Paul Stastny

Paul Stastny
Stastny while with the Colorado Avalanche in 2013.
Born	(1985-12-27) December 27, 1985 (age 31) Quebec City, Quebec
Height	6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight	205 lb (93 kg; 14 st 9 lb)
Position	Center
Shoots	Left
NHL team Former teams	St. Louis Blues Colorado Avalanche EHC München
National team	United States
NHL Draft	44th overall, 2005 Colorado Avalanche
Playing career	2006–present

Paul Stastny (born December 27, 1985) is a Canadian-born American professional ice hockey center, an alternate captain for the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League.

Of Slovak lineage, Stastny is the son of Hockey Hall of Famer Peter Šťastný, who played for the Avalanche's predecessor, the Quebec Nordiques, and finished his career with the St. Louis Blues. His older brother Yan has played for the Boston Bruins, Edmonton Oilers and St. Louis Blues. His uncles Anton and Marian Stastny both played in the NHL during the 1980s, also for the Nordiques.

Stastny began his junior hockey career with the River City Lancers of the United States Hockey League before moving to the University of Denver Pioneers in 2004. He won the NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship in his first season playing for the Pioneers. He remained at the University of Denver for one more season. He signed a contract with the Avalanche before the 2006–07 NHL season, scored 78 points in 82 games in his rookie season and was nominated for the Calder Memorial Trophy. In 2007–08 he was named to his first NHL All-Star Game, but didn't play because of an appendectomy. As a dual citizen, Stastny has chosen to play for the U.S. in international hockey competitions, which have included the 2004 Viking Cup, the 2007 IIHF World Championship, and the 2010, 2014 Winter Olympics.