NHL | I’m not done yet, I want to keep the door open, says Voráček

“My head and injuries won’t let me go on the ice anymore. It’s just over, but that’s part of a hockey career. One day it ends and something new starts somewhere else,” Voráček told CNN Prima News, revealing that he had suffered twelve concussions. Four heavier and eight smaller ones.

However, he told Sport.cz: “I’m not ending my career yet, even though it currently looks like I won’t play hockey 99 percent of the time.” But this has been known for several months and since then the situation has not changed in any way. I always keep the door open. I don’t want to quit and then announce that I’m coming back.”

Log in and watch exclusive videos from the Tipsport extraliga

Log in

Kladno – Karlovy Vary, Voráček on the substitutesVideo: Tipsport Extraliga / BPA

So far, the last duel played by Voráček was on November 4, 2022, when he was in the loss of Columbus on the ice of Colorado with a ratio of 3:6. At the same time, this is the game in which he scored his last professional goal of his career. At that time, he spent nineteen minutes without five seconds on the ice.

“It wasn’t hard to come to terms with the end. I knew it couldn’t be done. And if something doesn’t work, there’s no point in worrying about it. That’s just the way it is. Life is not just about hockey,” Voráček told Prima.

At the same time, the native of Kladno stayed in his parent club for hockey. He has been helping the Knights in the role of a mentor since the fall and was in charge of, for example, power plays. On Monday, he was on the substitutes side when the Knights managed to keep the extra league in the tie with Vsetín.

In the NHL, Voráček managed to play a total of 1058 games, which he spread between Columbus and Philadelphia. He then enjoyed winning two medals at the World Championships with the national team. In 2010, he was the last gold medalist in Germany, and a year later in Bratislava he won a bronze medal.