Andrej Šustr
A towering Czech defenseman who carved out a lengthy NHL career with his formidable reach and quiet reliability.
Born 1990 (age 36)·Czech ice hockey player·Birthday: November 29·Millennials
Biography
Andrej Šustr's path to professional hockey was unconventional. The 6-foot-8 blueliner from Plzeň wasn't drafted into the NHL but caught the eye of scouts while playing college hockey at the University of Nebraska Omaha. His sheer size and improving puck-moving skills earned him a contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2012. Šustr quickly became a fixture on the Lightning's blue line for five seasons, using his enormous wingspan to break up plays and shield the puck. He was a steady, if unflashy, presence on teams that made deep playoff runs, including a trip to the Stanley Cup Final in 2015. After stints with the Anaheim Ducks and a return to Europe, his career demonstrated that players developed outside the major junior system could succeed through persistence and by maximizing a unique physical gift.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Andrej was born in 1990, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Andrej Was Born
The biggest hits of 1990
#1 Movie
Home Alone
Best Picture
Dances with Wolves
#1 TV Show
Roseanne
Andrej's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1990Born
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1995Started school
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2003Became a teenager
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2006Could drive
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2008Could vote
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2011Turned 21
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2020Turned 30
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 36 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Played 347 regular-season games in the NHL, primarily with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
- Was a regular defenseman for the Lightning team that reached the 2015 Stanley Cup Final.
- Signed an NHL contract as an undrafted free agent after a collegiate career at the University of Nebraska Omaha.
Did You Know?
He is one of the tallest players ever to skate in the NHL, standing at 6 feet 8 inches tall.
Šustr played soccer seriously as a youth and only focused exclusively on hockey in his mid-teens.
He represented the Czech Republic at the 2014 IIHF World Championship.
“You have to be ready when the opportunity comes, because it might only come once.”
