Justin Kloos

Last updated

Justin Kloos
Born (1993-11-30) November 30, 1993 (age 31)
Lakeville, Minnesota, U.S.
Height 5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Weight 180 lb (82 kg; 12 st 12 lb)
Position Forward
Shoots Right
SHL team
Former teams
HV71
Minnesota Wild
Anaheim Ducks
Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod
Leksands IF
NHL draft Undrafted
Playing career 2017present

Justin Kloos (born November 30, 1993) is an American professional ice hockey forward. He is currently playing with HV71 in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). He has previously played in the National Hockey League with the Minnesota Wild and Anaheim Ducks.

Contents

Playing career

Junior

Kloos played for Lakeville South High School from 2007 to 2012. In 2011–12, his senior season, he helped his team make a Minnesota State Hockey Tournament appearance. [1] He also scored 103 points (41G, 62A) in 31 games in his final season with the Lakeville South Cougars. [1] In 2012 he was also named Minnesota Mr. Hockey. [2] Kloos also played Junior hockey in the USHL (United States Hockey League) for the Waterloo Blackhawks in the 2012–13 season. He finished second in the USHL with 87. Of those 87 points, 58 of them were assists, which is the second most in Waterloo history. [3]

College

In 2013, Kloos played his first season with the Minnesota Gophers. In his freshman season he played in 39 games and scored 16 goals. With these 16 goals he became the first freshman to lead the team in goals since 2006–07 season. Along with the 16 goals, Kloos also tallied 16 assists. In the NCAA tournament Kloos scored the game-winning goal to send the Gophers to the NCAA Frozen Four. In the 2014-15 season, he also played in 39 games. He scored 13 goals and recorded 19 assists. He scored the game-winning goal in victory over Michigan to secure the Big Ten Championship. In his junior season (2015–16) he was named the team captain. [4] On February 16, 2016 he was named the Big Ten's First star of the week after he netted two goal and two assists against Ohio State. [5] In his senior and final season with the Gophers in 2016–17, Kloos matched his previous seasons totals in points with 43 in 38 games.

Professional

At the conclusion of the Gophers season and his collegiate career, Kloos as an unsigned free agent agreed to terms with home state club, the Minnesota Wild on a two-year entry-level contract on March 29, 2017. [6] He immediately joined AHL affiliate, the Iowa Wild to play out the remainder of the 2016–17 season on an amateur try-out basis. [7] Kloos was called up to the NHL on October 23, 2017, [8] and made his NHL debut on October 24, 2017. [9] He played 8:38 minutes in his NHL debut against the Vancouver Canucks but was reassigned to the AHL the following day. [10]

In the 2018–19 season, Kloos continued in the AHL, leading the Iowa Wild in scoring with 12 goals and 30 points in 34 games. On January 16, 2019, Kloos was traded by the Minnesota Wild to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for Pontus Åberg. [11]

With the conclusion of his contract with the Ducks approaching after the cancellation of the 2019–20 AHL season due to COVID-19. Kloos ended his tenure with affiliate, the San Diego Gulls posting 30 points in 53 games.

Kloos opted to embark on a career away from North America, agreeing to a one-year contract with Russian outfit, Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), on June 8, 2020. [12] In the 2020–21 season, Kloos quickly transitioned to the larger ice, producing 11 goals and 20 points through 48 regular season games.

As a free agent, Kloos moved to Sweden agreeing to a two-year contract with SHL club, Leksands IF, on June 4, 2021. [13]

Following four seasons in the SHL with Leksands IF, Kloos left out of contract to sign a two-year deal with fellow Swedish club, HV71, on July 2, 2025. [14]

Career statistics

Regular season Playoffs
Season TeamLeagueGP G A Pts PIM GPGAPtsPIM
2009–10 Lakeville South High USHS 18211738234370
2010–11Lakeville South HighUSHS243544798365110
2010–11 Waterloo Black Hawks USHL 10325220000
2011–12Lakeville South HighUSHS2534478143513180
2011–12 Waterloo Black HawksUSHL22240
2012–13 Waterloo Black HawksUSHL542958872250442
2013–14 University of Minnesota B1G 4116163216
2014–15 University of MinnesotaB1G3913193226
2015–16 University of MinnesotaB1G3716274326
2016–17 University of MinnesotaB1G3818254328
2016–17 Iowa Wild AHL 91014
2017–18 Iowa WildAHL7619315042
2017–18 Minnesota Wild NHL 10002
2018–19 Iowa WildAHL3412183026
2018–19 Anaheim Ducks NHL10000
2018–19 San Diego Gulls AHL25691510163692
2019–20 San Diego GullsAHL5311193034
2020–21 Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod KHL 48119202220000
2021–22 Leksands IF SHL 45913221831120
2022–23 Leksands IFSHL431314271830440
2023–24 Leksands IFSHL37717241050110
2024–25 Leksands IFSHL5218153314
NHL totals20002
KHL totals48119202220000
SHL totals177475910660111670

Awards and honors

AwardYear
USHS
Minnesota Mr. Hockey 2012
USHL
USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game 2013
First All-Star Team2013
College
West Regional Most Outstanding Player 2014
B1G Second All-Star Team 2016
B1G First All-Star Team 2017 [7]

References

  1. 1 2 "Justin Kloos". Minnesota Hockey Hub | MN Boys High School Hockey. Retrieved April 6, 2016.
  2. "Mr. Hockey". Minnesota Hockey Hub | MN Boys High School Hockey. Retrieved April 6, 2016.
  3. "GOPHERSPORTS.COM Justin Kloos Bio :: University of Minnesota Official Athletic Site :: Ice Hockey". www.gophersports.com. Archived from the original on April 14, 2016. Retrieved April 6, 2016.
  4. "Gophers name Justin Kloos 2015-16 hockey captain". KARE. Retrieved April 6, 2016.
  5. "Big Ten Hockey Three Stars Big Ten Conference Official Site". Big Ten Conference . Archived from the original on February 19, 2016. Retrieved April 6, 2016.
  6. "Wild Signs Justin Kloos to Entry-Level Contract". NHL.com. Minnesota Wild. March 29, 2017. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
  7. 1 2 "Wild agrees to terms with Gophers Captain Justin Kloos". Minnesota Star Tribune. March 29, 2017. Retrieved March 29, 2017.
  8. "Minnesota recalls forwards Justin Kloos and Luke Kunin". NHL.com. St. Paul, Minn: Minnesota Wild. October 23, 2017. Retrieved February 23, 2018.
  9. Myers, Dan (October 24, 2017). "From the Rink: Lakeville native Kloos preps for NHL debut". NHL.com. Minnesota Wild. Retrieved February 23, 2018.
  10. "Wild reassigns Justin Kloos to Iowa". NHL.com. Minnesota Wild. October 25, 2017. Retrieved February 22, 2018.
  11. "Ducks acquire Kloos from Minnesota in exchange for Aberg". Anaheim Ducks. January 16, 2019. Retrieved January 16, 2019.
  12. "Forward Justin Kloos replenishes Torpedo" (in Russian). Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod. June 8, 2020. Retrieved June 8, 2020.[ permanent dead link ]
  13. "A goalkeeper and forward join LIF" (in Swedish). Leksands IF. June 4, 2021. Retrieved June 4, 2021.
  14. "Justin Kloos signs with HV71" (in Swedish). HV71. July 2, 2025. Retrieved July 2, 2025.