Bojovnik

Jan Hlozek, a promising young defenceman for the Riga Reign, is one of the great hockey hopes for the Czech Republic. The small landlocked European country has a tradition of producing fantastically skilled players, and we sat down with the Topolna native to go through the archives and find out more about who inspired him. “For me, starting my journey in the VHLM three years ago, one of the people I really looked up to was Dagmar Havlova,” Hlozek said in an interview with CZHockey. Havlova was one of the most decorated VHLM graduates going into their pro career. They followed up a Founder’s Cup win in S68 with another in S69, scoring 109 points in their final season in the minors with Saskatoon. A responsible two-way center, Havlova had a steady career with the Prague Phantoms before spending the final two seasons of their career in Warsaw, almost breaching the 100-point threshold in S75 and S76. “It’s been a great experience to have someone like Havlova to follow. They really set the path for this next generation of Czech players, which includes myself. I remember watching Prague games when I was younger and I was always impressed with how Havlova played. A model for any young center,” Hlozek remarked. Mat Tocco, another Czech native, made his VHL debut in S67 with the Moscow Menace. A small, shift forward, Tocco went on to play 503 games in the pros, racking up 435 points. Most notably, Tocco was part of the Moscow Menace’s storied S70 team that lifted the Continental Cup, giving a blueprint for other Czech players to follow. “It was amazing to see a Czech player lift the Continental Cup. I remember watching the finals on TV and I think everyone in the Czech Republic was rooting for Moscow in those finals. We all wanted to see a Czech player lift the cup, and it was amazing to see it actually happen,” Hlozek stated. Three seasons before Tocco lifted the trophy, Shawnomir Jagr also managed to etch his name in history as part of the Vancouver Wolves S67 Continental Cup winning side. Jagr was a depth player for the Wolves in that season, scoring just 31 points in 72 games, and while Jagr would not get his hands on silverware again, he played four more solid seasons for the Western Canadian side. “I think when you have someone with the surname Jagr, you always know what sort of player you’re going to get. I think Shawnomir was a fantastic player. He really showed the best of the sort of skill that we have in the Czech Republic, and I’ve always tried to watch his game to see what made him so talented,” Hlozek stated. Finally, moving to the net, there’s no-one who can come close to Jakab Holik’s contribution to the Czech goaltending tradition. In his eight seasons in the VHL, Holik never posted a save percentage below 0.900, most notably recording a staggering 0.931 save percentage with New York in S54. “Holik is a legend in the Czech Republic. I don’t think there’s anyone here that doesn’t know his name and what he managed to achieve in the VHL. He’s still an icon, and will be for decades to come,” Hlozek stated.

Happy birthday!

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1. Most definitely. The S75 guys are entering their prime so I think we're good to go. 2. Has to be Doomsday. Helped me out so much! 3. I'm a terrible graphic artist so wouldn't want to criticize anyone. 4. Neither. I like that real-life drama. 5. I just want my old Skoda back 6. Im too old for TikTok

The Riga Reign may have missed the playoffs two years in a row, but defenceman Jan Hlozek is confident that the team is building up for several seasons of success. The Latvian club’s postseason challenge came to an abrupt halt on the final day of the S78 regular season with a heartbreaking loss to the Moscow Menace. Despite the disappointment, several of the players from the Reign’s bumper S75 draft class are now entering their prime, and Hlozek said that he is hopeful that the team will turn their recent skid around. “It’s clear that we have some of the best players in the league. Zetterstrom is one of the league’s best defencemen. That’s undeniable. Then up front, Lose, McJake, DaMoose and McCloud are clearly top tier talents. It would be a crying shame if we aren’t a contender next season,” Hlozek said. The biggest question marks over the Reign roster next season is clearly in net. Long-time goalie Calvin Harvey decided to hang up his skates, meaning that the Reign will likely have to play an inexperienced goalie next season. “I’m not sure if we’ll address this hole through the draft. We got a new goalie in last week, plus we have Sovick, who has always played well when he’s had a shot. I trust the management to make the right decision,” Hlozek concluded.

Week two!

