NHL stars are going to Prague. Who can fans look forward to?
František Bílek
Sports reporter
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On Friday, October 7 and Saturday, October 8, Prague will host an NHL match between the San Jose Sharks and the Nashville Predators. Even due to the (non)participation of the Russian hockey players, the closely watched doubleheader will be a big event for the Czech Republic, the fans are looking forward to several real stars of the most famous competition in the world. And on Tomáš Hertl, probably the biggest draw of the NHL Global Series. Which other famous names will be performing at the O2 arena?
Tomáš Hertl in the San Jose Sharks jersey rejoices after scoring a goal.Source: CTK/AP/Darren Yamashita
Tomas Hertl (San Jose Sharks)
Czech Šikula had a rocket start to the NHL. Remember how he scored four goals against the New York Rangers in October 2013? One of them gave Martin Biron a “Kysela” feint; he put the stick between his legs and hung the puck under the crossbar. There was discussion in Canada afterward that he had made an opponent laugh. “That fourth goal between the legs looks great, but to do something like that a few minutes before at the end in a clear situation, that’s not done. You don’t want to make fun of the New York Rangers, and that’s what it looked like. He embarrassed them,” said Jamie McLennan, a former goaltender and television analyst at the time. In California, the services of the Czech hockey player are valued, in the spring San Jose signed an eight-year contract for 65.1 million dollars (over 1.45 billion crowns).
Nashville’s Roman Josi (left) against Chicago.Source: CTK/AP/Mark Humphrey
Roman Josi (Nashville Predators)
After all, they boast a relatively good defense, which is largely thanks to the Swiss full-back Roman Josi, a pupil of SC Bern. He has been a member of Nashville since 2011, during which time he has played eight hundred games. The best defender of the 2013 World Cup has had the season of his life (24 goals and 74 assists!) and his performance is not expected to drop in the upcoming season either. He even has the Norris Trophy for the best NHL defenseman in his collection, which he won two years ago. “Roman is the best defenseman in the world,” said Nashville coach John Hynes.
Swiss striker Timo Meier.Source: ČTK
Timo Meier (San Jose Sharks)
Another Swiss NHL star? That’s right, forward Timo Meier scored 76 points in 77 games, making him the Sharks’ most productive hockey player. His five-goal performance against the Los Angeles Kings was impressive, he scored a hat trick in the first period, and added two more goals in the second period. For someone to score five goals in one game? This happened for the first time in two years. And to achieve it after two thirds? The last time it was done was in 1994 by Peter Bondra. “Honestly, I don’t even remember the last time I scored five goals. It was probably somewhere in the juniors in the Swiss league,” explained the man who alternated weaker performances with better ones in the past.
Filip Forsberg in the Swedish jersey. Source: ČTK/ZUMA
Filip Forsberg (Nashville Predators)
The 28-year-old Swede with a famous surname does Peter Forsberg credit. Like Colorado’s senior star, he’s a cornerstone of his team, racking up 855 points in what was arguably his best performance in the past. With Josi, he is the highest paid player on the Preds, his Cap Hit is $8.5 million per season. Forsberg is one of the players who performed a “lacrosse” goal in the NHL, which Michigan also calls. It happened in January 2020, the sad hero of the still unusual feat was Edmonton goalkeeper Mike Smith. “It was great. I’ve tried it a few times, it’s it’s great that it worked out now,” gushed the Swedish hockey player, world champion in 2018.
Logan Couture is still a threat to all NHL goaltendersSource: ČTK/AP
Logan Couture (San Jose Sharks)
In a toothless shark attack (the third worst in the NHL last year), Couture belongs to a solid standard. The Canadian from Ontario was drafted in 2007 from the ninth position and was able to use his potential in the following years. He scored at least 30 goals in each of his first two seasons, making him the first San Jose player to do so. His maximum so far is 90 points from the 2018/2019 season. Logan almost lost his leg in the past; in this 2015/2016, during a flight from Edmonton, a blood vessel burst and his leg started to swell due to internal bleeding, which was getting bigger and bigger. “It was close to an artery and could have been seriously dangerous. I could have lost my leg. I could have died. It was the scariest thing in my life. Fortunately, the doctors caught it in time,” said Couture about the terrifying incident.
Canada’s Matt Duchene (right) against Russia.Source: ČTK/ZUMA/Joel Marklund
Matt Duchene (Nashville Predators)
Czech fans will remember the trio of the 2009 draft mainly from a number of international tournaments. On them, Duchene with Canada took one success after another, judge for yourself: gold from the 2014 Olympic Games, gold from the 2015 and 2016 WC, silver from the 2017 WC, gold from the 2016 World Cup. Columbus, Ottawa and especially for Colorado, which decided to get rid of Duchene after the unsuccessful 2016/2017 season. He started the next season in the Avs jersey, but was traded to Ottawa during the duel on the ice of the New York Islanders; there were two substitutions, but then he was pulled from the game and rushed to the airport. “I noticed how they were talking to each other on the switchboard. It was awfully strange, but at the same time I kind of expected it to turn out in a similarly strange way. But that’s part of it too. It’s a business,” he said of the interesting story. His best in points was his last season, with 46 goals and 44 assists, making him the Preds’ most productive forward.
Erik KarlssonSource: ČTK
Erik Karlsson (San Jose Sharks)
In the past, Karlsson was one of the highest paid players in the NHL. But… Not much music for a lot of money, one might say. The Swedish defender did not live up to expectations even in his third last in San Jose; the days when he was able to collect 82 points in Ottawa seem to be gone. Sharks would love to get rid of the expensive stuff, but who wants a luxury item whose quality doesn’t match the price? Erik Karlsson faced a family tragedy in the past, as his wife gave birth to a stillborn child. He’s also had to deal with a few injuries in the past, such as being prematurely terminated by Pittsburgh’s Matt Cooke in 2013 when Karlsson’s Achilles tendon was accidentally cut in a fight at the goalpost. Seventy percent of it was torn off.
Juuse SarosSource: ČTK
Juuse Saros (Nashville Predators)
For many years, Preds Finn Pekka Rinne was the number one goaltender, as time went by, another representative of the land of a thousand lakes – Juuse Saros – became more and more forceful in his place. The difference between the two goalkeepers is 17 centimeters, because Saros is only 179 centimeters tall; The Finn is the smallest goalie in the entire NHL! However, it is not obvious from his performances that he lacks a few centimeters to the height of an ideal goalkeeper, the success rate of 91.8 percent of hits from last season is proof of that. Although it is a slight deterioration compared to the previous one, Rinne, who is already retired from hockey, has only words of praise for him. “He’s the backbone of Nashville. I already knew that one day he would not only be from Předs, but also one of the best goalkeepers in the entire NHL. I expect great things from him in the new one. For example, it’s amazing to watch him skate,” he says. It’s his great movement around the goal area that is one of the personal strengths of the quiet Saros, who was the busiest goalie in the league last year. country won 4-0 on matches.