Barbara Maier Gustern
A smooth-skating Czech defenseman who carved out a solid NHL career with a powerful shot and steady two-way presence.
1935–2022 (age 87)·American vocal coach·Birthday: February 10·The Silent Generation
Biography
Jakub Kindl's path to the NHL was that of the complete modern defenseman: a product of the Czech system's technical schooling, refined in Canadian major junior hockey. Drafted in the first round by the Detroit Red Wings, he embodied the 'Wings way'—poised, intelligent, and capable of transitioning play with a crisp first pass. While never a flashy star, Kindl became a reliable fixture on the Detroit blue line for parts of six seasons, utilizing his 6'3" frame and a notably heavy slap shot. His game was one of quiet efficiency, logging minutes on both special teams units. After his tenure in Detroit, he continued his professional journey in Europe, bringing his experienced, steadying influence to leagues in Switzerland and back in his native Czech Republic, representing the dependable career of a skilled international hockey journeyman.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Barbara was born in 1935, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Barbara Was Born
The biggest hits of 1935
#1 Movie
Mutiny on the Bounty
Best Picture
Mutiny on the Bounty
Barbara's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1935Born
Social Security Act signed into law
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,450President: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Cheek to Cheek" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Mutiny on the Bounty
1940Started school
The Blitz: Germany bombs London
Gas: $0.18/galHome: $2,938Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I'll Never Smile Again" — Tommy DorseyBest Picture: Rebecca
1948Became a teenager
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1951Could drive
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1953Could vote
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1956Turned 21
Elvis Presley appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $10,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Heartbreak Hotel" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: Around the World in 80 Days
1965Turned 30
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1975Turned 40
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1985Turned 50
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1995Turned 60
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
2005Turned 70
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2015Turned 80
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
2022Died at 87
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
Key Achievements
- Selected 19th overall by the Detroit Red Wings in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.
- Played 297 regular season games in the NHL, all but 15 with the Red Wings.
- Won the Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy as OHL scoring champion with the Kitchener Rangers in 2008.
- Represented the Czech Republic at multiple IIHF World Championships.
- Won a Swiss National League (NL) championship with the ZSC Lions in 2018.
Did You Know?
He played for the Kitchener Rangers in the OHL, where he was a teammate of current NHL star Nazem Kadri.
Kindl's father, also named Jakub, was a professional hockey player in Czechoslovakia.
He scored his first NHL goal against future Hall of Fame goaltender Martin Brodeur.
After leaving North America, he played for clubs in Switzerland, Russia, and the Czech Extraliga.
He is known for having one of the hardest slap shots measured during his time with the Red Wings.
“The voice must be free in the body; the body must be free in the space.”
