Valábik to bolster the Blaze blue-line

Valábik reached the Kazakh Final with Arlan last season,
scoring 20 points in 33 games in the process
Photo: etemirtau.com

Last week the Coventry Blaze got pulses racing when they announced the signing of 29-year old Slovak defenceman, Boris Valábik. The Nitra native, who stands a mightily impressive 201cm joins the Blaze with 80 NHL games to his credit as a member of the now-defunct Atlanta Thrashers, before returning to Europe in 2012. Most recently, Valábik plied his trade for Arlan Kokshetau in the Kazakh Championship, where he was signed as a replacement for Ben O'Connor (not directly, obviously), whilst also being a team-mate of former much-heralded Blaze blue-liner Dustin Wood.

Anyone with an internet connection has probably already seen some of Valábik's fight videos on YouTube, and that's not really my interest in this article here. I tweeted quite extensively on the day the Blaze signed Valábik. See below:

And from what I remember, the guy is a pretty decent skater, just takes a while to get going.

— Jon Rowson (@JonRowson) July 13, 2015

On Arlan's depth charts, Dustin Wood was first pairing ahead of him. Can't find any info as to why Valábik played only 8 of Arlan's PO games

— Jon Rowson (@JonRowson) July 13, 2015

Key for Valábik this year will be staying healthy though. Had multiple knee surgeries already, and back troubles in 2013/14.

— Jon Rowson (@JonRowson) July 13, 2015

I watched Valábik a number of times whilst he played for Kometa Brno in 2012/13, and even on the big ice, in an incredible quick league such as the Czech Extraliga, Valábik looked more than competent. The simple fact is, that a guy of his size, with his nose for physicality, would be playing in the NHL if it weren't for his skating. However, in the EIHL, a much slower league than the majority of other European leagues, coupled with the smaller ice surface which he will play on for the majority of his games, I think this signing makes sense. Often the Devils are praised for signing a hard-nosed team for the "small ice" of the Big Blue Tent. Why not the Blaze in the case of Valábik?

Now. Where am I going with this? I don't particularly want to go too in depth with my critique/thoughts as I haven't seen the guy play live for two years, whilst also, if my opinions were 100% correct, I'd be in the hockey business rather than writing on a blog. Additionally, I feel that it is a little terse to comment on Valábik before the Blaze have completed their defence line-up, and to see how he compliments Godfrey, Jorgensen, Quesnele, Chalmers and (when he's available) Clements.

However, seeing as the Blaze press release lacked an interview with Valábik, and I stumbled upon an interview in Slovak with the Nitra native on a Slovak hockey site this evening (link: dated 14/07/2015) which I thought would be a good read for Blaze fans, especially as it reveals some rather interesting information.

(Ed note: Before I start, a quick note of thanks to Tomáš Kmec [@Tomas_Kmec] for his help in interpreting parts of the article beyond my literal translation skills. This translation will be by no means 100%, and I will always go for a looser translation more to do with the tone of the article. My additions are within square brackets)

Hokejportal: During the last season, in an interview with Hokejportal, you described some wild practices in Kazakhstan with Karaganda. After a few days you asked us to withdraw the interview from the site. Can you say the reasons a few months later?
Boris Valábik: The agent, whom I worked with in Kazakhstan, asked me to withdraw the interview. I don't know why exactly, but he simply asked me, so I agreed. It certainly was not a good advertisement [for the Kazakh League], and I did not want to cause harm. It was a Latvian who works in Kazakhstan.

HP:You were not going to play in Kazakhstan this season?
BV: Not really. The financial capacity of the clubs has reduced significantly, closely linked to the financial crisis and the oil price. The teams there are highly dependent on oil, and the possibilities to finance sport are therefore reduced. They want to provide sport for people, but it does not matter what the league quality will be. They are not willing to give a player more money despite reducing the import quota. Now a team can only have five foreigners. Last season teams could ice 11 imports in each game, and I think there was one team with 14 imports on their roster. When all can't play, it doesn't make for a good environment in the locker room because there are significant bonuses for winning games.

HP: What in the end made you decide to sign in Coventry?
BV: I signed only on Monday [last week], and Coventry confirmed it very quickly. I was surprised because I signed an open contract*. Until the end of July, there is the possibility of finding something else, I can go. I debated moving home to Nitra and I am still thinking. But I wanted to have something in my hand, so I signed for them [Coventry]. They met all my requests so much so that it would have been stupid for me not to sign with them. What I desired, they fulfilled. Whether it be financial, or anything else.

HP: The terms were very good?
BV: My agent was surprised how good they were. I had no reason to say no. I know nothing about the British League. I have received some information from former team-mates from my time overseas. They told me that the level is higher than expected. A month ago, I was talking with another British team [seemingly Sheffield], but I said no. In the end I gratefully accepted Coventry's offer. I might surprise myself, but I am still searching for a team as the contract is open.

HP: People say that the British League is poor
BV: They say that, but I don't listen. What people say is secondary for me. I cared when I was 18, but not now. Even when I played in the NHL, I found people swore at me. Whether I was at the World Championships, winning in the AHL, I always found some who saw something bad in me. If I gave in to what people said, I would never be drafted, I wouldn't have played in the NHL and would have been sitting in an office somewhere today. If I paid attention to the words of people, my life would have taken a completely different direction.

HP: You mentioned interest with Nitra, can you elaborate?
BV: I am still in touch with Miroslav Kováčik and we will certainly talk. I'm not denying that at all. I know a lot of the guys on the team right now, and Miroslav seems to me like a man in the right place. England gives me a better financial offer, but I'm at home in Nitra, playing in the Champions League. Everything has its pros and cons, I still have to decide.

Reading this first interview, I was intrigued about Valábik's contract situation and the concept of an "open contract". What I presume this to stand for is the typical two-week notice period that Valábik could, if he so chooses, hand in his two weeks notice, seemingly before the end of July, and sign with Nitra if they match the financial offer. It seems to be a bit of a strange scenario, but it remains to be seen. Clearly, this article is for a Slovak audience, so this perhaps explains the continued discussion of the option of moving to Nitra.

Valábik scored 1+2 on his debut for Piešťany in 2013,
including an overtime winner
Photo: TASR/Čas.sk

However, thankfully pravda.sk conducted another interview with Mr. Valábik at the time of the signing which provides more information about this "open contract", as well as who he snubbed in the lead up to signing in Coventry.

Pravda: Why did you decide to sign in Coventry?
Boris Valábik: The first word that comes to mind is stability. One month ago, I declined an offer from the Nottingham Panthers. However, I still kept the EIHL in mind. I began to take an interest and my former team-mates gave it praise. People from their club called me every day and convinced me that they wanted me. Most importantly, the club always pays its players on tie, the full amount.

Pravda: Were there other teams competing for your services?
BV: There were, and are still offers. I have a clause in my contract that if I receive a better deal I can leave. Currently I am debating an offer from Nitra. Playing at home is a massive draw. However, at my age, it is mainly about the money. I look at hockey pragmatically, I want to restart my career.

