Jan Kostalek was quick to admit the news of being named top defenceman in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League caught him off guard.

“I was kind of surprised to get the best defenceman of the year,” Kostalek said in a telephone interview on Tuesday afternoon. “I was really happy and all that. I had the best year of my three years of my junior career.”

Despite the accolades that have come his way, Kostalek has mostly flown under the radar since the Winnipeg Jets selected him in the fourth round (114th overall) of the 2013 NHL Draft.

How does the Czech Republic product describe his own style?

“I'm a two-way defenceman, but I think more about the defence,” said Kostalek, who had seven goals and 43 points in 57 games for the Oceanic this season before adding eight goals and 21 points in 20 playoff games. “If there is an opening, I will go on offence. But if there isn't, I'm not rushing things. I'm waiting for things to happen and doing my defensive job first.”

Kostalek was on the other line just one night after the Oceanic had captured the QMJHL championship with a 2-1 double overtime victory in Game 7 against the Quebec Remparts.

The Oceanic rallied from 3-2 down in the series, taking Game 6 in overtime before the riveting, deciding-game clincher that required more extra time before the hardware was handed out.

“That was amazing. The best feeling that I've ever had after winning a game,” said Kostalek. “It's the best way to finish my (QMJHL) career. To finish with the cup.”

Kostalek, 20, played a starring role in Game 6, sparking a rally from 2-0 down by producing two goals (including the overtime winner) and an assist to keep his team's season alive.

“That was the best game of the playoffs for me,” said Kostalek. “My first one was a nice goal, but the last one I got a pass from behind the net and my shot hit their D in the pants and went in the net. It was kind of lucky.”

As the saying goes, sometimes you create your own luck.

It was just another typical effort from Kostalek, according to Oceanic head coach Serge Beausoleil.

“He was our best player all year long,” Beausoleil said in a telephone interview. “He was a leader on defence. He's an important piece for us. On and off the ice he's been so good for us.

“He's improved his game. That's the bottom line. He can raise the bar at the very important moments.”

The Oceanic are one of four teams – the host Remparts, the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey League and the Kelowna Rockets of the Western Hockey League are the others – that will compete for the Memorial Cup.

“I don't know about our chances, but we're going to do our best, like we have until now and we'll see what's going to happen,” said Kostalek. “We're going to do the same thing we did in the playoffs, play hard.”

The focus for Kostalek is on going out a Memorial Cup champion, but he's already excited about the prospect of turning pro in the Jets' organization next fall.

Kostalek left no doubt that he made the right decision to come to North America to pursue his dream of becoming an NHL player.

“For sure it was worth it,” said Kostalek. “Those three years in Rimouski was the best choice for me and I'm really happy about it

Kostalek is going to need time to further his development with the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League, but he's another one of those prospects that have bolstered the depth within the Jets organization.

“He's a hard worker. He's always in the gym and he likes coming to the rink,” said Beausoleil. “That's the type of player that you want, one with that professional attitude all around.”

ken.wiebe@sunmedia.ca

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Jan Kostalek