“Czech Hockey Player Radan Lenc Called up to National Team Ahead of 2021 WC”

Riga (from our correspondent) – Participant of the 2021 WC and last year’s Olympics in Beijing, Lenc was eliminated from the national team only after the Czech Hockey Games in Brno, the warm-up for the World Championship. Like other players who were dropped at the last minute, he remained ready on standby after a conversation with coach Jalonen in case he needed to be called up. And he came now.

“I took two or three days off, enjoyed my family and then started training for the new season. However, I had a little in my mind that something might happen with regard to the World Cup, so I continued to train for the championship as well. I wanted to be ready for both options,” said Lenc after arriving in Riga, who went to the gym during training and prepared on the ice with extra-league Liberec.

“I received information from the management of the narodík about how the situation regarding the injured boys (Sedlák and Chytil) is developing. It looked promising for a while and I, like everyone else, wished them well because we need those guys. But unfortunately… I got a message on Thursday to pack my things and be ready, because it really looks like my arrival on Friday,” added Lenc.

It is possible that the striker of the Swedish HV 71 will appear in the national team lineup already on Saturday, when the Czechs will challenge Norway from 11:20 CET. It will be decided in the morning at the team meeting.

“Radan skates very well, he can be used basically anywhere. It is an advantage that he was with us. He knows the system. Radim picks up on it very quickly. I know him more from Brno, he is a tall player, skates very well and has a great range with his stick. It can be used in all positions, so it could work in the center. Radan was in contact with the boys and went on the ice, Radim was playing, he was in the match process,” assistant coach Libor Zábranský said to the 31-year-old forward.

If everything works out, forward Radim Zohorna should be the second player called up and subsequently entered into the roster.