You have already traveled a lot around the world and in NHL stadiums, is this something a little different for you?
Every such trip brings something new. New culture, new people, new stadiums. I haven’t played in Finland for many years, so I’m looking forward to it. Of course, the older a person is, the more they would rather be at home on the couch, but I think it will only benefit us.
Last year you returned to Columbus, where you are now filming the second season. Has it changed quickly that you feel ‘home’ again after ten years in Philly?
I’ve always said that home is where my family is. Then I don’t miss anything there. When I’m not playing hockey, I’m with my children and my partner Markéta. But it was nice to go back to a club where I knew a lot of people. You can say that my former teammates are already coaches or officials – Rick Nash, Derek Dorsett, Jarred Boll and so on… The custodians have remained the same. The return was interesting for me.
A new role
So now that you’re 30, what’s your position in the team?
I’m getting older and we signed Johnny Gaudreau now, so there’s not as much ice time as there used to be, which is a given, that’s how it works in the hockey world. So I try to do the best job I can with what I have. Once you don’t adapt, you can’t play.
When a person knows that he will no longer play 23 minutes, but maybe only 17, does he have to let go of his ego a little in his head?
I wish it was 17! I’m playing around 14 minutes this year, hopefully that will pick up. Ice time is the biggest change for me When it changes by four minutes, suddenly it’s a lot of substitutions. But it’s true that the biggest hit is on the ego, especially when the player feels good. But you never have a choice.
You are getting older, you have children and a family… Is it so that you already think that there are other priorities in life than time?
They certainly are. Hockey is very important, I’ve been doing it all my life, I enjoy it, I enjoy it. But since I’ve had kids, priorities have really been elsewhere and I think that’s totally fine and normal.
Young and predatory
I am interested in one name – David Jiříček. How does this young player look at the beginning of the season? And how necessary is it to help him in these beginnings?
I was surprised by his English. He will make arrangements with the boys when he needs something, he tells himself. He’s so calm, he doesn’t make a big deal out of anything and that’s good for him. The fact that he is here with us and that he has already played two matches at the age of eighteen means that he is a huge talent. I think he will be one of our best defenders for many years to come.
How much can this mentality help him in his early days in the NHL? He really doesn’t worry too much about anything, sometimes he plays at risk, as after all he showed at the World Championship here in Tampere…
It will definitely help him and I think it’s one of the reasons he’s had so much success so far. He was drafted in the first round, at eighteen he is already playing in the NHL, it is very important to have a good head for that. Careers and seasons are long, there are an awful lot of training sessions and matches, and you should not worry about something going wrong, for example.