In please

1. I guess it would be good to win it, right? 2. I'll just be rooting for Europe from the sidelines. The junior squad looks good, but they have a lot to live up to this year! 3. I didn't think they'd do it. Fair play to them. 4. I think Croatia. 5. Salt and vinegar chips. 6. I think floorball needs more love.

The end of the season is approaching, with the Founder’s Cup in the books and the Continental Cup set to be awarded, which means that the VHL and VHLM drafts are on the horizon. Jan Hlozek, the eighth overall pick in the S77 draft, issued a statement telling prospective draft picks to make sure they enjoy the once-in-a-lifetime experience. “The experience of being drafted is like no other. There’s only one time that you get to sit their with the excitement and anticipation of finding out where you’re set to go, so enjoy it,” Hlozek said. The Czech blueliner also told prospective draft picks not to get disheartened if they don’t end up on the team that they wished, saying that it’s their responsibility to make the environment one they enjoy. “Look, I was pretty down when I found out that I got drafted by Miami in the VHLM. I wanted to spend another season with Saskatoon as the guys there were great, but in the end, Miami turned out to be a fantastic team and we went on to win the Founder’s Cup in S78. You can never guess how the season will turn out, so just keep on pulling on the rope and good things will happen,” Hlozek stated.

July 7 (CZHockey) - It’s already been a long off-season for the players of the Riga Reign, after the Latvia-based club missed out on the playoffs for a second year in a row, but defenseman Jan Hlozek said that he was determined to be in better shape to start the season next time round. The Reign’s season ended in devastating fashion after the club from the Latvian capital dropped their final game against the Moscow Menace to miss out on a place in the play-in via tiebreak. Hlozek has already returned to his native Czech Republic and told CZHockey that he was well into his offseason training with the aim of getting better. “Each season that I’ve played, whether it’s been in the VHLM or VHL, I’ve always been a slow starter. I’ve made some changes to my offseason training schedule with the hope of being in top shape by the team the season starts, to ensure that the Reign don’t start off slow once again and find ourselves behind the 8-ball by the mid-point of S79,” Hlozek said in an interview. The Topolna native said that he was working with his father, who coached his junior teams in the town of Vsetin, as well as a number of the Czech Republic’s finest players to maximise his time at home. “I’ve always trusted my father’s training programs. We’ve made some changes, but he’s the person that motivates me the most. He’s my most fierce critic, so I need to spend as much time with him as possible to get better, and I always listen to what he has to say,” Hlozek stated. The Czech blueliner, who was the second top rookie point scorer in the VHL having racked up 50 points, said that he was working on improving his fitness and skating this offseason. “I think the speed of the VHL was perhaps the most surprising thing for me. I found it difficult to keep up, especially at the start, and so we wanted to work on both my all-around fitness and edgework. At the moment, a lot of what we’re doing is long runs and sprints in the hills, and when we’re on-ice, we’re mostly doing exercises that will help improve my agility and edge work. I also want to be stronger on my skates to ensure that the bigger forwards in the league can’t outmuscle me,” Hlozek remarked. Hlozek said that he was fully focused on his off-season regimen, following several stories out of Latvia that the Topolna native caused a fracas in a Riga bar at the end of the season. Several photos and videos have been published online showing Hlozek involved in several altercations and leaving a bar with a laceration under his eye. A spokesperson for the Riga Reign has said that Hlozek has already been disciplined for his conduct, and the Czech defenseman said that he had already listened and has taken on board the comments. “Look, I can’t be doing that sort of thing. It’s been a long season, I was frustrated that we lost our final game, but of course that’s not the sort of things that professionals do. I need to be better, and trust me, I’ve been criticized by everyone under the sun for my behavior. I will try my best to make sure that something like this doesn’t happen again because it’s embarrassing for me, my family, and my team,” he stated. Hlozek had a remarkably successful final season in the minor leagues, winning the Founders Cup with the Miami Marauders and the World Junior Championship with Team Europe. This time round, the 24-year-old has been left with more time to contemplate on what he needs to do to take his game to the next level. “It’s been an interesting period of time, not having games. I think last season, the championships and the awards came thick and fast, so it was difficult to reflect on my game. Was I too arrogant going into this season? Maybe. Now, knowing how sucks it is to miss out on the playoffs, I’m more determined than ever to make sure that I help the Reign get into the playoffs next season,” Hlozek said. Hlozek, who was the eighth overall pick in the S77 draft, has just one season remaining on his entry level deal. There have been some reports out of Latvia that Hlozek was relatively annoyed with the performance of the team last season and may look to leave the Latvian capital at the first available opportunity. When asked to comment on these rumours, Hlozek said that he was fully committed to spending a sizeable portion of his professional career with the Reign. “Look, the Reign took a chance on me by drafting me so high. There were many great players still on the board but they saw something in me that they liked, and have been super supportive to me ever since drafting me. I feel a responsibility to repay their trust and to ensure that I am not a disappointment. As a result, to leave at the first opportunity is not on my radar. If they want to trade me, that’s their prerogative, but I can’t foresee the impetus for such a move being from my end,” Hlozek remarked. A further two weeks in the Czech Republic lies ahead for Hlozek before he returns to the Latvian capital for pre-season training. When asked what he would like to achieve in that time, the Topolna native stressed that he wanted to spend these weeks surrounded by friends and family. “I’m a family guy. I love where I’m from and I always love coming back here. So, my motivation now is to make sure that I spend as much time as I can with the people that love me before making my way back to Riga for the long season. Plus, the food here at home is much better than in Riga. I don’t mean to offend anyone, but that’s truly the case. You can’t get Kofola in Riga. You can’t get good goulash in Riga,” Hlozek concluded.

