Colorado with Martin Nečas and Ivan Ivan dominates the famous NHL, Brantford led by Adam Benák, Adam Jiříček and Vladimír Dravecký again conquered the overseas junior team.
As surprising as it may sound, compared to the Grand Rapids Griffins in the AHL, these performances are not that impressive.
In 25 games, Detroit’s reserve team lost only once in regular time and scored a total of 47 points out of a possible 50, which makes an incredible 94 percent success rate.
After 25 games, no one in the 90-year history of the American Hockey League has done better. “A ride like this will catch everyone’s eye,” wrote The Athletic online.
As in the case of Colorado and Brantford, the Czechs have a share in the dominance of Grand Rapids. There are three – goalkeeper Michal Postava and forwards Jakub Rychlovský and Ondřej Becher.
The figure who flew from the first league Přerov to the extra-league Kometa and sensationally led it to the title last season proves that he can also play in the AHL. Just as Yzerman expected.
The 23-year-old Czech stopped 93.6 percent of pucks in five games as the team’s number two. He then suffered a lower body injury, but should be back soon.
A year older Rychlovský, former top scorer of the extra league, suffered more or less in the last, premier year abroad, but continues to try to break through. After 25 races, he has a relatively modest record of 3+7.
Becher, the youngest of the trio at 21, has yet to score once, but has collected ten assists in 20 starts and is praised at the club. Detroit assistant general manager Kris Draper called him a late bloomer, a player whose full potential will be revealed later.
“Czech” Latvian
Forward Eduards Tralmaks also belongs to the Czech team in Grand Rapids. Latvian, who spent the past two seasons in Kladno, where, among other things, he became the most productive player in the extra league.
“We are the closest on the team,” he commented on the relationship with his Czech teammates for the official AHL website. “Even though I’m Latvian, they treat me like a Czech. I understand their language, even though I don’t actively use it. Also, we all know what it’s like in Europe, and that unites us.”
Even though Griffins also has a number of Nordics, a Norwegian, a Finn and four Swedes, Tralmaks mostly stuck to the Central European group.
And if anyone from her is close to the NHL right now, it’s him. The 28-year-old man from Riga is the second best scorer of the dominant team with 12 goals.
He tried to break into professional overseas hockey years ago, specifically at the Boston farm, but only now, after the Kladno stint.
“It was a season in which I felt completely different,” he said about the past year in Jaromír Jágr’s team. “I had a lot more confidence in my shot and felt like everything was coming out. It was my breakout year.”
“Because of my age, someone might say that it came a little late, but that doesn’t matter. If you look at Latvians who have succeeded in the NHL, you will find a lot of examples that it is still possible. Even though I am at an advanced stage of my career and I am old, I still have a chance. My goal is to play at least one game in the NHL,” added Tralmaks.
