejda-to-attend-blackhawks-camp-on-tryout-agreement | title = Hejda to attend Blackhawks camp on try-out | publisher = ESPN | date = 2015-09-12 | access-date = 2015-09-12}} Despite a solid camp with the Blackhawks, Hejda was not tendered a contract due to a crowded blueline and was released on September 27, 2015.{{cite web| url = http://nhl.nbcsports.com/2015/09/27/chicago-releases-jan-hejda-from-tryout/ | title = Chicago releases Jan Hejda from tryout | publisher = NBC Sports | date = 2015-09-27 | accessdate = 2015-09-27}} Two months into the 2015–16 season, looking for an opportunity to play, Hejda returned to the Columbus Blue Jackets fold in signing a professional try-out contract with AHL affiliate, the Lake Erie Monsters on December 7, 2015.{{cite web| url = http://bluejackets.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=791458 | title = Jan Hejda signs AHL tryout contract with Monsters | publisher = Columbus Blue Jackets | date = 2015-12-07 | accessdate = 2015-12-07}} Hejda played in the American league for the first time since 2006, appearing in 11 scoreless games with the Monsters before he was released from his try-out on January 8, 2016.{{cite web| url = https://twitter.com/CraigCustance/status/685232702857986048 | title = Jan Hejda leaving monsters to consider next step | publisher = Twitter | date = 2016-01-08 | accessdate = 2016-01-08 | first = Craig | last = Custance}}

Personal life

Hejda resides in Denver, Colorado and is married to his wife Tereza with whom he has two children, a daughter, Natalia, and son, Matheas. He coached his son's youth team at the 9280 Pond Hockey Tournament in Keystone.{{cite web| url = http://www.9news.com/sports/jan-hejda-has-good-reason-to-try-coaching/392243692 | title = Jan Hejda has good reason to try coaching | publisher = 9news.com | date = 2017-01-24 | accessdate = 2017-01-24}} He has the role of Director of Player Development of Europe/Western U.S. for Edge Sports Management.{{Cite web| url = http://edgesportsmanagement.com/about-us/ | title = About us - ESM | website = edgesportmanagement.com | date = 2017-05-04 | accessdate = 2017-05-04}}

Career statistics

=Regular season and playoffs=

border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" style="text-align:center; width:60em"

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! colspan="5" | Regular season

! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! colspan="5" | Playoffs

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! Season

! Team

! League

! GP

! G

! A

! Pts

! PIM

! GP

! G

! A

! Pts

! PIM

1997–98

| Slavia Praha

| ELH

| 44

| 2

| 5

| 7

| 51

| 5

| 0

| 6

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 1998–99

| Slavia Praha

| ELH

| 34

| 1

| 2

| 3

| 38

| —

1999–2000

| Slavia Praha

| ELH

| 26

| 1

| 2

| 3

| 14

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 1999–2000

| Femax Havířov

| ELH

| 7

| 0

| 2

| 6

| —

1999–2000

| Liberec

| CZE.2

| 1

| 0

| 4

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2000–01

| Slavia Praha

| ELH

| 38

| 2

| 6

| 8

| 70

| 11

| 3

| 0

| 3

| 12

2000–01

| Kadaň

| CZE.2

| 8

| 1

| 0

| 1

| 6

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2001–02

| Slavia Praha

| ELH

| 42

| 9

| 8

| 17

| 52

| 9

| 1

| 2

| 14

2002–03

| Slavia Praha

| ELH

| 52

| 6

| 11

| 17

| 44

| 17

| 5

| 8

| 13

| 12

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2003–04

| CSKA Moscow

| RSL

| 60

| 1

| 6

| 7

| 26

| —

2004–05

| CSKA Moscow

| RSL

| 60

| 2

| 11

| 13

| 59

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2005–06

| Khimik Moscow Oblast

| RSL

| 50

| 3

| 13

| 16

| 58

| 9

| 2

| 3

| 5

| 24

2006–07

| Edmonton Oilers

| NHL

| 39

| 1

| 8

| 9

| 20

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2006–07

| Hamilton Bulldogs

| AHL

| 5

| 0

| 3

| 21

| —

2007–08

| Columbus Blue Jackets

| NHL

| 81

| 0

| 13

| 61

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2008–09

| Columbus Blue Jackets

| NHL

| 82

| 3

| 18

| 21

| 38

| 3

| 0

| 2

2009–10

| Columbus Blue Jackets

| NHL

| 62

| 3

| 10

| 13

| 36

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2010–11

| Columbus Blue Jackets

| NHL

| 77

| 5

| 15

| 20

| 28

| —

2011–12

| Colorado Avalanche

| NHL

| 81

| 5

| 14

| 19

| 24

| —

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2012–13

| Colorado Avalanche

| NHL

| 46

| 1

| 9

| 10

| 28

| —

2013–14

| Colorado Avalanche

| NHL

| 78

| 6

| 11

| 17

| 40

| 7

| 0

| 6

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2014–15

| Colorado Avalanche

| NHL

| 81

| 1

| 12

| 13

| 42

| —

2015–16

| Lake Erie Monsters

| AHL

| 11

| 0

| —

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="3" | ELH totals

! 243

! 21

! 36

! 57

! 275

! 42

! 9

! 18

! 44

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="3" | RSL totals

! 170

! 6

! 28

! 34

! 141

! 9

! 2

! 3

! 5

! 24

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="3" | NHL totals

! 627

! 25

! 110

! 135

! 317

! 10

! 0

! 8

=International=

{{MedalCountry | {{ih|CZE}} }}

border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" ID="Table3" style="text-align:center; width:40em"

ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! Year

! Team

! Event

! Result

! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" |

! GP

! G

! A

! Pts

! PIM

1998

| Czech Republic

| WJC

| 4th

| 7

| 0

| 1

| 2

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2003

| Czech Republic

| WC

| 4th

| 9

| 0

| 4

2004

| Czech Republic

| WC

| 5th

| 7

| 1

| 2

| 8

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2005

| Czech Republic

| WC

| {{gold1}}

| 9

| 0

| 2

2006

| Czech Republic

| WC

| {{silver2}}

| 9

| 0

| 4

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2008

| Czech Republic

| WC

| 5th

| 7

| 1

| 0

| 1

| 0

2010

| Czech Republic

| OG

| 7th

| 5

| 0

| 4

bgcolor="#f0f0f0"

| 2013

| Czech Republic

| WC

| 7th

| 8

| 0

| 1

| 0

2015

| Czech Republic

| WC

| 4th

| 10

| 0

| 2

bgcolor="#e0e0e0"

! colspan="4" | Senior totals

! 64

! 2

! 4

! 6

! 24

References

External links

{{Ice hockey stats}}

Category:1978 births

Category:Living people

Category:Buffalo Sabres draft picks

Category:Colorado Avalanche players

Category:Columbus Blue Jackets players

Category:Czech ice hockey defencemen

Category:Edmonton Oilers players

Category:Czech expatriate ice hockey players in Russia

Category:Hamilton Bulldogs (AHL) players

Category:Atlant Moscow Oblast players

Category:HC CSKA Moscow players

Category:HC Slavia Praha players

Category:Ice hockey players at the 2010 Winter Olympics

Category:Lake Erie Monsters players

Category:Olympic ice hockey players for the Czech Republic

Category:Ice hockey people from Prague

Category:HC Bílí Tygři Liberec players

Category:Czech expatriate ice hockey players in the United States

Category:Czech expatriate ice hockey players in Canada

Category:21st-century Czech sportsmen