P: What do you know about the British EIHL?
BV: Firstly, I was surprised that a few hours after signing the contract, I received calls from my friends Branislav Mezei and Ivan Čiernik. The marketing is at a good level there. They immediately wanted me to have a Twitter account so I could interact with the fans. I heard that the league is physically tough, there are many foreign hockey players, and I won't shy away from fighting, although I have slightly calmed down. But I have always been the type to provoke things on the ice.

P: How will you remember your season in Kazakhstan?
BV: It was an interesting experience that opened my eyes. I went to Kazakhstan purely for the money. I went through three clubs. The whole sport and life in the country is linked to oil. As its price dropped, there was less money for sport and it has made a big impact on the league for next season.

P: You have had injury problems for a lot of your career, how do you deal with it?
BV: It's challenging. Few people know that I played almost my entire NHL career hurt. Torn pectoral muscle, shoulder sprains, a sprained ankle, which I convinced myself I could play with. Within five years I had six operations. I appreciate my health more now, especially now that I am healthy and I don't have any problems at present.

P: Have you reconciled with the enforcer label that followed you in the NHL?
BV: I was a defensive defenceman. I did not score a lot of points, so therefore the media only reacted when I fought. I was not a typical enforcer. I always defended team-mates when it was needed. I never started a fight over an argument or during the warm-up. I admit that maybe I was not able to concentrate on my normal game as much whilst I had such a reputation

[Ed: The interview goes on to ask a number of more questions about his NHL career, but I've limited it to just what I think is relevant for Valábik's time in the EIHL].

Obviously the picture is a little clearer with the help of that second interview. Valábik, like I think a large number of players in the EIHL has a clause (typical two-week release clause) which allows him to leave for a better offer. Therefore, I don't think this is anything for Blaze fans to get too worried about.

All in all, Valábik looks like he will be donning a Blaze jersey come September, and I can think of many of the Skydome faithful who will be delighted to see that, especially if he puts in performances like his debut for Piešťany in 2013/14. Two assists and the overtime winner:

,

Vítame vás, Boris. Veľa šťastia v Anglicku!

Plzeň’s Ryan Hollweg handed ten game ban

Another week and seemingly another ban for HC Škoda Plzeň’s Ryan Hollweg. The 31 year old American was handed the ban by the ČSLH (Czech Hockey Association) for his knee-on-knee hit on former teammate Tomáš Vlasák in the game against Slavia Praha at the o2 Arena on Friday. For Hollweg, it is another strike on his ever increasing Extraliga rap-sheet. An video of the incident can be found below:

With the speed that Hollweg barrelled into Vlasák, it is surprising that the Slavia forward didn’t come off worse for wear, and despite his lack of injury, Hollweg was still handed the maximum ten game penalty for a knee-on-knee hit. Quoting from the press release, the ČSLH ruled that Hollweg had intended to bodycheck Vlasák, but when the latter attempted to dodge the hit, Hollweg moved to make sure that he connected with Vlasák, with the result being a knee-on-knee hit.

This is not the first suspension for Hollweg this season, as he received a one match ban for an altercation in a game against Sparta Praha, where he gave Slovak forward Martin Reway a hiding in front of the Sparta bench (see below). This, along with Hollweg’s previous suspensions were taken into account by the ČSLH in deciding the severity of the ban.

It is interesting to note that in an interview after the game, Vlasák said, “He is not a malicious player. It was a penalty, but I do not think it was an attempt to injure”

Hollweg has truly made a name for himself
in the Czech Republic in his two seasons
Photo: Milan Podpera, hcskoda.cz

Hollweg, who has over 200 NHL games to his credit, moved to the Czech Republic in 2012, and has been taken to heart by the Plzeň faithful, who love his bang and crash style, which few have tried before in the Extraliga. In his first season with the club, Plzeň won the Czech Extraliga, and was given a relatively large amount of ice time by the club. Last season it was a different story, as a serious injury brought an end to the Downey, California native’s year after only 20 games, in which he tallied four points.

It is unfair to call Hollweg a loose cannon, as consistently through his Extraliga career, he has been physical but has largely toed the line. 180 penalty minutes through 60 games before this season is not what one would call excessive, and it seems that the ČSLH have thrown the book at him.

It was a nasty knee-on-knee hit, which could have been a lot worse. It definitely deserved some form of suspension, but I feel that ten games is somewhat excessive for Hollweg. In addition, Slavia’s Michal Poletín, who attempted to confront Ryan Hollweg, was handed a fine for his part in the fracas. 

Čada calls time on Slovan career

Hockey fans in Bratislava woke up to a shock this morning, as Slovan Bratislava announced on their website that the team and head coach Rostislav Čada had come to an agreement over the termination of the latter’s contract. For all intents and purposes it appears that Čada asked to be released from his contract rather than being fired by the club.

Photo from Rostislav Čada's last game in charge of Slovan
Photo: hcslovan.sk

Čada has had a mixed bag of success since joining Slovan Bratislava in 2012, upon their entry to the KHL. The Czech born coach had floundered with Avangard Omsk, but found his niche with a battling Slovan side, and whilst his brand of defensive hockey may have been dour at times, it did get results. Slovan’s first season in the KHL was an unmitigated success, as the team with one of the smallest budgets in the KHL made it to the Gagarin Cup Playoffs.

However, Jaroslav Janus and the rest of Slovan’s capitulation to Dinamo Moscow in the 2012/13 playoffs set the tone of things to come, and last season was one of frustration at the Slovnaft Arena. The sole Slovak team in the KHL toiled but could only finish 11th in the Western Conference, meaning it was the Nadezhda Cup rather than the Gagarin Cup they were playing for.

Despite this, Rostislav Čada’s time in Bratislava will be well remembered, as he managed to make what should’ve been a struggler, into a competitor. Slovan have consistently punched above their weight against the giants of Russian hockey, and Čada’s style of play has been an integral part of the club picking up historic victories over the likes of SKA St. Petersburg, Ak Bars Kazan and Metallurg Magnitogorsk. Over the past two seasons, Čada’s brand of counter-attacking hockey, relying on the speed of players like captain Milan Bartovič and Libor Hudáček has proven successful, especially when paired with the incredible performances of Jaroslav Janus, especially in 2012/13.

The announcement on Slovan Bratislava’s webpage is as follows:
“HC Slovan Bratislava thanks Rostislav Čada for the honesty and responsibility he showed during his 29-month tenure in Bratislava for our cub. We wish him every success in his future work and private life."

Without wishing to enter the realm of counter-factual reporting, Slovan’s recent turn in results may have convinced Čada that he had achieved all that he could have with his limited resources. After three wins out of three to start the current campaign, Slovan’s luck has turned, and most recently a toothless 3-0 loss on home ice to strugglers Severstal Cherepovets may have been the straw that broke the camel’s back.

Slovan's fans have supported the team in their droves, yet
budgets remain tight at the Slovnaft Arena
Photo: hcslovan.sk

To try and give some context to Slovan’s financial battle, GM Maroš Krajči announced last week that Slovan’s budget for the coming KHL season would be €13million. Using figures compiled by sports.ru, for the 2013/14 season, Ilya Kovalchuk and Alexander Radulov make €8million and €5.8million respectively on their own. What’s more, no Slovan players featured in the top-90 paid KHL players according to the same website. According to official figures released by the KHL Slovan’s budget was the second lowest in the KHL last season, a startling seven times less than top spenders SKA St. Petersburg. Within this environment, it is a miracle that Čada was even able to get Slovan to the playoffs in the first place.

Vladimir Országh becomes Slovan's interim coach
along with Ján Lipianský
Photo: bystricoviny.sk/

Slovan announced that their interim coaches would be former NHLer Vladimir Országh and former Slovan fan favourite Ján Lipianský, who played for the club during their first KHL campaign before hanging up the skates. While this coaching pair will only have the job temporarily, it will be interesting to see how the team performs under the tutelage of the pair. Országh is being tipped as one of Slovakia’s best young coaches and will potentially be given the job when current national team coach Vladimir Vůjtek leaves the post. Országh had spent the last two seasons as head coach of Banska Bystrica in the Slovak Extraliga, and was named assistant coach of the Slovak national team in the summer of 2013 as a nod towards his potential. Still only 37 years of age, Országh has a lot to learn, but getting thrown in at the deep end may not be the worst thing for the former Nashville Predator.

It doesn’t get much tougher for Országh, Lipianský and Slovan as they look to break their three game losing streak against Alexander Radulov and his CSKA Moscow side at the Slovnaft Arena on Saturday. CSKA have won five games out of six so far this season, whilst a Slovan loss may see the team fall out of the playoff positions already.

I, for one, will miss Čada. I think he did a fantastic job with what he had before him, and has made Slovan into a competent and competitive KHL team. I’m going to miss seeing him on the bench at the Slovnaft Arena, where peculiarly he stood in front of his players, right at ice level. Who knows what is next for the Brno native, but Velvet Hockey wishes him all the best.

Deaths send shockwaves through Slovak hockey

The first weekend of a new season is where all the hope and optimism generated during four months without hockey comes together. Fans go into the year hoping for the best, and while for some it will be a season of success, for others, this may just be the only happy time during the whole season… Well until at least it ends.

However, Slovakia is waking up on Monday morning to the news that three people within the hockey world have passed away over the course of the weekend. The deaths of Miroslav Hlinka, Miroslav Kováčík and long-time Slovak national team doctor Vladimir Luptak, all before their time, has left a number of questions to be answered and has cast a sombre veil down on Slovak hockey. Hlinka and Kováčík took their own lives, whilst Luptak, who died following a long battle with illness. He was 50 years of age.

Miroslav Hlinka won gold with Slovakia in 2002
Photo: Imago/East News

Miroslav Hlinka was one of Slovakia’s premier European-based players during the first decade of the 21st century. The Trenčín native learned his trade with his home town Dukla, before movig first to the Czech Republic, and then on to the rest of Europe. He played for Sparta Praha for four seasons, before having a prolific career in Finland with Jokerit, Sweden with MODO and Russia with Dinamo Moscow. Wherever he went, Hlinka brought success, having won the Czech Extraliga in 2004, Finnish and Swedish silver medals in 2000 and 2002 respectively. Most notably, Hlinka was a member of the famous Slovak team which won IIHF World Championship Gold in Sweden in 2002. He scored two points in the tournament which is still down in the history books as Slovakia’s greatest hockey triumph.

Cousin of former NHLer and prolific forward Jaroslav Hlinka, Miroslav Hlinka was more than just an on-ice force. He was given the captaincy at Pardubice and Chomutov, and kept on playing into his 43rd year, as he spent last season in the Slovak 1.liga with HK Trnava, before hanging up the skates and taking an assistant coaching position with Slovak Extraliga team, Banska Bystrica.

In an interview with Czech press, Jaroslav Hlinka said that he found out about his cousin’s death immediately after Sparta Praha’s 3-1 loss to Hradec Kralove on Sunday. “When I heard the news, I began to remember our experiences. When I was younger, Miro was like a big brother. He played hockey and I looked up to him. We did not grow up together, but when I knew that he was a good hockey player…I guess, in public, Miro always appeared chilled, but probably was hiding something.”

Tributes came from other major figures within Slovak hockey. Hlinka’s teammate from his time with the Slovak national team, Ladislav Nagy, said, ‘I’m shocked. We were in contact when we [Slovan Bratislava] played in Banska Bystrica during preseason. He looked fine then. I don’t understand what happened.”

Additionally, HC Košice defenceman and also fellow national team teammate Martin Štrbák said, “When someone leaves the world who you know very well, it is very sad. I don’t know what was the cause, but he must have suffered greatly … Miro was my roommate at the World Championships when in 2002 we became the world champion and we got together three medals. It is difficult for me to talk about. I’m in shock. I do not have words.”

News of Miroslav Kováčík's death broke Monday
Photo: hokej.sk

Most recently, news broke on Monday morning about another Slovak hockey player taking his own life, as forward Miroslav Kováčík passed away at the age of 35. Born in Nitra, Kováčík had a prosperous career which saw him play in Russia, Sweden, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. He also featured for Slovakia at three World Championships. Last season, he was part of the HK Nitra team who were beaten finalists in the Slovak Extraliga, with Kováčík scoring 20 goals during the regular season. The news was broken by MHK Dubnica, for whom both Hlinka and Kováčík both worked for in off-ice capacities.

This recent blow to Slovak hockey has left many asking the same questions which emerged following the deaths of Wade Belak, Derek Boogaard and Rick Rypien three years ago. It just may be that the timings of these deaths were coincidence, but the fact that hockey players continue to be plagued by ailments such as depression is something that still needs addressing.

More news will come in due course as investigations take place into all three deaths which have dealt a body blow to Slovak hockey this weekend. The words tragedy and saddening have been used in the Slovak press as adjectives to describe the deaths of Hlinka, Kováčík and Luptak, which perfectly captures the shock and grief that is now with Slovak hockey fans.

Quotes come from here and here

Slovan Bratislava still on the Handzuš trail

Each year as summer turns to autumn, there are always one or two European veterans who seemingly fall off the face of the earth as their NHL contracts expire and no news is forthcoming of there whereabouts. More often than not, this is the signal of a return home to Europe. This summer, the likes of Rostislav Klesla and Mikael Samuelsson have moved back to their respective native lands in order to prolong their careers by a few more seasons with HC Oceláři Třinec and Djurgården respectively.

At 37 years of age and over 1000 NHL games to his credit, Michal Handzuš has been one of the most understated NHLers in his fifteen season career in North America. After starting out with the St. Louis Blues, Handzuš played for six teams in total, with the pinnacle of his career being the Stanley Cup victory with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2012/13.

Handzuš was a major part of the Slovakia
team that won silver at the 2012 IIHF
World Championships
Photo: SITA, nhl.sk

However, the Banska Bystrica native is now a free agent, and with few NHL offers on the table after a disappointing 16 points in 59 games, it looks like Slovakia’s KHL representative, HC Slovan Bratislava, may be in the market for the big bodied centre. Handzuš is a player respected by many in Slovakia, not least due his commitment to the national team. Slovakia has been plagued in recent seasons with many of the now few Slovaks in the NHL refusing to attend the World Championships, but when situations have allowed, Handzuš is a regular attendee.

The news of Slovan’s pursuit of Handzuš was reiterated by Slovan General Manager Maros Krajči. Sport.sk quotes Krajči, who said that “with each passing day, the chance of Handzuš playing for Slovan increases“. (link)

Krajči goes on to reiterate that the option of an NHL team coming in at the eleventh hour to snatch Handzuš remains a possibility, it would be a major coup for Slovan to add a player of Handzuš‘ experience. Furthermore, especially following rumblings of financial difficulties towards the end of last season, a signing of Handzuš‘ calibre would go a long way to generating marketing interest in the team, as well as the necessary ¨bums on seats¨.

The way is perhaps paved somewhat for Handzuš, as Krajči announced to the press that Slovan had released defenceman Tomáš Mojžíš and forward Martin Bakoš (link). Since being signed from HC Lev in 2013, Mojžíš had been a solid contributor for Slovan, adding 13 points from the blueline in his one full season with Slovan. However, Slovan have spent a lot of money upgrading their blueline this summer, adding Ivan Baranka and most recently Tomáš Starosta. One would assume that financial considerations were at the heart of Mojžíš‘ release, especially while Vladimir Mihálík remains on the roster.

With the Miroslav Šatan ship now seemingly sailed into the port of retirement, the importance of Slovan adding Handzuš is not to be underestimated, especially in terms of what he adds off the ice more than anything. On the ice, Slovan kicked off the 2014/15 season in style, as new summer signing and Slovakia national team veteran Ladislav Nagy had a hattrick in his debut for the club. Check out his marvellous second goal below (play develops from 1:50 onwards), where Nagy made former Canadiens second rounder Mathieu Carle look like a beer leaguer with a lovely piece of skill.

If Handzuš is to join Slovan, I can’t imagine he will don the eagle crest for a couple of weeks at least. However, with the team now flying out to Russia for a three game road trip where they will face Metallurg Magnitogorsk, Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg and Ak Bars Kazan, presumably Krajči and the rest of the backroom staff in Bratislava will have less distraction in order to tempt Handzuš to join the Sky Blues (Belasí).

Extraliga Preview Part One: Tough seasons ahead

We are now under a month away until the puck drops for the 2014/15 Czech Extraliga season, and with most team’s transfer business completed, what better time to offer a comprehensive preview of the coming year. With two new teams and a host of new faces, it is sure to be one of the best seasons yet.

Slavia Praha – How to solve a problem like Lubina?

Last season: 10th

Last season’s top scorer: Jaroslav Bednář (37yo, 47GP 12+27 +12)

Last season’s top goaltender: Dominík Furch (48GP 2.37GAA 91.5%)

Slavia will need a stellar season from Dominík Furch
Photo: Martin Prokop, hc-slavia.cz

Backroom drama is nothing new to Slavia Praha. The recent ownership debacle looks to have sorted out as Vladimír Pitter seems to be a stabilising force, however, the infighting has taken its toll. Legendary head coach Vladimír Růžička has left the club, taking up the post as Czech Republic head coach full time. A host of other players have left, including defenceman and captain Petr Kadlec, who had played over 1000 games for Slavia. Vladimír Růžička jr., David Skokan, Petr Jelínek, Lukáš Žejdl and Lukáš Krenželok have also left for other teams.

I won’t make any apologies for being a Slavia fan, and although I can see that there are many holes to fill on the roster, I have a sneaky suspicion that Slavia will better last year’s performance which saw them lose to Pardubice in the play-ins. In goal, Dominík Furch enters his second season as an out and out starter since Miroslav Kopřiva’s departure. Furch, who has been playing with the senior Slavia team since he was 16, has a wealth of experience and I think can better last year’s save percentage.

Petr Kadlec may have gone and Pavel Kolářik is nearly out of the door, but in new captain David Štich and the resurgent 6’8¨ giant Juraj Valach, Slavia have two of the breakout defencemen from last season’s Extraliga. Valach had 22 points and anchored Slavia’s powerplay, and if the Slovak blueliner can get close to that total this season, it will go a long way to replacing Kadlec’s production. Returning to Slavia after a year on loan with Třinec, Daniel Krejči is one of the best young defencemen in the country, and I can see him racking up big minutes. Slavia’s defence has been on fire in pre-season so far, as they have won all seven games, including three shutouts. Three of these victories have come against KHL teams, whilst Slavia also were victorious in the Hockeyades tournament in Switzerland, where Slavia beat Geneve-Servette and Fribourg Gotteron. Furch has been in inspired form, picking up three shutouts along the way.

48 points at 39 years of age, Bednář will be the go to guy once again for Slavia
Photo: Martin Tellinger

Up front, Slavia have a massive task ahead to replace the loss of four quality Extraliga forwards. Tomáš Vlasák is the marquee signing, as the 39 year old joins after 7 successful seasons with Plzeň. Reuniting the successful Tomica – Bednář – Vlasák line will pay dividends for Slavia, while new signings Janos Vas and Erik Weissmann will hopefully replace some of the goals lost. Jaroslav Bednář’s first full season with Slavia since 2008/09 highlighted just how good of a player he is, as his 48 points were invaluable to the club. Bednář is the definition of a franchise forward, able to play both on the powerplay and penalty kill.

With Vladimír Růžička jr’s tryout at Dinamo Riga being unsuccessful it remains to be seen if he will return to the club he’s played his whole career at so far. Slavia will be reliant on a number of youth team graduates taking on a greater role this coming season. Michal Poletín, Pavel Klhůfek and Daniel Vrdlovec can all contribute at the Extraliga level and will need to for Slavia to be successful.

Slavia’s preseason has been clouded by the protests by the fanclub over the appointment of Ladislav Lubina as head coach. Banners proclaiming ‘Lubina Ven’ (Lubina out) have been present at Slavia games and a petition containing nearly 1000 signatures is currently being shared online. I think that on the ice, Slavia have a great looking team full of promising young players. If they can for once sort out things behind the scenes, who knows, maybe they can spring a shock.

Player to watch: Daniel Krejčí (Defenceman. Last season: 45GP 3+8 -1)

I think Krejčí is one of the best young defencemen in the Extraliga at the moment. The 22 year old impressed last season after being loaned out to Třinec and returns to his parent club with the expectation that he will be playing big minutes. Standing 6’3’’, Krejčí can use his size to his advantage and has above average skating which makes him a solid contributor at both ends of the ice.

Predictions:
Position: 8th

Top Scorer: Jaroslav Bednář

MVP: Jaroslav Bednář

Bílí Tygři Liberec – The Post-Nedvěd era

Last season: 9th

Last season’s top scorer: Petr Nedvěd (42yo, 49GP 19+31 -3)

Last season’s top goaltender: Marcel Melicherčík (30GP 2.59GAA 90.9%)

Liberec are still yet to taste Extraliga glory
Photo: Jiří Princ, hcbilitygri.cz

One man does not make a team, but Petr Nedvěd’s ¨retirement¨ sees a huge hole opened in the Liberec roster. The veteran forward was Liberec’s top scoring forward for five years in a row, and has been the heart and soul of the White Tigers for a number of years, sadly though, he was unable to deliver an Extraliga title, and for the last couple of seasons Liberec have really gone downhill.

So who is going to replace Nedvěd? Well, it looks like it’s going to be more of a group effort than anything. It was key for Liberec to keep hold of Martin Bartek, whose 28 goals were the second most of any player in the Extraliga last season, although, he did have the perfect set up man in Nedvěd. Liberec raided Slavia for the pair of Petr Jelínek and Lukáš Krenželok, and while both will be good for 20 points or so, they are at best second liners and will struggle to have the game-breaking impact Nedvěd had. Liberec will be hoping that in his second full season with the club, Petr Vampola will get more than his 30 points last season, as Vampola has all the tools to be one of the Extraliga’s top scorers. Furthermore, the three Tomáš‘ (Urban, Filippi and Bulík) can be relied on to score points at the Extraliga, while young Michal Buliř is continuing to grow into a solid second liner.

Much like Vitkovice, Liberec scored goals last year and will continue to do so. However, defensively Liberec were all at sea last year, conceding 155 goals in the regular season, more than relegated Kladno. So how has this been rectified? Well, Jirí Hunkes, the core of the defensive unit, has left for the new Extraliga central, Lada Togliatti. Hunkes was one of the premier two-way defencemen in the Extraliga, and left a massive void. Liberec picked up Martin Skoula who most recently played for Slovan, but having watched many Slovan games over the last two years, I can’t really say that I rate the former Minnesota Wild blueliner. The signing of Michal Plutnar from the CHL is a solid pick up and he’ll get regular ice time.

Martin Bartek's goals will be crucial for the White Tigers
Photo: Jiří Princ, hcbilitygri.cz

In goal, the Marek Schwarz experiment failed once more, and Marcel Melicherčík tried admirably to provide a solid presence in goal, but it was a smart deadline pick up by the White Tigers to sign veteran Slovak goaltender Ján Lašák. The former Pardubice goalie who backstopped Slovakia to the 2002 World Championship goal was remarkable in his 8 games towards the back end of last season, posting a 94.9% save percentage. He struggled in the playoffs and these numbers are by no means sustainable. Liberec have struggled so far in pre-season, winning only one of their five games, including a 6-2 spanking at the hands of Třinec, which Lašák was between the pipes for.

Player to watch – Tomáš Filippi (Forward. Last season – 38GP 11+10 -1)

Out of Liberec’s young forwards, I think Filippi has the best potential. The speedy forward who can play both centre and wing scored four goals at the WJC in 2012 and since returning from a two year spell in the QMJHL has been a consistent scorer. Injuries restricted him to only 38 games last year, but with a clean bill of health and a bigger role to play now that Nedvěd has moved on, I think the 22 year old will break out and get close to 40 points this season. He needs to work on using his 6‘1‘‘ frame more to his advantage, but Filippi is a name to remember, having made his Czech national team debut this year in the Euro Hockey Tour.

Predictions:
Position: 9th

Top Scorer: Martin Bartek

MVP: Petr Vampola

HC Vitkovice STEEL – Home isn’t where the heart is

Last season: 8th

Last season’s top scorer: Ondřej Roman (25yo, 51GP 13+35 +12)

Last season’s top goaltender: Filip Šindelář (24GP 2.66GAA 91.3%)

Richard Stehlík headlines a
depleted defensive unit
Photo: Petr Kotala, hc-vitkovice.cz

How does a team with the best away record in the Extraliga finish in 10th place last season? Vitkovice, hailing from Ostrava, managed this feat as they won only 12 games at the ČEZ Arena despite winning well over half of their games on the road. Still, an eighth place finish was commendable and they swept Liberec in the play-ins before losing to Sparta in the first round of the playoffs. So why am I predicting them to finish in 10th and barely scrape into the play-ins this season?

Vitkovice have ended up losing half of their defensive core this summer, leaving almost bare bones at the back. Karol Sloboda (Lada Togliatti), Tomáš Kudělka (Pelicans) and Michal Barinka (Sparta) have all departed, and the remaining unit anchored by veteran Richard Stehlík isn’t exactly impressive. The signing of Slovak prospect Peter Čerešňák is a positive step, but the 21 year old is not going to have an easy ride and will be thrust into big minutes almost instantly. Vitkovice are an incredibly youthful team, and it will be good to see the likes of Jan Štencel, Marek Bail and Lukáš Klok following the departure of the three aforementioned defencemen. (Edit: Early in September, Vitkovice agreed a deal with Třinec for the transfer of Lukáš Zib. Now 37 years of age, Zib has been one of the best Extraliga defencemen in the last decade, and is a solid signing after the defensive losses Vitkovice have suffered this summer.

At least the Ostravans have managed to keep a hold of all of the top scoring forwards. Ever present captain Jiří Burger enters his 14th season with the club, and the 37 year old centre shows no sign of slowing down, coming off a 40 point season last year. Burger is a tireless worker at both ends of the ice. Ondřej Roman has been a valuable addition since his return from North America in 2012. The 25 year old top scored for Vitkovice with 48 points last season, but is known for his streakiness. Vitkovice have a fearsome top six in all as Vladimír Svačina, Rudolf Huna, Peter Huževka and Roman Szturc all impressed last season, making Vitkovice the third top goal scorers in the Extraliga last season. Couple that with the addition of exciting prospect Patrik Zdráhal, Vitkovice will score goals this season.

Slovak forward Michal Vandas scored 15 points in his
debut season for Vitkovice.
Photo: Petr Kotala, hc-vitkovice.cz

Goals were never Vitkovice’s problem. It was throwing away leads and an average defensive record. The loss of their top three defenceman, not only from a skill point of view, but also their experience, has not been replaced at all. The likely starter in the cage for Vitkovice is Filip Šindelář, who is more a backup than a starter in my opinion. He split most of last season with Daniel Dolejš, who at 20 years old was back up for the Czech Republic at the 2014 World Junior Championships. Dolejš featured 20 times for the Vitkovice senior team last season, and a 91% save percentage was remarkably impressive for his first taste of Extraliga action. I would not be surprised if Dolejš has replaced Šindelář by starter as the end of the season.

Player to watch: Erik Němec (Forward. Last season – 36GP 8+9 +6)

I think Němec will be one of the breakout stars in the Extraliga this season. The 20 year old centre is another product of the Vitkovice system, and he impressed in his debut Extraliga season, especially in the playoffs as he scored 6 points in 8 games. He has continued this in pre-season, scoring one goal and assisting on three through six games. Alongside other young forwards Lukáš Kucsera and Petr Kolouch, Němec could be a mighty surprise for Vitkovice’s already strong looking offence.

Predictions:
Position: 10th

Top Scorer: Ondřej Roman

MVP: Jiří Burger

HC Verva Litvinov – Searching for optimism

Last season: 11th

Last season's top scorer: Viktor Hübl (36yo, 46GP 14+24 -8)

Last season’s top goaltender: Pavel Francouz (48GP 2.02GAA 93.2%)

Can Radim Rulík turn around Litvínov's downward spiral?
Photo: hokej-litvinov.cz

Where to start with Litvínov? A consistently mid-table team a few years ago, things have been bleak as of late. They have been featured the relegation play-outs for the last few years, and in all honesty, things look as bleak as the North Bohemian landscape they are situated in. The Czech Extraliga has been a league for old men for a while, but Litvínov have taken the biscuit in recent years. Last season’s roster featured former NHLers Martin Ručinský and Jiří Šlegr, both now 43 years of age. Šlegr, had played five games in 3 years since ¨retiring¨ in 2010, but returned to play 28 games in the 2013/14 season. He’s back full time next season, although the whereabouts of Ručinský are yet to be confirmed.

Viktor Hübl leads the charge, but at 36 years of age, his career is starting to wind down. He is still a valuable first line centre, but will need more help from his teammates if Litvinov want to return to the playoffs. If there is a crumb of comfort, it is that Litvinov had many players who underachieved last season compared to their 2012/13 efforts. Juraj Majdan, the speedy 22 year old Slovak, went the whole 2013/14 goalless after posting 31 points in 48 games the year before. Majdan returned to form in the relegation playoffs, scoring six times in six games. František Lukeš followed up his 54 point season in 12/13 with a paltry 23 points. Litvínov have players who have a proven track record in the Extraliga, and if they put it together then they will do well. However, behind these three, Robin Hanzl will score points, but there is very little in the way of secondary scoring on the roster. Litvínov will also be hoping that former KHL and SHL forward Kamil Piroš will finally bring his scoring touch to the Extraliga.

Jiří Šlegr. The Nagano Gold Medalist will play his
first full season since 2008/09, now 43 years of age
Photo: hokej-litvinov.cz

Litvínov desperately needed to bring in 1 or 2 scoring forwards this summer, but their business has been somewhat disappointing. The addition of Kamil Kubát (Sparta) to the blueline is a good pick up, but that is about it. There have been rumours abound that both Ručinský and former Liberec forward Petr Nedvěd will join the club before the start of the season, which would be a welcome boost.

If there is one area where Litvínov don’t need improvement, it is between the pipes. They can count themselves very lucky that Pavel Francouz has decided to sign on for another season, although I don’t think it is too long before KHL clubs come sniffing for the 24 year old Plzeň native. His statistics are remarkable for a goalie on an 11^th placed team, and he is easily in the upper echelons of Extraliga goaltenders. Francouz is the sort of goalie to give his team a chance every game, but far too often Litvínov’s anaemic offence let him down.

One to watch: Juraj Majdan (Forward. Last season – 41GP 0+3 -9)

This is a bit of a weird one, but I think that this season is going to be Majdan’s year. It could just be that his 31 point season in 2012/13 was a flash in the pan, but the speedy winger is the most exciting player on Litvínov’s roster, and I think his six goals in six playoff games will the confidence boost that the Slovak forward needs going into the coming season. Paired with Hübl, Majdan will score goals.

Predictions:
Position: 11th

Top scorer: František Lukeš

MVP: Pavel Francouz



BK Mláda Boleslav – Safe for now

Last season: 1.liga Champions

Last season’s top scorer: Tomáš Klimenta (30yo, 49GP 22+36 +39)

Last season’s top goaltender: Michal Valent (31GP 1.66GAA 94.3%)

Mláda Boleslav were a class above in the 1.liga
Photo: Jan Pavlíček, bkboleslav.cz

While I criticised Olomouc for their lack of signings, Mláda Boleslav look to have learned from their last experience in the Extraliga, which resulted in three painful years at the bottom of the table. Mláda finished 19 points clear of Olomouc last season averaging nearly four goals scored a game. The core of this was the front trio of Tomáš Klimenta, David Výborný and Michal Broš, who all remain with the club going into their second foray in the Extraliga. Milan Toman, who had 31 points in 41 games from the blueline also remains, leaving Mláda a solid core on which to build on.

The Jaromir Balaštik experiment failed in 2011/12 for Mláda, so it is good to see that this time round they have looked to invest in promising younger talent rather than old veterans. The signings of promising young Czech forwards Tomáš Hýka and Dominík Pacovský are a great coup for the club, with Pacovský having a proven record with Sparta Praha before his season spent with HC Lev Praha. Also joining Mláda this summer is former Třinec forward David Květoň, which could arguably be their signing of the summer. He will be looking to bounce back from a poor season which resulted in him scoring 19 points following his return from Finland.

Mláda have impressed so far in pre-season.
Photo: Jan Pavlíček, bkboleslav.cz

Ctirad Ovčačík and Michal Barta will help bolster the blueline, along with 23 year old defenceman Matěj Stříteský who joins from Litvinov. Mitja Robar, who was part of the Slovene Olympic squad has also joined the team from Krefeld in the DEL. Mláda are definitely built to score goals rather than keep them out and I think their blueline unit will struggle. However, I think they have enough firepower to keep them out of the relegation playouts.

Michal Valent will have to be in top form though, and while his statistics in 1.liga last season for Mláda were exemplary, the 28 year old Slovak will be hoping that he can play a lot better than he did when he was Mláda’s goalie in their last Extraliga stint. It remains to be seen whether or not Valent will be the reliable goaltender that Mláda need to push on. This perhaps explains the signing of Dukla Jihlava youngster David Rittich. After a very solid season with the third best team in the 1.liga last season, Rittich has been Mláda’s go to goalie in pre-season so far, and has picked up two shutouts already.

Player to watch: Tomáš Hýka (Forward. Last season - Färjestad: 40GP 4+5 -5)

The above statline may not been impressive, but the 21 year old Mláda Boleslav native returns to the Czech Republic following a very successful junior career with Gatineau in the QMJHL. Hýka was almost signed to an entry level contract following an impressive stint at the Philadelphia Flyers, but elected to move to Sweden last season. Hýka is an offensive dynamo, and his speed and scoring touch will be a welcome addition to Mláda’s ranks. Out of any of the teams in the bottom half of the table, Mláda out of any have the potential to surprise. However, I think their defence and goaltending will see them scrapping it out towards the bottom of the table.

Predictions:

Position: 12th

Top Scorer: David Květoň
MVP: David Výborný

HC Energie Karlovy Vary - Another season of struggles

Last season: 12^th

Last season’s top scorer: Martin Zaťovič (29yo, 50GP, 20+17 -1)

Last season’s top goaltender: Tomáš Závorka (52GP 2.52GAA 91.5%)

It has been a rough few years for Karlovy Vary
Photo: Kateřina Macečková, hokejkv.cz

It was not too long ago that Karlovy Vary were in the Extraliga Finals two seasons in a row. However, it has been five years now since the Spa team has come close to repeating their triumph. In fact, it has now been five years since KV have made it to the Extraliga play-ins (Played between the 7^th-10^th ranked teams to decide who gets the final two playoff places), let alone the playoffs. The rebuild began in earnest last season, as star forwards Lukáš Pech and Petr Kumstát left to join Sparta Praha, while a whole host of loan players were signed in order to get KV back to the playoffs, but it didn’t work as they finished in a disappointing 12^th place.

It is another fresh start for KV as five of their six top scorers last season will not feature on the 2014/15 roster. Martin Zaťovič (Lada Togliatti), Roman Vlach (Zlín), Petr Pohl (Eisbären Berlin), Marek Hovorka (Chomutov) and Michal Gulaši (Södertälje) have all departed, with Stanislav Balan being the one remaining forward of any note. The only area where there appears to be any sort of stability is in goal, as Tomáš Závorka will likely retain the starter’s position with Vladislav Habal and David Honzík backing up. Závorka had a so-so 2013/14 in comparison to his first season as a starter the year before. A 91.5 save percentage is not going to cut it if KV want to be contenders for playoff action this coming year.

So if there has been a massive exodus from KV this summer, how come they have been able to beat Plzeň, Litvínov and the KHL’s Medveščak Zagreb in pre-season? Well, in the latter game, new signing Radek Duda scored twice, once on a goal assisted by Balán before burying a penalty shot. Like him or loath him, Duda is going to score points at the Extraliga level. The now 35 year old winger, who has tossed away the #69 along with mirrored visor, joins after a near point per game season with Plzeň. The journeyman forward has been given the captaincy at KV and will be relied on to lead the charge back to the playoffs. Although, part of me doesn’t think that Duda is going to be the best captaincy in all honesty.

Joining Duda and Balan up front is Juris Štāls, who joins from a near point-per-game season with Poprad in the Slovak Extraliga. Veteran David Hruška also joins after scoring 32 points for Chomutov last season, but the scoring depth then drops off. There is a glut of young forwards who may be able to have a breakout season, mainly graduating from the KV team in the MHL. Look for Martin Kohout, Jakub Flek and Tomáš Harkabus to have their first real taste of Extraliga action this coming season.

Radek Duda, now at his seventh Extraliga club
Photo: Kateřina Macečková, hokejkv.cz

If anywhere, KV have bolstered their blueline, the two biggest signings being Radek Deyl from HC Košice and Jēkabs Rēdlihs from Dinamo Riga. Whether or not they will be able to right the sinking ship remains to be seen, especially with the departure of Radim Bičánek. However, Deyl has been on the cusp of the Slovak national team for two seasons, and Redlihs has over 150 KHL games to his credit.

Player to watch: Radek Duda (Forward. Last season: 47GP 17+24, 141PIM, +6)

It couldn’t be anyone else really. Duda always draws attention, and he can still produce at the Extraliga level. He will more than likely be KV’s top scorer and he can be guaranteed to get himself into trouble at some point this season. The Duda sideshow rolls on to KV, and to be honest with his antics it is no surprise it has been 11 years since he has tasted Extraliga glory.

Predictions:

Position: 13th

Top Scorer: Radek Duda

MVP: Radek Duda

HC Olomouc – Tough Beginnings

Last season: 1.liga Runners up – Promoted in Extraliga playout

Last season’s top scorer: Denis Kindl (22yo, 52GP 16+31 +26)

Last season’s top goaltender: Tomáš Halász (25GP 1.62GAA 94.3%)

I love to see an underdog do well. I really do. However, one look at the HC Olomouc roster for the coming season and it is clear that this a good 1.liga squad, but it just won’t cut the mustard at Extraliga level. Olomouc’s roster last season was heavily reliant on loan talent. For example, top scorer Denis Kindl joined the team on loan from Třinec, and the 22 year old will play for his parent team this coming season. Additionally, Olomouc’s top player in the playoffs, forward David Ostřížek, has signed for Kometa Brno full time after also coming from Třinec. To be fair to them, Olomouc have managed to sign Jan Knotek full time from Havlíčkův Brod, while Rostislav Marosz, who had 11 points in the 1.liga playoffs, signs for another season on loan. However, the loss of Kindl’s points up front will be a massive blow for Olomouc, and none of their summer signings seem to suggest that these points will be replaced.

Tomáš Vošvrda returns to the Extraliga
Photo: Karolina Martinková, hc-olomouc.cz

Pavel Patera, now 42, leaves Rytiři Kladno following their relegation and is Olomouc’s marquee summer signing. He picked up 26 points for Kladno last season and no doubt his two way game will be valuable for the club, but I doubt he will match his points target last season. Jakub Matai, the 21 year old Czech forward who split last season between HC Lev Praha and HC Litomeřice in the 1.liga is a good signing and he will relish his first crack at the Extraliga. His points totals were rather disappointing for Litomeřice (7 points in 18 games), but his KHL experience will be vital. If one of these forwards can strike up a partnership with Radim Kucharczyk, then maybe Olomouc will be on to a winner.

In goal, Tomáš Halasz, who was on loan from HC Košice, has joined Pardubice, leaving Tomáš Vošvrda and new signing Jíři Trvaj. Vošvrda had near identical statistics to Halasz in the regular season, but the former was disappointing in the post-season. Vošvrda has extensive Extraliga experience, having been 1b to Marek Pinc at Liberec. Pinc’s tendency for playoff meltdowns saw Vosvrda feature in the post-season heavily for Liberec over the course of three seasons, however, he has struggled to hold down an Extraliga starting post. Trvaj has already picked up a 31 shot shutout in a pre-season victory against Pardubice last week, and is still one of the best ‘one game goalies’ in the Extraliga. Olomouc have picked up another victory over Pardubice and also have a win over Dinamo Minsk to their credit so far in pre-season, but this has been juxtaposed with a loss at relegated Chomutov.

Jakub Herman wheels away in celebration
Photo: Zdeněk Polák, hc-olomouc.cz

The defence has been strengthened with the signing of Finnish defenceman Joni Tuominen, a 31 year old veteran has extensive Liiga experience. At the time of writing, Olomouc have also announced the signing of 36 year old Pavel Skrbek, who has played the majority of his career in the SHL. It is a fantastic coup for Olomouc and he easily slots in as their number 1 for the coming season. However, one player won’t solve all of Olomouc’s problems and they will be hoping that some of their younger talent steps up to the plate. It remains to be seen whether Czech U18 representative Alex Rašner will play with the senior team in the coming season, while up front, a number of players will be getting their first taste of action. Roman Rac and Lukáš Králík will be relied on to contribute, and Olomouc will need them to get on the board if they have any hope of not being bottom of the table.

