Paul Stastny, Canadian-American ice hockey player
Paul Stastny (born December 27, 1985) is a Canadian-born American professional ice hockey center for the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has previously played for the Colorado Avalanche, St. Louis Blues and Vegas Golden Knights.
Of Slovak lineage, Stastny is the son of Peter Šťastný, a Hockey Hall of Famer who played for the Colorado Avalanche's predecessor, the Quebec Nordiques, and finished his career with the St. Louis Blues. Stastny's older brother Yan has played for the Boston Bruins, Edmonton Oilers and St. Louis Blues. His uncles Anton and Marián Šťastný 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 Pioneers at the University of Denver in 2004. After winning the NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Championship in his first season playing for the Pioneers, he remained at the university 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 the 2007–08 season, he was named to his first NHL All-Star Game but did not play because of an appendectomy. As a dual citizen, Stastny has chosen to represent the U.S. in international hockey competitions, including the 2004 Viking Cup, the 2007 IIHF World Championship, and the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics.