Bojovnik

HOLLYWOOD IS DEAD

I might have to renew this feud after being left off this list.

MOSCOW, July 25, 2022 (CZHockey) – Moscow Menace defenceman Jan Hlozek announced on Monday morning that the current season will be his last as a professional hockey player, as the Topolna native calls time on a highly successful career. Hlozek called a press conference in Moscow ahead of the VHL S84 Trade Deadline to announce his plans. “It’s been a good run, and there’s still a way to go yet, but I wanted to get this out there in public ahead of the playoffs to ensure that there are as few distractions as possible,” Hlozek remarked. The diminutive, puck-moving defenceman was drafted eighth overall by the Riga Reign in S77, but elected to spend a second full season in the VHLM. His final season in the minors saw Hlozek walk away with a Founder’s Cup title as a member of the Miami Marauders, along with gold at the World Junior Championships. Hlozek made his VHL debut in S78, registering a respectable 50 points from the team’s second pairing. His scoring would continue to increase throughout his time in the Latvian capital, as Hlozek finished his spell with 176 regular season points over his three seasons in Riga, but the Czech blueliner was left disillusioned with the team after they missed the S80 playoffs. As a result, he tested free agency, and eventually signed with the Los Angeles Stars in the NA Conference. In California, Hlozek truly broke out as a top tier offensive defenceman, racking up 173 points in 144 regular season games, with his final season on the West Coast seeing the Stars make their way to the NA Conference Finals. A rebuild was on the cards for the Stars, and Hlozek made the team aware that he would not be returning for S83. This prompted the team’s management to trade Hlozek’s rights to the Moscow Menace in return for a middle round pick. “First of all, it’s been an honour and a privilege to play in the VHL for so many seasons. Of course, I believed in myself that I could be a contributor at this level, but to leave the league as one of the greatest Czech players in the VHL’s history is something that I’m super proud of,” Hlozek said. “I want to thank all the people that helped get my career to where it was at this stage. That includes the management of Saskatoon @Doomsday, my first team in the VHLM, who introduced me to the league and let me know what it would take to be successful here. And then Riga for taking a chance on a relatively unknown prospect such as myself, @hedgehog337 the former Los Angeles management @rory for their trust in me as an elite offensive producer, and last but not least, Moscow @Spartan for taking a chance on an old guy such as myself,” he continued. Despite Hlozek’s announcement, the Czech defenceman still has something to play for. The Menace currently sit atop of the European Conference after mounting a miraculous 14-game winning streak. Hlozek has yet to taste Continental Cup glory, and the Czech blueliner said that nothing will change knowing that this is his last go around. “I’ve still got a lot of work to do. Getting to the Continental Cup finals last season and losing was even more motivation for me to finally lift that trophy. We have a great team, and we’re on a roll right now. The most important thing is to not get complacent,” he concluded.

Let's go Europe

Get rekt Seattle

Big Hollywood Hlozek is going to the ASG lets go

So the VHL has more than a decade and a half under its belt. While I only joined the league at the start of last year, I would consider myself to be a veteran of sim leagues, having joined my first in 2007. While I don’t want to name names, I’m going to use this media spot to give my thoughts on what the VHL has done right, compared to other leagues that have gone by the wayside. Firstly, I think it’s crucially important to note the continued success of the VHL as, generally, forums die out. While forums thrived 10 years ago, when pretty much all users would participate on their desktop PCs, the VHL’s mobile-friendly website, low-graphics intensive portal, along with the commitment to using desktop keeps users engaged when they’re away from their keyboards. Secondly, I think the commitment to “rushing” through seasons keeps people interested. Nothing runs stale in the VHL. You don’t like where you’re playing, when in theory you only have a couple of weeks before you can move somewhere else. I’ve participated in leagues where one season could take almost a year, and if you’re not happy, you’re not going to contribute. Thirdly, I’m incredibly impressed with the openness that the VHL is willing to allow new users to take responsibility in higher-up roles. I don’t see much of the cliques I saw in other leagues, and the management appears to be willing to allow new people with new ideas to play as much of a role as their time allows. Fourthly, truly rewarding activity. I’m sure that a huge amount of work has gone into drawing up the TPE rules (and also thinking of new ideas for theme weeks that keeps users engaged). I’ve been in leagues where only post count was rewarded (with some rather opaque coefficients for quality of content). Additionally, having the TPE system that updates weekly means that people feel that they are immediately rewarded for putting the time in. All in all, I think the system works, and even with the launch of the hybrid attributes ahead of last season, it shows that the league is willing and able to pivot and innovate. I can truly say that participating in the VHL has been a surprise for me. I didn’t expect that I would last until the end of my first player’s career, let alone truly contribute over the long term. Yes, I realize that I will never take up a staffing roll, as I don’t have the time that I could commit to doing it well, but I’ve had a great time over the past 18 months as Jan Hlozek ran his course. Will I recreate at the deadline next week? I’m not 100% sure yet. But in any case, I’m thankful for what the VHL has offered as a product, and can truly respect what it has created for hockey sim league over an unrivalled decade and a half. And with that, I doff my cap and say chapeau.

