| Born: | Jan 14, 1981 | Draft: | 1999 Thrashers, 68th Overall |
| Hometown: | Brno, Czechoslovakia | Position: | Left Wing |
| Known For: | AHL Calder Cup Champion (2002) | Shoots: | Left |
| National Team: | Czechia | Current Status: | Retired |
Zdenek Blatny (born January 14, 1981) is a Czechia ice hockey player, having played his final year in the NHL with the Boston Bruins during the 2005-2006 season. Drafted 68th overall by the Atlanta Thrashers in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft, Blatny gained momentum in the Western Hockey League (WHL) as a member of the Kootenay Ice. After recording back-to-back 80-point seasons, he joined the the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League (AHL) for the 2001-02 season. The following season, Blatny made his NHL, appearing in four games with the Thrashers. The following season, he recorded his first NHL goal and finished the year with three in 16 games.
During the NHL lockout, Blatny split time between the Finnish SM-Liiga and the Czechia leagues. Following his return to the NHL for the following season, he signed with the Bruins and appeared in just five games. He eight goals and 30 points in 38 games with the Providence Bruins before he was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Blatny finished the year with the Springfield Falcons, recording 14 goals and 29 points in 31 games. His stint with the Lightning’s AHL club extended into the 2006-07 season but after 19 games, he left for Sweden. This would mark the end to his tenure in North America.
Blatny toured all around Europe from 2007 to 2015, making stops in multiple Czechia leagues, Sweden, Slovakia, Germany, Denmark, Switzerland, and Austria. During the 2011-12 season, he had a resurgence offensively, recording 20 goals and 46 points in 47 games with Graz99ers of the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga (EBEL). Blatny retired in 2015, but after taking six years off, he returned to play for HC Technika Brno of the fourth-level Czechia league. He recorded nine points in 13 games and added one assist in two postseason games.
Zdenek Blatny Statistics
Trade Tracker
Deeper Dive
Achievements
- WHL (East) Second All-Star Team (2000)
- WHL Champion (2000)
- WHL Playoffs Most Assists (17) (2000)
- U20 WJC Gold Medal (2001)
- AHL Calder Cup Champion (2002)
- ECHL Kelly Cup Champion (2002)
- AHL Player of the Week (Mar. 12, 2006)
- Elitserien Champion (2007)
