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Andrej Hasek Birthdate: November 30,1991 Birthplace: Prague, Czech Republic Position: Goaltender Height: 6’3 Weight: 190lbs Early Life Andrej Hasek was born to Tomas and Eva Hasek in the city of Prague. The Hasek name may sound familiar because Andrej is the nephew of former NHL great Domink Hasek. Legend has it Andrej was quite the baseball player growing up, even being recruited to come over to North America, however Andrej denies that claim to this day. Andrej’s start in ice hockey is not your traditional story, he started at a relatively old age. Andrej was 13 when first laced up a pair of skates, an old pair of goalie skates his uncle gave him. He was always curious about the sport but it wasn’t until his uncle took him out to a local pond that he fell in love. Playing Career Andrej picked up the game quickly and before he knew it he had shot up the junior rankings in his native Czech Republic. He was destined to follow in the footsteps of his uncle until a sport hernia sidelined him for a full season during his junior year in high school. It was a tough year for Andrej and he found himself straying away from the game of hockey. His grades and attendance in school declined and he was getting into trouble outside of school. He got mixed up in the wrong crowd and ended up spending some time in a juvenile detention center. After a summer visit from his uncle, Andrej found the motivation that he had been missing and trained to get ready for his senior year. He returned in his senior year but it was a disappointment, many questioned whether Andrej’s heart was still in hockey. Andrej made a statement when he opted to play professional hockey rather than continue onto college, he was going to live out his dream of being a hockey player. Andrej joined HC Pradubice but it was meet with controversy, the word around town was that Andrej had not earned his spot rather he was given the roster spot based on the name on his sweater. Andrej worked hard to prove his doubters wrong and posted a 8-3-0 record in his rookie season with a 2.35 gaa and .921 sv %. The following season saw Andrej steal the starting role and lead the club to a championship, winning MVP honours. Andrej found himself in the spotlight, he wasnt accustomed to dealing with it outside the rink, which again lead to trouble. He spent much of his summer partying and enjoying the spotlight and wasn’t repaired for the season. At the start of his third season with HC Pardubice rumours were swirling, it was believed that Andrej was planning on leaving the club at the end of the season. The rumours combined with a poor season and injuries, lead to him being ran out of town. Weeks before the season had finished Andrej was released from the club and he made it official that he would look to continue his career in the VHL. Player Review Pros Athleticism: Similar to his uncle Dominik, Andrej is an incredible athlete. He sprawls around his crease, kicking up legs and throwing out arms in an effort to keep the puck out of his net. When you think he is completely out of it, he manages to get a limb in front of the puck. Hand Speed: Unlike most European goaltenders, Andrej has an incredible glove had. Previous coaches have joked that in the past he must have been quite the catcher playing baseball, but Andrej maintains he as never picked up a baseball. His blocker hand is quite underrated, many look to shoot there because of his good glove hand but they often are denied. Whether or not his hand speed will translate to the VHL is yet to be determined Work Ethic: Andrej is a very determined individual. Where some may lack in terms of commitment off the ice, Andrej certainly does not. He has received praise from past teammates and coaches for the time he has spent working on his came outside of the rink. He spends countless hours in training room, talking to coaches and even media, all an attempt to become a better player and teammate. Cons Style: While his style is extremely entertaining and may leave some spectators with their jaw on the floor, it often leads to him being caught out of position. For a goalie coach he is a nightmare, he has no sense of positioning. Andrej has got by at lower levels but moving to the VHL it will be an area needing improvement. Durability: Andrej’s injury history is well documented back to his days in high school. He has yet to complete a season without enduring an injury along the way, the most notable being a sports hernia. For a goaltender who relies on athleticism, as much as Andrej does, the numerous groin injuries is not a good sign. It maybe too soon to label him a band aid boy but it will a cause of concern for which ever team Andrej suits up for. Experience: Andrej lacks experience, not only as a starter but just as a hockey player. He started at an older age than most and that is very evident in his play. He doesn’t have all the fundamentals down and gets by purely on athleticism. Teams will have to be patient with the young goaltender, there will be growing pains along the way.

My name is Blake, I've been lurking around here for a few days now. I'm new to Simulation hockey but it's something I tell I'm gonna have lots of fun with. Looking forward to getting to know all of you.