| Aleš Stezka | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Stezka with theSeattle Kraken in 2024 | |||
| Born | (1997-01-06)January 6, 1997 (age 29) Plzeň, Czech Republic | ||
| Height | 193 cm (6 ft 4 in) | ||
| Weight | 91 kg (201 lb; 14 st 5 lb) | ||
| Position | Goaltender | ||
| Catches | Left | ||
| ELH team Former teams | HC Kometa Brno Bílí Tygři Liberec HC Vítkovice Seattle Kraken | ||
| NHL draft | 111th overall,2015 Minnesota Wild | ||
| Playing career | 2017–present | ||
Aleš Stezka (born 6 January 1997) is a Czech professionalice hockeygoaltender forHC Kometa Brno of theCzech Extraliga (ELH). He was drafted 111th overall by theMinnesota Wild in2015.[1]
Stezka playedjunior hockey with the regional Czech team HC Meteor Třemošná.[2] He would join theBílí Tygři Liberec of theCzech Extraliga in 2010.[3]
In the2015 NHL entry draft, Stezka was selected in the fourth round (111th overall) by theMinnesota Wild. However, he would spend the2015–16 season with theSioux Falls Stampede and the2016–17 season with theChicago Steel, both of theUnited States Hockey League (USHL).[4]
For the2017–18 season, Stezka returned to the Czech Republic, once again playing for Liberec, where he formed a goaltending tandem withRoman Will.[5] During the season, he played only two games with Liberec and another 27 after being loaned toHC Benátky nad Jizerou of the2nd Czech Republic Hockey League, where he alternated in goal withJosef Kořenář.[6]
Stezka spent the2018–19 season on loan toPiráti Chomutov of the Extraliga andHC Slovan Ústí nad Labem of the 2nd Czech Republic Hockey League. He would then spend the following two seasons playing forAZ Havířov.[7] He then started playing forHC Vítkovice Ridera, where he would spend two seasons.[8] At the end of the2022–23 season, writers for the Czech newspaperPrávo honored him when they chose him as the Extraliga's best goaltender.[9]
Following the 2022–23 season, Stezka went back to North America, where he signed a one-year,entry-level contract with theSeattle Kraken of theNational Hockey League (NHL), taking effect in the2023–24 season.[10] Before the season, he participated in the Kraken's training camp, and was then sent down to the Kraken'sAmerican Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, theCoachella Valley Firebirds. He made his NHL debut for Seattle against the Tampa Bay Lightning on February 23, 2025.[11]
After his lone appearance with the Kraken in the2024–25 season, Stezka opted to return to his native Czech Republic as a free agent to sign a three-year contract with reigning champions, HC Kometa Brno of the ELH, on 18 June 2025.[12]
Stezka played with theCzech Republic during the2015 IIHF World U18 Championships. The Czech Republic was eliminated in a 3–2 loss toCanada, in which Stezka made 22 saves.[13] The next year, he played with theCzech Republic in the2016 World Junior Championships.[14]
| Regular season | Playoffs | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | W | L | OTL | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | GP | W | L | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | ||
| 2015–16 | Sioux Falls Stampede | USHL | 19 | 6 | 10 | 1 | 1014 | 56 | 1 | 3.32 | .893 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2016–17 | Chicago Steel | USHL | 37 | 22 | 10 | 3 | 2154 | 82 | 4 | 2.28 | .916 | 13 | 9 | 4 | 796 | 27 | 3 | 2.04 | .812 | ||
| 2017–18 | HC Bílí Tygři Liberec | ELH | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 100 | 7 | 0 | 4.20 | .868 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2017-18 | HC Benátky nad Jizerou | CZE.2 | 27 | 5 | 22 | 0 | 1397 | 113 | 0 | 4.85 | .858 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2018–19 | Piráti Chomutov | ELH | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 235 | 15 | 0 | 3.83 | .883 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2018–19 | HC Slovan Ústí nad Labem | CZE.2 | 28 | 8 | 20 | 0 | 1641 | 103 | 1 | 3.77 | .903 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2019–20 | AZ Havířov | CZE.2 | 50 | 28 | 21 | 0 | 2928 | 125 | 4 | 2.56 | .909 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2020–21 | AZ Havířov | CZE.2 | 20 | 8 | 11 | 0 | 1184 | 50 | 1 | 2.53 | .914 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2021–22 | HC Vítkovice Ridera | ELH | 46 | 24 | 21 | 0 | 2736 | 116 | 1 | 2.54 | .910 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 491 | 18 | 0 | 2.20 | .923 | ||
| 2022–23 | HC Vítkovice Ridera | ELH | 39 | 25 | 14 | 0 | 2382 | 85 | 5 | 2.14 | .924 | 12 | 6 | 6 | 874 | 18 | 2 | 1.24 | .960 | ||
| 2023–24 | Coachella Valley Firebirds | AHL | 27 | 18 | 6 | 2 | 1547 | 64 | 2 | 2.48 | .914 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2024–25 | Coachella Valley Firebirds | AHL | 26 | 9 | 12 | 5 | 1525 | 78 | 0 | 3.07 | .899 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2024–25 | Seattle Kraken | NHL | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 58 | 3 | 0 | 3.09 | .870 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| ELH totals | 92 | 49 | 42 | 0 | 5,453 | 223 | 6 | 2.45 | .896 | 20 | 9 | 11 | 1,365 | 36 | 2 | 1.72 | .942 | ||||
| NHL totals | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 58 | 3 | 0 | 3.09 | .870 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | W | L | OT | MIN | GA | SO | GAA | SV% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Czech Republic | U18 | 6th | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 105 | 6 | 0 | 3.46 | .908 | |
| 2016 | Czech Republic | WJC | 5th | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 5 | 0 | 7.50 | .800 | |
| Junior totals | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 145 | 11 | 0 | 5.48 | .854 | ||||