Ondřej Kaše | Photo: Jan Jindra, hcvl.cz
The journey by car from Kadana to Litvínov takes around forty minutes. Ondřej Kaše is slowly getting used to the route across northern Bohemia, who left his hometown on Tuesday morning for the first joint training session with the team.
“I saw the boys before, about a month ago. I’m looking forward to it, it will be a new challenge for me,” says the elder of the brotherly pair, who are supposed to take Verva to the higher levels of the extra league table.
You know part of the current Litvínov cabin well, don’t you?
Yes, more boys. I trained with them last year, although the team changed slightly. There is, for example, Nick Hlava, with whom I played youth, then Michal Gut, we almost grew up with him. Although he is some seven years younger, he is a Kadaňák. I haven’t really played with anyone since then, I guess I don’t have to count my brother… (smiles) Also Petr Koblasa, I trained with him during covid.
I read in a comment on social networks that if the coaches put Michal Gut in the attack, it would be a line that comes from one housing estate.
It is so. He lived four doors down from us. Our friend actually wrote that comment. (Laughs)
The club officially confirmed your arrival on Sunday evening. Was there a lot of news, or did the neighborhood know about it ahead of time?
Those close to me knew this would happen. Just waiting for it to be released. There were certainly some reactions, but whoever I was playing with knew that I was going to Litvínov. It’s more about the NHL, the future, how I’m doing. We are still in contact with former teammates.
“I didn’t wait for America because I knew I wanted to be in the Czech Republic this season.”
Don’t you feel like flying into it anymore, don’t your hands itch? After all, the season starts in earnest in two months…
Yeah sure. But from America, I’m used to it being signed two or three months before. It’s been a long hiatus for me, I’m looking forward to it all starting.
So when did the whole transfer start to take shape? The first speculations regarding Litvínov leaked sometime in February.
Well, in February or March I decided that if everything was fine, I would go to Litvínov. I didn’t even want anything else, we didn’t solve anything. I didn’t wait for America because I knew I wanted to be in the Czech Republic this season. Mainly because of my brother.
So the opening of the free agent market in the NHL was completely out of your hands?
Completely. The agents didn’t ask at all, I don’t think they even knew how I was doing. This was no option, no stranger.
“Already when my brother was looking for a job, it was a little bit towards that.”
Apart from the motivation to play with your brother – what convinced you to return to the Czech Republic?
We both wanted to be at home, that was our main reason. Even when my brother was looking for a job, it was a little bit towards that. It is a short distance from Kadán to Litvínov, so we live at home, we will commute. This is also why we decided to do so, and it is also a club from the region.
As you said, the break was long. One start for Carolina last October, then health problems arose again. Nothing good for the psyche…
Certainly not. But I’m going to a team where I’m going to have a little bit of a different role than if I were to sign back for America. This one is a little easier for me. I have a huge appetite, a year without hockey is very noticeable.
At 27, was a possible end to his career really on the table?
It was solved mainly from the beginning, then not so much anymore. It might not work after a month or two. But I don’t suppose that would be the case. The possibility is simply there. I am in contact with the doctors and after some consultations it doesn’t look like that at all.
Ondřej Kaše | Photo: Jan Jindra, hcvl.cz
Injuries plague you for a long time, especially concussions. Have you learned how to work with that uncertainty?
That’s how he learned… It’s more about knowing where you want to go next year. If I had waited for America and was nervous if it would work out, it would have been worse. That’s how I knew I wanted to go to Litvínov to see my brother. That was better because I knew from March – if possible – where I should play.
Okay, but don’t you think you’re a perpetual underdog? The first match with the Hurricanes, and immediately the rush.
One cannot speculate too much about it, some are lucky to get injured, others are not. It’s just the way it is, I don’t even think about it. In addition, in Carolina, it was not a concussion, but other health problems. I wouldn’t want to specify exactly.
“You can’t speculate too much on that, some people are lucky to get injured, some are not.”
Later, there were reports that you were going on the ice in a non-contact jersey. However, you did not intervene in the next NHL program.
I have been training with the team since sometime in December. Then the doctors and I decided to end the season. I wasn’t doing very well health-wise. I took a few months off, then jumped into summer training. I think the condition is perfectly fine.