Happy birthday

G - Bubbles Utonium Group DONE

What a lovely thing to see. Joyous.

D - JAN "HOLLYWOOD" HLOZEK D - David Tavau @badcolethetitan

No-one knows who Jan Hlozek is. Did you know that he has now spent 7 seasons in the VHL on three different teams? Did you know that he is consistently in and around the top 10 in defencemen scoring for the past 3 seasons? I guess maybe some of you will become more familiar with Jan Hlozek as you fill out your VHFL teams, as the Czech defenceman was ranked 17th on the S83 Player Rankings, meaning that some, if not many of you, will burn your 4th or 5th round pick on this bum (remember, the meta is to take forwards with your first picks). However, does anyone know who Jan Hlozek really is? We don’t know much either. Hlozek came into the league as a completely unknown first-gen after signing up, joining the Saskatoon Wild. After a switch to the Miami Marauders, Hlozek was part of the Florida team’s S77 Founder’s Cup winning team, also claiming a gold medal in the WJC with Team Europe in the same year. These achievements helped Hlozek rise up the draft rankings, and he was selected 8th overall by the Riga Reign. During the live draft, many commentators looked at this “boring” first-gen, who mostly sat in the shadows, with derision. Few believed that Hlozek would go on to become a key contributor at the top level of professional hockey. Fast forward seven seasons, Hlozek has played in 432 regular season VHL games, registering 437 points from the blueline. In 38 postseason games, Hlozek has racked up 38 points, although the Czech blueliner has only really had playoff success over the past two seasons, reaching the NA Conference Finals with the Los Angeles Stars in 82, and the Continental Cup Finals with the Moscow Menace last season. But still, no-one cares about Jan Hlozek right? The premier second-pairing defenceman who has only been able to thrive in sheltered minutes while sat behind “elite” blueliners such as Linus Zetterstrom, Tui Sova, and Hard Markinson. To some, he’s known as Hollywood Hlozek, a moniker that was coined during the Topolna native’s time in Los Angeles. To others, he’s that “Bojo” guy, drawing weird comparisons with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who is known in the British tabloid press by the same name. But as time appears to wind down on Jan Hlozek’s career, what does he make of the path he forged? Is Hlozek happy with the way his time in the VHL has gone, and what sort of future awaits him in the future? To answer that question, we reached out to his agent Juraj Holesovsky, who sent us the following e-mail. “Jan does not want to speak on these topics. He thinks that the VHL is full of bums, and that he has been consistently FISTED ANALLY BY A CIRCUS MONKEY throughout his time in the league,” Holesovsky wrote. So, old man Hollywood Hlozek gets at least one more go around next season. Will he finally get the cup that he feels he deserves? Our sources say no. But, in any case, he’ll retire to the Czech countryside and forget all about his time in the VHL.

F - Zach Kisslinger II F - Anze Miklavz @badcolethetitan

F - Duncan Idaho @badcolethetitan

Moscow Menace defenceman Jan Hlozek is set to enter his seventh VHL season, but the Czech blueliner recently refuted rumours that he is set to announce his retirement from the game. Hlozek joined the Menace ahead of the S83 season, helping the team from the Russian capital make the Continental Cup Finals, where they came up short against the Seattle Bears. The Topolna native arrived at Moscow’s Vnukovo Airport on Monday ahead of the start of the Menace’s training camp, and was asked about his future. “I’m not interested in speaking about my future. I’m here for this coming season, and what happens during the season, and after the season, will be discussed when it is necessary,” Hlozek said. The skilled blueliner, who registered 88 points last season, said that he was excited to get started and determined to bring the title to Russia in S84. “It took some time to get over the sting of losing in that way. We had one hand on the Continental Cup and let it slip. I’ve used that as motivation, and I’m coming into camp in the best shape I’ve ever been in. I’m 100% committed to Moscow, and ensuring that the club finally gets the title it deserves,” he said before being whisked away in a private car.

week2

Yes

Moscow is clearly A+ all day every day

1. Pain, pain and more pain. 2. Not be an idiot and take stick penalties 3. Take this motivation and move forward. That's all we can do. 4. I mean, I'm happy to be staying here, and the teams made the move that they see fit. 5. I need to take a closer look. I remember my draft well. 6. Great British national victory against France at 2019 IIHF Champs

