Michael Kostka facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Michael Kostka |
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Kostka as a Ranger in October 2014.
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| Born | November 28, 1985 Ajax, Ontario, Canada |
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| Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) | ||
| Weight | 210 lb (95 kg; 15 st 0 lb) | ||
| Position | Defence | ||
| Shot | Right | ||
| Played for | Toronto Maple Leafs Chicago Blackhawks Tampa Bay Lightning New York Rangers Ottawa Senators Skellefteå AIK |
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| NHL Draft | Undrafted | ||
| Playing career | 2008–2018 | ||
Michael Christopher Kostka (born November 28, 1985) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played as a defenceman in the National Hockey League (NHL).
Playing Ice Hockey
Michael Kostka started his hockey journey playing in college. He spent four seasons at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. After college, he signed his first professional contract with the Buffalo Sabres in March 2008.
He then played for the Sabres' minor league team, the Rochester Americans, in the American Hockey League (AHL). The AHL is a league where players often develop their skills before joining the NHL.
Kostka later joined the Florida Panthers organization. He played for their AHL team, the Rochester Americans, again. In December 2011, he was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning. He joined the Lightning's AHL team, the Norfolk Admirals. With the Admirals, he helped them win the Calder Cup in 2012. This is a big championship for AHL teams.
Playing in the NHL
On July 1, 2012, Kostka signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He made his NHL debut on January 19, 2013, against the Montreal Canadiens. In that game, he earned his first NHL point. He split his time between the Maple Leafs and their AHL team, the Toronto Marlies.
In July 2013, Kostka signed with the Chicago Blackhawks. They were the champions of the Stanley Cup at the time. He scored his first NHL goal against the Maple Leafs on October 19, 2013. After playing nine games with the Blackhawks, he was claimed by the Tampa Bay Lightning in February 2014. He finished that season playing for the Lightning.
Kostka then signed with the New York Rangers in July 2014. He spent most of his time playing for their AHL team, the Hartford Wolf Pack.
In July 2015, he joined the Ottawa Senators. He played for their AHL team, the Binghamton Senators. Kostka played his first game for Ottawa in March 2016.
In 2017, while still with the Binghamton Senators, Kostka was part of a trade. He moved to the Calgary Flames organization. He played for their AHL team, the Stockton Heat.
After his time in North America, Kostka decided to play hockey in Europe. In September 2017, he signed with Skellefteå AIK, a top team in Sweden's SHL league. He played his last professional season there in 2017–18.
Awards and Honors
Michael Kostka received some special awards during his hockey career:
- In college, he was named to the All-Hockey East Second Team in 2007–08.
- He won the Calder Cup with the Norfolk Admirals in 2012.
- He was chosen to play in the AHL All-Star Game in 2016.
