Player's Profile
Picture Courtesy of www.whl.ca
- Name: Tomas Kudelka
- Position: D
- Shoots: Left
- Height: 6-2
- Weight: 183 lbs
- Birthdate: 1987-03-10
- Eligible for Draft: 2005
- Drafted:
- Hometown: Zlin, Czech Republic
- Acquired: 136th overall, 2005 NHL Entry Draft by Ottawa
- Playing In: Pro
Tomas Kudelka
Prospect Grade: 7.0 C (About Prospect Grades)
Profile Contributed By: Derek Cheng
History
Tomas Kudelka was selected 45th overall in the CHL import draft by the Lethbridge Hurricanes the same year he was drafted by the Ottawa Senators. After a disappointing 2004-05 campaign in the Czech Republic, Kudelka made some positive strides in coming to North America. He had an impressive rookie campaign with Lethbridge and received an entry-level contract from Ottawa. He had a stint with Binghamton at the end of each year of junior and even earned a call-up to the NHL to be part of the practice squad.
Kudelka has represented the Czech Republic on the international stage several times. His first appearance came in 2005 with the Under-18 squad. Kudelka registered 4 assists and was a solid +6 in 7 games played. In 2006 and 2007, Kudelka was part of Czech’s World Junior team. In a total of 12 games played, Kudelka notched 2 goals and 2 assists in 12 games.
2004-05: Kudelka didn't have a great season in the Czech Republic as injuries slowed him down. He did not show such a progress as other Czech players like Hanzal, Pavelec, Kalus or even Pospisil. Kudelka's performance was almost at the same level as previous year. Despite the lack of progress, the two-way defenseman still put up decent numbers of 17 points in 38 games.
2005-06: After being selected by the Lethbridge Hurricanes in the 2005 CHL Import draft, Kudelka made the trip over to North America. In his first rookie major-junior season, Kudelka was solid and produced 31 points in 64 games. He also picked up 2 points in Lethbridge’s brief playoff appearance (six games). The Hurricanes season cut short, Kudelka was given an opportunity to demonstrate his skill at a higher level when he was called up to Binghamton. He signed an entry-level contract with Ottawa after a successful five-game audition.
2006-07: Kudelka developed into a go-to defenseman for Lethbridge. He saw a ton of ice time and played in all situations including key roles on the team’s penalty kill and power play. Despite the Hurricanes’ losing record, Kudelka posted an impressive +20 rating. He led Lethbridge defensemen in goals with 14 and was second in points with 41 in 59 games. But Kudelka’s excellent play was not enough to get Lethbridge into the playoffs. His season would not end there though as he joined Binghamton for their final 11 games, picking up a goal and two assists. Because he was returned to junior, the 2006-07 season did not count as a year off his contract with Ottawa.
Talent Analysis
Kudelka is an offensive defenseman with a good package of size, speed, and skill. He is still prone to occasional turnovers, but has demonstrated a good sense of when to jump into the rush. He is a good puck-handler and displays excellent awareness on the ice. A smooth skater, Kudelka takes advantage of his above-average speed and agility. He is fast backwards and has solid lateral movement to go along with his good balance. He is an offensive-minded rearguard and is poised when moving the puck. Kudelka uses his reach effectively and is adept at distributing pucks smartly. He makes occasional bad decisions with the puck though, he is positionally sound and doesn't tend to make mistakes in that aspect. Kudelka doesn't hesitate to fire his solid shot, which is quite accurate. He can stand to put on some weight.
Future
Kudelka has become one of Ottawa’s most intriguing prospects. He’s likely still a few seasons away, especially given Ottawa’s depth on the blueline, but his steady strides bode well for a potential future in the NHL.
Stats
| SEASON | TEAM | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM | +/- |
| 2001-02 | Zlin (CzeU17) | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| 2003 | Zlin (CzeU17) | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 0 |
| 2002-03 | Zlin (CzeU17) | 48 | 2 | 16 | 18 | ||
| 2004 | Zlin (CzeJr) | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 |
| 2003-04 | Zlin (CzeJr) | 51 | 1 | 12 | 13 | 95 | 15 |
| 2003-04 | Zlin (CzeE) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2005 | Czech '87 (World U-18) | 7 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 6 |
| 2004-05 | Zlin (CzeJr) | 38 | 9 | 8 | 17 | 38 | 10 |
| 2004-05 | Zlin (CzeE) | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 |
| 2006 | Team Czech (World JR) | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 10 | -1 |
| 2006 | Lethbridge (WHL) | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 12 | 1 |
| 2005-06 | Lethbridge (WHL) | 64 | 6 | 25 | 31 | 77 | -2 |
| 2005-06 | Binghamton (AHL) | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | -8 |
| 2007 | Team Czech (World JR) | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | -1 |
| 2006-07 | Lethbridge (WHL) | 59 | 14 | 27 | 41 | 74 | 20 |
| 2006-07 | Binghamton (AHL) | 11 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 8 | -2 |
Profile Last Updated: April, 1st 2008
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