Jaroslav Balaštík

Jaroslav Balaštík (born November 28, 1979) is a Czech former professional ice hockey player who most notably played with HC Zlin in the Czech Extraliga and the Columbus Blue Jackets in the National Hockey League (NHL).

Playing career Coming through the Czech professional hockey ranks Balaštík was drafted as an overage player in the 6th round, 184th overall in the 2002 NHL entry draft. After playing eight seasons (1997–2005) with HC Zlín in the Czech Extraliga, and part of one season (2002–03) with HPK in the Finnish SM-liiga; Balaštík started 2005 season with the Syracuse Crunch, the Blue Jackets' American Hockey League affiliate. He was quickly promoted to the big club, where he became somewhat of a shootout-specialist, going 6-for-9 for the season.

In his second season with the Blue Jackets and limited opportunity, on December 13, 2006, Balaštík was released and contracted by the Swedish Jönköping-based club HV71 in the Swedish elite league Elitserien. In HV71, Balaštík played with his fellow countryman Jan Hrdina, with whom he has played previously in Columbus Blue Jackets in NHL.

From 2007 to 2008 he rejoined HC Zlin in the Czech Republic and played 5 of the past 6 seasons with the team, defecting to BK Mlada Boleslav for a single season in 2011–12. He closed out his career after three more seasons with the club, before moving to HC Bílí Tygři Liberec.

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1995–96 AC ZPS Zlín CZE U18 1996–97 AC ZPS Zlín CZE U18 45 27 24 51 — — — — — 1997–98 HC ZPS–Barum Zlín CZE U20 36 21 35 56 7 2 3 5 1997–98 HC ZPS–Barum Zlín ELH 5 0 2 2 0 — — — — — 1997–98 HC Uherské Hradiště CZE.3 23 4 5 9 — — — — — 1998–99 HC ZPS–Barum Zlín ELH 41 4 8 12 10 9 1 0 1 27 1998–99 HC Kometa Brno CZE.2 10 3 4 7 6 — — — — — 1998–99 HC ZPS–Barum Zlín CZE U20 — — — — — 2 0 0 0 1999–2000 HC Barum Continental Zlín CZE U20 4 5 5 10 2 — — — — — 1999–2000 HC Barum Continental Zlín ELH 48 7 10 17 18 4 0 1 1 2 2000–01 HC Barum Continental Zlín ELH 52 8 17 25 32 6 1 1 2 6 2001–02 HC Continental Zlín ELH 50 25 19 44 32 11 3 5 8 14 2002–03 HC Hamé Zlín ELH 31 14 8 22 26 — — — — — 2002–03 HPK SM-liiga 13 5 7 12 2 13 4 3 7 6 2003–04 HC Hamé Zlín ELH 51 29 18 47 54 17 9 9 18 32 2004–05 HC Hamé Zlín ELH 52 30 16 46 74 17 4 9 13 52 2005–06 Columbus Blue Jackets NHL 66 12 10 22 26 — — — — — 2005–06 Syracuse Crunch AHL 14 3 3 6 6 — — — — — 2006–07 Columbus Blue Jackets NHL 8 1 1 2 4 — — — — — 2006–07 Syracuse Crunch AHL 6 2 3 5 6 — — — — — 2006–07 HV71 SEL 25 3 10 13 4 14 5 2 7 34 2007–08 RI Okna Zlín ELH 52 29 11 40 72 — — — — — 2008–09 RI Okna Zlín ELH 52 20 16 36 72 5 0 0 0 26 2009–10 PSG Zlín ELH 45 21 21 42 32 6 8 5 13 8 2010–11 PSG Zlín ELH 52 22 13 35 34 4 2 1 3 4 2011–12 BK Mladá Boleslav ELH 52 17 16 33 38 — — — — — 2012–13 PSG Zlín ELH 52 26 13 39 28 19 4 4 8 4 2013–14 PSG Zlín ELH 52 20 11 31 34 17 4 5 9 14 2014–15 PSG Zlín ELH 14 3 2 5 6 — — — — — 2014–15 Bílí Tygři Liberec ELH 23 2 1 3 10 — — — — — ELH totals 724 277 202 479 572 115 36 40 76 189 NHL totals 74 13 11 24 30 — — — — —

International Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM 1997 Czech Republic EJC 5th 6 1 2 3 0 1999 Czech Republic WJC 7th 6 2 3 5 0 2003 Czech Republic WC 4th 8 1 0 1 2 2006 Czech Republic WC 9 4 2 6 2 2007 Czech Republic WC 7th 6 0 0 0 4 Junior totals 12 3 5 8 0 Senior totals 23 5 2 7 8

Awards Named Best Forward in Czech Extraliga in 2004–05.

Records Most goals scored in Czech Extraliga in seasons 2003–04 and 2004–05. Most points in Czech Extraliga playoffs in season 2003–04. Most goals scored in Czech Extraliga playoffs in season 2003–04.