Adam Klapka | |||
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![]() Klapka with the Calgary Wranglers in 2023 | |||
Born | Prague, Czech Republic | 14 September 2000||
Height | 6 ft 8 in (203 cm) | ||
Weight | 236 lb (107 kg; 16 st 12 lb) | ||
Position | Right Wing | ||
Shoots | Right | ||
NHL team | Calgary Flames | ||
NHL draft | Undrafted | ||
Playing career | 2021–present |
Adam Klapka (born 14 September 2000) is a Czech professional ice hockey right wing for the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Klapka played two seasons of junior hockey with the Tri-City Storm of the USHL, where he was noted as a tough physical presence, and was regarded as having a goal-scoring touch. [1] [2]
Klapka began his professional career with the HC Bílí Tygři Liberec of the Czech Extraliga. He played one season with the club, splitting time between Tygři and their farm team, HC Benátky nad Jizerou of the Chance Liga. [2] [3] [4]
On 16 May 2022, the Calgary Flames signed Klapka to a two-year entry-level NHL contract. [2] [5] Klapka would impress during the Flames training camp and pre-season games, being one of the last players cut, and was called the best prospect at the Flames pre-season rookie camp. [1] [6] Klapka was assigned to the Flames top affiliate, the Calgary Wranglers of the AHL for the 2022–23 season. Klapka would initially struggle to score in the American League, only scoring three goals in the first half of the season, and spending most of his time on the fourth line. [7] However, Klapka would find his scoring touch towards the end of the season, scoring 10 goals in the final 26 games of the regular season, including his first career hat trick in the Wranglers home-ice finale. [7] [8] Klapka's impressive performance towards the end of his rookie season continued into the 2023 Calder Cup playoffs, where he would score the series-clinching goal in the second round to eliminate the Abbotsford Canucks. [7]
On 18 January 2024, Klapka would be recalled to the Flames, [9] making his NHL debut on 21 January, against the Edmonton Oilers. [10] Klapka appeared in four games with the team before being reassigned to the Wranglers on 27 January. [11] [12] Later in the season, on 15 April, Klapka would again be recalled to the Flames for the final two games of the season, [13] scoring his first goal during the season finale against the San Jose Sharks on 18 April. [14]
On 12 August, Klapka signed a one-year, two-way contract extension with the Flames, worth $775,000 USD at the NHL level. [15]
Klapka is regarded for his impressive stature, standing at 6 feet 8 inches (2.03 m) and weighing in at 236 pounds (107 kg), potentially the largest player to ever play in the USHL. [2] [16] Due to this, he has been noted as a significant physical presence in games, but also as having a goal scorers touch. [1] [2] [6] [17] [18]
Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
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Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
2017–18 | HC Slavia Praha | Czech.20 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2018–19 | HC Benátky nad Jizerou | Czech.1 | 22 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2019–20 | HC Benátky nad Jizerou | Czech.1 | 30 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2019–20 | Tri-City Storm | USHL | 8 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2020–21 | Tri-City Storm | USHL | 49 | 12 | 9 | 21 | 73 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | ||
2021–22 | HC Bílí Tygři Liberec | ELH | 44 | 6 | 12 | 18 | 72 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | ||
2021–22 | HC Benátky nad Jizerou | Czech.1 | 16 | 7 | 5 | 12 | 45 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2022–23 | Calgary Wranglers | AHL | 60 | 13 | 12 | 25 | 80 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 4 | ||
2023–24 | Calgary Wranglers | AHL | 65 | 21 | 25 | 46 | 90 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 10 | ||
2023–24 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 19 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2024–25 | Calgary Flames | NHL | 31 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 29 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
2024–25 | Calgary Wranglers | AHL | 33 | 14 | 12 | 26 | 50 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
NHL totals | 37 | 7 | 4 | 11 | 48 | — | — | — | — | — |