We've covered trades from all over the spectrum over the last few weeks, ranging from blockbusters to small, seemingly meaningless swaps that resulted in great returns for the Carolina Hurricanes. This certainly falls in the latter category.
The Toronto Maple Leafs selected forward Jiri Tlusty with the 13th pick in 2006. The 3rd-ranked European forward in the class, according to NHL Central Scouting, Tlusty earned his way onto the Maple Leafs' roster in 2007, scoring twice in his NHL debut on October 25th. He scored ten goals and 16 points in 58 games during his rookie campaign.
Despite a solid first season, Tlusty was sparingly used in 2008-09. He was limited to just 14 games, though three of his four points that season, all assists, came in a mid-January win against the Hurricanes. To add another layer of irony, all three assists went to the same player. That player was Jason Blake, the father of current Hurricane and long-term signee, Jackson.
Things got worse when Tlusty only played twice for Toronto to start the 2009-10 season. The Canes stepped in to give him a new platform, acquiring him on December 3, 2009, from the Maple Leafs for Philippe Paradis' signing rights. Paradis was the Hurricanes' 1st-round selection less than six months prior, using the 27th pick on him.
Paradis never played for the Maple Leafs. In fact, he was only in their system for six months, being traded for the second time since being drafted to the Blackhawks. Between these two teams and another trade to the Lightning, Paradis spent almost the entire time in the AHL. He's played the last several seasons in Ligue Nord-Américaine de Hockey in Quebec, a league known for its fighting.
With the Hurricanes, Tlusty's career reached its peak
Tlusty made his Hurricanes debut eight days later, scoring a goal against Washington. It was his only goal in 18 games with the team, though he added 15 points in 20 games with Albany. His first full season in the organization didn't go any smoother. He missed 25 games, scoring just six goals and 12 points and playing less than 10 minutes per night.
The 2011-12 season was the first time Hurricanes fans really got to see what made Tlusty a 1st-round pick. Playing completely healthy, Tlusty set career highs in goals (17), assists (19), and points (36) in 79 games. It was the first time he'd broken double digits in goals since his rookie campaign and was 20 points better than his point total that season.
As if that wasn't enough, Tlusty made the most of the lockout-shortened 2013 season. In what I called an "underappreciated" season, Tlusty finished tied for fifth in the NHL with 23 goals while leading the league with 19 goals at even strength. In a year when the Hurricanes struggled again, the line of Tlusty, Eric Staal, and Alexander Semin was a lone shining light.
Tlusty secured his third-straight 30-point season the following year, though his numbers took a slight dip across 68 games (16-14-30). After another decent start to the 2014-15 season, Tlusty, a pending free agent, was traded to the Jets for a 2015 5th-rounder and a 2016 3rd-rounder. He scored eight points in 20 games, marking his fourth 30-point campaign.
After going scoreless in four postseason games with the Jets, Tlusty signed a deal with the New Jersey Devils in the offseason. He battled injuries all season, scoring two goals and four points in 30 games. He failed his physical the following season during his PTO with Colorado, leading him to sign in Finland. Tlusty played just 14 games in Liiga before injuries forced him to hang up his skates.
We'll never know what could've been for Tlusty after injuries derailed his career. The Caniacs got to see him at his absolute best, even when the team around him wasn't very good. By no means the best player on the ice, Tlusty was a consistent 30-point guy, which wasn't bad by the 2010s Hurricanes' standards. Their patience paid off, and the price wasn't steep at all.