Four defeats at the start of the season, but then Třinec went up. Are you already in the table where you belong?
We want to improve our performance even more, we have other things to do. The goal is to finish in the top four after the regular season, but we have to proceed step by step. The start was very bad. We’ve experienced enough exits in the past and ended up reaching the summit four times. Also now the coaches were changing, the turnover of players was also high, but the new guys fit perfectly into the team. We have a strong crew and great character in the cabin. It is precious to be able to play at the top like this every year.
And the fact that you pick up about a point per game every season is also valuable. How do you do this?
(smiles) It’s not easy. Three things are key. Excellent teammates and the trust of the coaches. I have both in Trinec. And, of course, my preparation and work are also essential. Over the years I have already accumulated experience to know how to prepare it in the summer and get the most out of it in the winter.
Do you feel the years on your body?
Of course, I’m not 28 anymore, sometimes something hurts or stings me. I need to relax more during the season. And conversely, I can’t take a long break after the season. I fall off the carousel and it hurts a lot to go back to training. But when I’m in rhythm, the body works well.
Are you happy to still pull the Steelers or would you be happy to hand over your responsibility to the younger players?
Hard question. Of course, I’m happy that I can still play at a high level. But of course I’d be happy if one of the guys showed up.
When you first came to Třinec in 2009, did you think you would spend most of your career here?
Not even in a dream. Over the years I have developed an extraordinary relationship with the club and the people who make it up. Třinec is my second family. And a second home. I spend most of my time here now, I found my wife.
Can you tell which of the four Steelers titles is the most valuable to you?
I rate two a little more. The first one with Třinec in 2011 was fantastic, a first for the organization. And the last one is even more precious to me. It’s not easy to win once in any sport. And we did it three times in a row. The hat-trick was sweet, there was a lot of work behind it.
Even after so many successes, you can still see how much you hate losing. The last time you frothed at Sparta was on Tuesday and the club was fined for criticizing the referees. Has competitiveness left you?
Absolutely not, the will to win is ingrained in me and will probably stay with me forever. What happened in Sparta happened. I was sorry for the offense against the whole club, and that’s why I had to speak up. I don’t regret it.
When did the frustration leave you?
I still felt it on Thursday. We should have had the opportunity to do something with the game, but we didn’t. I was sent off for the same tackle in the second half for the same tackle, but didn’t blow the whistle a minute and a half before the end. God only knows how the duel would have ended. But I don’t want to deal with it anymore. I respect being fined.
Do you feel confident that you still care so much about results and will do everything to win?
Hundred percent. I still have the fire inside me. It’s the most important. I want to help the team as much as possible. I definitely have no intention of slowing down. As soon as I feel the fire going out, I’ll give up hockey and hang up my skates on a nail.
What if I personally stopped doing so well?
It is certainly possible for this to happen. But I didn’t really think about it. I hope the lust stays with me.
Would you like to finish your career in Třinec?
It would be nice. I’ve been here almost 11 years now and have had a ton of success. I would like to finish here. And what happens next, I’ll see. On long bus rides, I think about what I’m going to do after my career. But I’m not decided yet. Sometimes I feel like I don’t want to move at all during hockey, a few weeks later my thoughts spin 180 degrees again. Mostly I want to do what I like.
