SAN JOSE, CA - MAY 12: Ruslan Salei #24 and Niklas Kronwall #55 of the Detroit Red Wings show their disapointment after losing 3 to 2 to the San Jose Sharks in Game Seven of the Western Conference Semifinals during the 2011 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at the HP Pavilion on May 12, 2011 in San Jose, California.(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
Petr Klima, who captivated Detroit Red Wings fans in the 1980s with his brilliant flair, passed away.
According to reports from his native Czechia, Klima was discovered at his Chomutov residence, but no other information was provided. He was 58.
Klima was drafted by the Wings in 1983, going 86th overall. He spent four complete seasons with the Wings from 1985 to 1989 before being traded to the Edmonton Oilers in a blockbuster deal during the 1989-1990 season. He finally returned to the Red Wings for the 1998–99 season, appearing in 13 games before retiring.
Klima was taken out of communist Czechoslovakia in 1985, four years before the Iron Curtain fell. From 1985-8, he had three consecutive 30-goal seasons.8.He, along with other 1983 draft picks Steve Yzerman and Bob Probert, helped bury the “Dead Wings.” Klima’s off-ice issues finally led to the Wings trading Klima, Joe Murphy, Adam Graves, and Jeff Sharples to the Oilers for Jimmy Carson, Kevin McClelland, and a fifth-round choice in the 1991 NHL draft.
In 786 NHL games over 13 seasons, the right winger scored 313 regular-season goals and contributed 260 assists.