PRAGUE (HockeyCZ.cz, June 16, 2022) – It is summertime in the Czech Republic. In Prague, the streets are alive with activity all through the evening, and the same can be said for the small villages where many city residents have their summer cottages. Roughly 200 kilometers from Prague lies the village of Topolna, practically on the border with Slovakia. The village became known as a hockey hotbed thanks to the exploits of Jiri Hlozek, the famous coach of the Czech national team, and his son, Jan Hlozek. Hlozek Jr. has gone on to become one of the Czech Republic’s finest hockey exports. The skilled blueliner has been one of the premier players in the Victory Hockey League for the past six years, first entering the league with the Riga Reign before truly stepping into the spotlight as a member of the Los Angeles Stars. During his time in California, he earned the nickname “Hollywood Hlozek”, a term that has been trademarked and used for the sale of branded items, and this moniker has stuck despite him having made the move to the Russian capital last offseason. With the Moscow Menace, Hlozek had arguably his best season in the VHL to date. Although he was one point short of matching his career best of 89 (registered in S82 with LA), Hlozek anchored Moscow’s second pairing and was a key powerplay contributor. The Menace went all the way to the Continental Cup Final, with series victories over the Prague Phantoms and Riga Reign, before facing off against the Seattle Bears in the winner-take-all climax. For the Menace, it wasn’t to be. Despite taking a 3-2 series lead with a convincing victory in Game 5, the Bears rallied back to take Game 6 in overtime before sneaking a 3-2 victory in Game 7 to lift the title. “It still hurts, and it’s going to hurt all offseason,” Hlozek told HockeyCZ from his home in Topolna. Hlozek was in the box for both of Seattle’s powerplay goals in the second period that brought the NA Champions back into the game after the Russian side held a 2-0 victory through 20 minutes. The blueliner, who averaged a minor penalty per game in the postseason, said that he looks back in horror at Game 7. “It was truly unacceptable. Of course, you always feel bad when the opponent scores twice while you were in the box. But to do that twice in Game 7 of the final. It sucks. I thought the refereeing wasn’t great throughout the entire postseason, but to get called twice like that and have them score both times on the powerplay is sickening. I still feel awful about it,” Hlozek said. One of the major factors that led to the Bears’ eventual victory was their ability to shut down Moscow’s potent second line following Game 2. In the remaining five games of the series, Hlozek, who was averaging well over a point per game, only registered on the scoreboard once. “Hockey’s a strange game. I know that you have to be consistent to win, and Seattle made the adjustments that completely shut our line down. I know I have a responsibility to produce for my team, and to fail to produce when the team needed it, is something that I look back on with regret. For sure, it’s motivation for next season,” he said. The Menace go into S84 with a strong roster on paper. They have managed to keep together the majority of their core, despite the recent loss of Duncan Idaho, who was traded to the D.C. Dragons earlier this week. Hlozek said that the confidence was there that the Moscow Menace, who have now lost in the Continental Cup Finals four years in a row, can finally get over the line. “There’s still a lot of turnover in this league. Contending teams don’t stick around for long, so for the Menace to get to the finals for four years in a row is really an achievement. We have amazing goaltending, and amazing depth. We know that we are still in a really good place to be in the running next season, and we have to take the lessons of this past season when we got so close, to ensure that we finally get our hands on the Continental Cup this time next year,” he remarked. Rumours are abound that this could be Hlozek’s final season in the VHL. The veteran blueliner already has two VHLM and six VHL seasons under his belt, and rumblings from the Topolna native’s camp appear to suggest that he is looking forward to following in his father’s footsteps into coaching. “It’s way too early to even be thinking or commenting on that at this stage. Of course, it’s no secret that I eventually want to coach alongside my dad, but for now, I’m 100% focused on winning the Continental Cup with the Moscow Menace, and nothing is going to get between me and this goal,” he said. Even so, it’s still possible to speak about Jan Hlozek’s legacy. As one of the premier Czech players to have ever laced them up in the VHL, Hlozek has often been a figure outside of the spotlight. He has often been the second pairing defenceman behind stars such as Linus Zetterstrom, Tui Sova, and now in Moscow, Hard Markinson. Despite that, Hlozek has always done his work quietly. And when we say work, we mean registering 437 points in 432 regular season games in hockey’s top flight. “It’s not my job to decide what my legacy is. I’ve always tried to do my best for my family, my team, and my country. For me, winning the World Junior Championship with Team Europe was my proudest achievement to date, although I know that winning the Continental Cup would eclipse this. I hope that people look back on what I did at the ice and respect me as a guy that put in the effort every night. I don’t care if I’m not considered among the greats or as a candidate for the Hall of Fame. I want to be an inspiration to show what you can do when you work hard,” Hlozek concluded. Jaroslav Bednarek (Two week claim as over 1000 words)

YES THIS IS GOOD

Jan Hlozek - DC

Now I know what pain feels like, and I don't like it.

I'll keep your place in Moscow warm before you arrive. Old man Hlo is gonna take it easy next year.

This old man is having a blast in Moscow