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Golden boys no more

Few NHL players to join World Championship team in Canada

By František Bouc
Staff Writer, The Prague Post
April 23rd, 2008 issue

ISIFA
Pavel Kubina (left) and David Výborný, here at the 2006 Olympics in Turin, will not join the national team.
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Two weeks before the start of the Ice Hockey World Championship in Canada, the national hockey team suffered a major loss. The team’s long time captain, David Výborný, refused an invitation to the tournament.
“I know the coaches wanted me on the team, but I made up my mind differently,” Výborný said. “I wish the team all the best, but they’ll need to fight for medals without me.”
Výborný, 33, has been an icon of the national team’s triumphs at the World Championship. He has five gold medals from the tournament and has led the team for the past five years.
“I’ve lost my drive to keep playing on the national team and decided to stay with my family instead,” Výborný said. “In fact, I’ve decided to withdraw from the national team once and for all.”
The loss of the captain is a huge blow to the team’s lineup, said head coach Alois Hadamczik. “David has been a natural team leader and his absence will be significant,” he said.
Výborný won’t be alone in his absence. The national team’s lineup will boast only 10 NHL players out of 24 total members, according to a list released April 20 — the lowest number of NHL players in the past decade. That makes the country’s chances look grim, according to Hadamczik.
“The days when NHL players merely boosted our team are gone. … Now, we must form the whole team with them in order to be competitive,” he said earlier this year.
While some other NHL players could be available after their clubs are eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs, Výborný’s withdrawal has confirmed that the World Championship will see the introduction of a new generation of players, rather than serving as a farewell party for the ‘Golden Boys’ of Czech hockey.
Although many former players had indicated that they would not play this year, Hadamczik had hoped that they would join the team for one more tournament. His conviction was bolstered by the fact that, for the first time ever, the annual tournament will take place in North America, making it more accessible to players in the NHL. In the past, overseas traveling was a frequent excuse for many Czech players not to participate.
When the core of the golden generation of Czech hockey, including Jaromír Jágr, Martin Ručinský, Martin Straka and Jaroslav Špaček, called an end to their national team careers after the 2006 Winter Olympics, Hadamczik argued that the venue of the 2008 World Championship could change their minds.
But Hadamczik’s hopes appear to have faltered completely. Not only has the golden generation not budged from its retirement, but a large number of players Hadamczik firmly expected to play have either declared that they are unavailable for the event or have not been released to play by their NHL teams.
Toronto Maple Leaf defenseman Pavel Kubina received a go-ahead from his NHL employers but refused to play, insisting that he was not fit.
Meanwhile, some other players had promised to join the national team but did not pass physicals with their clubs. Perhaps most damaging was the Florida Panthers’ refusal to release goalie Tomáš Vokoun, who has been suffering from a hernia. Instead of playing in the championship, Vokoun was sent to surgery.
“Vokoun’s absence is a big blow,” Hadamczik said. “He was supposed to be one of our key players.”
With so few NHL players on hand, it is now essential to have motivated players on the team, according to the coach.
“Players’ enthusiasm is a key to success,” he said. “It’s true that various circumstances have forced us to rebuild the national team. As a result, we won’t be the championship’s favorite. But we can still succeed.”

František Bouc can be reached at fbouc@praguepost.com


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