To put it in another perspective: if someone told you ten years ago that you would play 258 games in the best league in the world, you would have taken all ten, wouldn’t you?
Yes, for sure! (smiles) I think I left a nice mark there. But on the other hand, somewhere in the back of my head I have that there could have been a lot more of those matches and that career could have looked a little different.
The contract in Litvínov is valid for one year, you don’t have to close the door to overseas…
I don’t really think about it now. I’m going into it knowing that I want to have the best – and above all, healthy – season. We’ll see what happens next. I don’t look at what’s coming next year at all. I am concentrating on Litvínov.
If the NHL was truly a finished chapter, what will jump out at you as the strongest memory?
There will be more. I’d probably choose my first start, that person won’t just forget. The second strong memory I have is when I was playing against my brother and my parents were there. I think that was a big moment for all of us.
“I’m going into it knowing that I want to have the best possible – and above all healthy – season.”
The brotherly derby in Philadelphia turned out better for David then, now you are chatting together years later. And the family will also be much closer, what do you think?
I am looking forward to it so much. Even friends who haven’t seen us for a long time can come see us. This is also one of the reasons why I am looking forward to Litvínov. My girlfriend’s family are all Lithuanian fans, they have actually never seen me play a sharp match.
Has it ever flashed through your mind how you and your brother were chasing after the barracks with hockey sticks in your youth?
Of course. How we lived together in a room, then our time together in Chomutov. Back then we still had completely different roles, we were young guys with everything ahead of us. Now we should be one of those who pull the team. I think I can speak for my brother when I say that we are both looking forward to it.
Ondřej Kaše and Pavel Hynek | Photo: Jan Jindra, hcvl.cz
By the way, isn’t it unusual to wear black and yellow colors? Before Chomutovska fell to the region, there was a certain rivalry here…
(smiles) But I grew up in Kadani in yellow, black and white. I’m actually back where I started in my youth. No, what happened in Chomutov simply happened. I would put any rivalry aside. But it would probably be worse if Chomutov played in the extra league and I chose Litvínov. Then you could say I’m going to a rival. I think it is for the good of hockey in the Ústí Region that everyone cooperates now.
Do you feel that you are coming to a team that has not been doing very well in recent years? Since the title year of 2015, only one participation in the quarter-finals of the playoffs, and coaches change often.
Certainly. When I trained here last year, the ambitions were a little different. I hope that with the arrival of me, my brothers and a few other guys, the winning spirit will set in and it will be better. Before the season, it is very difficult to speculate about what it will look like. In any case, I go to the team with the goal that we do not play somewhere below.
“For me, the extra league is slightly underrated.”
Have you watched Extraliga?
Not so much from the early days in America. But I watched her pretty closely over the last two years when my brother played there. I think I have enough information.
So what do you say about her level?
She is slightly underrated for me. When I talked to the guys who came back here, they all said that it’s not as easy as they say. It’s a lot about the system, it’s quite defensive. That will be a big difference compared to America.
Are you ready for the position of leader and the associated pressure? A lot of people will probably expect a point per match, a number of goals from you…
We’ll see when it gets going. (Laughs) I always have the highest demands on myself, as I think every athlete should have. I will not deal with point per game or goals, but for us to play higher as a team. I would like the hunger for hockey to return to Litvínov and the fans to be satisfied. When you play eight years down the line, you can tell a little bit. It would be great to start a hockey boom. The joy that has always been here.
“I would like that kind of hunger for hockey to return to Litvínov.”
The fans have always been an important part of the club, the atmosphere at the Litvínov winter club is legendary. Do you remember it as an opponent?
Yeah, my first year with Chomutov I experienced that. The atmosphere was wonderful. I hope we can bring it back here.
You have seven seasons in the NHL, next to your brother you will fulfill another big dream. Can you think of anything else you would like to achieve?
When you ask that question, I immediately think that I would like to play in the adult national team with my brother. That’s one of the other big dreams we have in common. We played twenties together, this would be great too. I haven’t actually played anything for the national team yet. There were some invitations, but due to injury it was not possible. I had a daughter two years ago, so I haven’t done anything for reps yet. I’m terribly sorry. If it were possible, it is one of the things I would like to add to my career.
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2023-07-18 08:29:00
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