One to watch: Jakub Herman (Forward. Last season: 48GP 16+13 +12)

Out of Olomouc’s young forwards, Herman in my opinion, is the one who will have the best season. He has had two solid seasons with Olomouc since joining in 2011, and the former U18 national team player will be looking to get somewhere close to his 16 goal tally from last season. The goal-scoring forward will have to quickly get up to speed in the Extraliga, and with some work on his skating I think he has the potential to hold down a regular spot in the Czech top flight.

Predictions:

Position: 14^th

Top Scorer: Radim Kucharczyk

MVP: Pavel Skrbek

So with the bottom half of the table covered, the time comes to look at the championship contenders. Check back next week, when Velvet Hockey will bring you the run through of the top teams in the Czech Republic for 2014-15. Will Pardubice bounce back? How will Hradec Kralove do in their second season? Will Sparta dominate for a second season? Velvet Hockey will have the answers.

Jaroslav Janus to bolt to the Lightning?

(First, perhaps an apology to regular readers. A curse of writers block they call it. I was miffed that I went four months without posting on this blog. I guess with the rigours of every day life, plus my continued work with HC SLOVAN Bratislava taking up any time that I wanted to give to myself to doing hockey writing saw me neglect this labour of love in favour of my 'work'. However, I'm hoping this will be the recommencement of regular postings on this blog. I've spent too long working on it before to let it die out now).

Recent news reports coming out of the Slovak capital hint at a possible NHL return for HC SLOVAN Bratislava and Team Slovakia netminder Jaroslav Janus. The 23 year old Prešov native shone in his first year in the KHL, leading his club, predicted to prop up the Western Conference, to a 6^th place finish in the West, and a playoff spot in the club’s first season at this level. The playoff match-up against defending champions Dinamo Moscow may not have gone to plan, with Janus being replaced by Branislav Konrád after conceding five goals in Game 1, and returning in Game 4 but being unable to stop the big blue machine, who won the final game in the series 3:2 and completing the sweep of Slovan.

Jaroslav Janus shone for HC SLOVAN Bratislava in 2012/13
Photo: hcmetallurg.ru.

However, to focus on Janus’ disappointing playoff performance would be a misnomer, as behind what can only be described as some frantic defending, especially following the loss of lockout additions Ľubomír Višňovský and Andrej Sekera in January, Janus consistently played lights out. A .928 save percentage put him among the top ten in terms of starting netminders in the KHL, while his five shutouts were good enough for joint-third out of KHL netminders. One could also attribute the downturn in performance to burnout. Janus, who went without a pre-season due to being a last minute addition by Slovan, ended up starting 47 out of Slovan’s 52 regular season games, which was the most out of any netminder in the KHL, with Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod’s Vitali Koval the only one coming close, having played one game less.

However, while I could write a whole post raving about Janus’ performances this year, as having seen first-hand some of his desperation saves in games against SKA St. Petersburg and Ak Bars Kazan, it could be the last that Slovan fans see of Janus, who came through the club’s junior system. The source of this news comes from a brief posting on the news tab on www.hokej.cz, which featured a quote from Janus’ agent, Robert Spálenka. This has been cited by both SME in their article (link) and the news was also made public by HC SLOVAN Bratislava themselves on the club’s website (link).  Spálenka is quoted as saying “Tampa is interested in Janus; the matter is under discussion”. That one line quote could be make or break for Slovan’s offseason plans.

Janus, who was drafted in the 6^th round by the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2009, is perhaps most famous in North America for his incredible performances in goal for Team Slovakia at the World Junior Championships of that same year. Janus backstopped Slovakia to an incredible 5:3 victory over the United States in the quarter finals, despite being outshot 49:17. Although Slovakia would go on to lose their semi-final game to Sweden, and eventually the bronze medal game too, that one game, along with his performances in the round robin stage got Janus’ name known, as before that his OHL record with the Erie Otters was hardly exceptional.

Just one of Janus' many saves against the United States in 2009

The Lightning had a prospect netminding logjam at this point, with Riku Helenius and Dustin Tokarski and Janus competing for the two goalie spots with the Lightning’s AHL affiliate, the Norfolk Admirals, with Janus being sent down to the Florida Everblades of the ECHL during the 2010-2011 season. Janus was a part of the Admirals’ plans during the 2011-2012 season, starting 34 games and playing the 1b role behind Tokarski as the unstoppable Admirals led the march to the Calder Cup. Last season, which Janus played in the KHL, was technically the final year of his three year entry level deal signed on the 1^st January 2010, which means that Janus is now a restricted free agent, with Tampa Bay holding his NHL rights. There is also further complication in the KHL, as upon signing the contract with Slovan in September, Janus’ services were looked into by another party. Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, who then owned Janus’ KHL rights originally wanted to sign Janus due to an injury to starting netminder Curtis Sanford. News of the deal that took place between the two clubs was hushed up and eventually Janus ended up with Slovan.

Janus in goal for the Lightning during 2011/12 pre-season
Photo: Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images North America

With a transfer agreement between the KHL and NHL looking to be somewhat in place following the Ľubomír Višňovský fiasco in late January, Janus may certainly have room to manoeuvre his way back to Tampa Bay, who have had netminding woes this season with Anders Lindback, Mathieu Garon and Cedrick Desjardins all flattering to deceive. However, to add yet more confusion to the situation, Janus was quoted by the HC SLOVAN website at the start of the month with saying ‘Srdce mám belasé’, which translates as saying ‘I have a sky-blue heart’; sky-blue being the traditional colours of Slovan (link). Also, as stressed in both of the Slovak media releases, Janus is supposed to have a contract in place with Janus for next season in accordance with the ‘gentlemen’s agreement’ with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. Yeah, more plot twists than a M. Night Shyamalan flick.

Currently it remains whether or not to be seen where Janus will end up next season. Slovan have already said that they do not expect this matter to be resolved until after the Easter weekend, while Janus’ participation with the Slovakia squad at the World Championships may protract the saga further. Is Janus ready for the NHL? At 23 years of age he is still young for a netminder, and I think it would be rash to throw him in at the deep end and expect him to be a solid NHL starter right off the bat. He’s an exceptionally agile netminder, which allows him to compensate for his sometimes poor positional play. Perhaps it came as a result of the scrambling Slovan defence in front of him, but many a Slovan fan would often see Janus on his front, diving across his crease to make yet another save. There’s no doubt that his season with Slovan will have prepared him for the rigours of an NHL schedule. For Janus, it will surely be the NHL or KHL next season.

However, I don’t have a crystal ball, and my predictions are usually terrible so who knows what will happen. If he doesn’t make his way back to the Slovnaft Arena though, Slovan are in a world of trouble.