Jiří Šlégr

Biographical information

RolesCompeted in Olympic Games
SexMale
Full nameJiří•Šlégr (Bubla-)
Used nameJiří•Šlégr
Born30 May 1971 in Jihlava, Vysočina (CZE)
Measurements186 cm / 94 kg
AffiliationsHC Litvínov, Litvínov (CZE) / Pittsburgh Penguins, Pittsburgh (USA)
NOC Czechia Czechoslovakia
Nationality Czechia
Medals OG
Gold 1
Silver 0
Bronze 1
Total 2

Biography

Jiří Šlégr began playing with CHZ Litvínov in 1986 when he was only 15-years-old and his hockey career lasted through the 2011-12 season, when he was 41. Playing defense, he stayed with Litvinov until the 1991 season, shortly after which he was chosen by the Vancouver Canucks in the 2nd round of the NHL Entry Draft. He moved to North America in 1992 and mostly played in the NHL through the 2005-06 season before returning to the Czech Republic, playing his final five seasons with Litvinov. In the NHL Šlégr had an itinerant career, playing with the Vancouver Canucks, Edmonton Oilers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Detroit Red Wings, Atlanta Thrashers, and Boston Bruins. He also spent parts of a few seasons in the American Hockey League (AHL) with NHL farm clubs, the Hamilton Canucks and Cape Breton Oilers. But during various NHL work stoppages, Šlégr also returned to Europe to play, again with various teams, spending time in the Swedish league with Södertalje SK, the Russian league with Spartak Omsk, and the German Elite League with EHC Biel (Bienne), in addition to short stints with Litvinov in the Czech Republic. In the 2001-02 season, Šlégr was traded from Atlanta to the Red Wings late in the season, which enabled him to get his name on the Stanley Cup that year.

Internationally Šlégr played for Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic at multiple tournaments. He represented Czechoslovakia at the 1990-91 World Juniors, the 1991 World Championships, and the 1992 Winter Olympics and Canada Cup. With the Czech Republic he played at the 1998 Winter Olympics, and the World Cup in 1996, and the 1997-1998 and 2004-05 World Championships, winning World bronze medals in 1997-98 and a gold medal in 2005. Šlégr is a member of the Triple Crown club, winning titles in the NHL, World Championships, and Olympics.

Near the end of his hockey career Šlégr entered the political arena, being elected into the Czech Chamber of Deputies as a member of the Czech Social Democratic Party. Because of party loyalties, Šlégr left the Social Democrats in 2011 and founded a new party, the National Socialists – 21st Century Left. He left parliament in 2013, stating he was going back to the “clean environment among athletes.”

Šlégr was the son of Jiří Bubla, who won a silver medal for Czechoslovakia at the 1976 Winter Olympics, multiple medals at the World Championships, and played in the NHL for four years with the Vancouver Canucks. But the two became estranged after Bubla left the family and Šlégr took the name of his stepfather.

Results

Games Discipline (Sport) / Event NOC / Team Pos Medal Nationality As
1992 Winter Olympics Ice Hockey (Ice Hockey) TCH CZE Jiří Šlégr
Ice Hockey, Men (Olympic) Czechoslovakia 3 Bronze
1998 Winter Olympics Ice Hockey (Ice Hockey) CZE Jiří Šlégr
Ice Hockey, Men (Olympic) Czech Republic 1 Gold

Olympic family relations

Special Notes