Jaroslav Otevřel

Jaroslav Otevřel (born September 16, 1968) is a Czech former professional ice hockey left winger. Otevrel played 16 NHL games with the San Jose Sharks. In Europe, Otevrel played with his native club AC ZPS Zlin as well as the Slovakian HK Dukla Trencin. Otevrel retired from ice hockey in 1996 after getting paralyzed in a game while representing the Finnish hockey club Porin Ässät.

Career Otevrel started his ice hockey career at the youth section of HC Zlin.

Otevřel was drafted in the seventh round, 133rd overall, by the San Jose Sharks in the 1991 NHL entry draft. He played 16 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Sharks over two seasons, scoring three goals and four assists.

After career in North America, Jaroslav "Jaro" Otevřel joined Ässät of SM-liiga. His career ended on February 11, 1996, when he was paralyzed in a game against JYP Jyväskylä. He hit the skates of another JYP player slightly, fell and was then accidentally hit in the head by Vitali Karamnov's knee. His cervical spine was damaged, which resulted in him being paralyzed from the neck down.

Otevrel's number 89 is retired by the Porin Ässät, but according to his wishes, the number isn't hanging from the rafters of the Isomäki Areena. Otevrel visited an Ässät game again in 1998. He visited the arena again in 2018, 22 years after the last visit, in an Ässät–HC TPS game.

Personal life Otevřel lives in his hometown Zlín, Czech Republic, with his wife and daughter.

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular seasonPlayoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1986–87 Berani Zlin U20 CSSR U20 — 27 35 62 — — — — — — 1987–88 TJ Gottwaldov CSSR 32 4 7 11 18 — — — — — 1988–89 TJ Gottwaldov CSSR 40 14 6 20 37 — — — — — 1989–90 HK Dukla Trenčín CSSR 43 7 10 17 — — — — — — 1990–91 AC ZPS Zlín CSSR 49 24 24 48 105 — — — — — 1991–92 AC ZPS Zlín CSSR 36 13 10 23 — 4 0 3 3 0 1992–93 San Jose Sharks NHL 7 0 2 2 0 — — — — — 1992–93 Kansas City Blades IHL 62 17 27 44 58 6 1 4 5 4 1993–94 San Jose Sharks NHL 9 3 2 5 2 — — — — — 1993–94 Kansas City Blades IHL 62 20 33 53 46 — — — — — 1994–95 Ässät FIN 50 13 18 31 26 7 1 4 5 2 1995–96 Ässät FIN 43 10 26 36 44 — — — — — NHL totals 16 3 4 7 2 — — — — —