Vlastimil Kroupa

Vlastimil Kroupa (born April 27, 1975) is a retired Czech professional ice hockey defenceman. Chosen in the second round of the 1993 NHL Entry Draft, 45th overall, by the San Jose Sharks, Kroupa played in parts of 5 seasons with the San Jose Sharks and New Jersey Devils. A tall and skilled defenceman, Kroupa was known for a puck-moving transitional style and a heavy point shot. However, he struggled with the longer NHL season (in comparison to Europe), as well as the more rugged and tough physical aspects of the North American game. After several seasons in the late 1990s spent mostly in the AHL refining his game, Kroupa elected to return to play in his native Czech Republic before the start of the 2000–01 season.