LATEST | Long-time NHL forward, 1990 Stanley Cup champion passes away at age 58
Some sad news to report on in the hockey world on Thursday as it's being reported that long-time NHL forward Petr Klima has passed away at the age of 58.
Details surrounding Klima's passing are unknown at this time, other than he was found at his home and it was unexpected.
The Chaomutov native was a legend in Czechia and played parts of 13 seasons in the National Hockey League with the Detroit Red Wings, Edmonton Oilers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Los Angeles Kings and the Pittsburgh Penguins, tallying 573 points (313 goals, 260 assists) in 786 games. Klima won the Stanley Cup in 1990 as a member of the Edmonton Oilers.
Klima's path to the National Hockey League was not easy, to say the least. He became one of the first players to defect from the former Czechoslovakia in the 1980s. In 1985, he left a Czech national team training camp and went to an undisclosed location to meet with Detroit Red Wings officials, who helped him make it to North America, where he gained refugee status to enter the United States.
Our thoughts are with the Klima family at this extremely difficult time.