1. Pretty much. We were the form team at the end of the season, so we really could've done some damage in the playoffs. That Deathwalker guy doesn't deserve to be in the playoffs. 2. Easily Carter. 3. Any and all goalies. Maybe get three of them and play them all at the same time. 4. I know nothing about the old teams but for the hype, Vasteras 5. ITS COMING HOME. 6. Illegal border crossing.

As reported late last week, Riga Reign defenseman was snapped looking worse for wear as he left a hotel bar just eight hours after the Latvian side had their season ended in devastating fashion following a final game defeat to the Moscow Menace. Photos and videos circulated on social media networks this past weekend showed the Czech blueliner looking to perhaps drown his sorrows by staying out until sunrise in the Latvian capital. We spoke to a member of the hotel bar staff who said that Hlozek’s bar tab came to in excess of 500 euros, adding that this included five bottles of hard liquor for himself and his entourage. In one of the photos, Hlozek was spotted with a laceration under his eye, and the barman said that he did not see the incident itself, but said that the Czech blueliner got into several altercations with other patrons of the bar before being asked to leave. In a comment, media representatives at the Riga Reign said that Hlozek would be warned about his future conduct, adding that plans would be put into place to ensure that events such as these don’t happen when the Reign get underway in S79.

Week twoooooo

The Riga Reign crashed out of the S78 playoff race in devastating fashion following their shock defeat to the Moscow Menace on the final game of the season, and as the players tidy away their gear for the offseason and look ahead to their next campaign, rookie defenseman Jan Hlozek went out in style. Despite the defeat, the young Czech blueliner was snapped at the Radisson Hotel's Sky Bar in central Riga, partying until 5am before being snapped leaving the venue with friends. Eyewitnesses said that Hlozek looked worse for wear, his sunglasses half hanging off his face and sporting a cut underneath his right eye. Media representatives at the Riga Reign could not be reached for comment to confirm or deny whether Hlozek received his facial injury during the game against Moscow, or whether the laceration was the result of the night's partying. Hlozek was later spotted boarding an AirBaltic flight from Riga airport at roughly 5pm the following day. The flight was bound for the Czech capital, Prague. The defenseman, who registered 50 points in his rookie VHL season, has previously said that he would be going back to his hometown of Topolna to conduct his summer on- and off-ice training there.

Presser 27.06 1. So the season ended with us just missing out on the playoffs. How disappointing was it not to get it done in the final game? 2. The Reign lost out to Malmo via tiebreak. Do you think the VHL should pick another tiebreak instead of wins? 3. What was the most positive thing of the season for you? 4. Do you think that the Reign will have a shot of winning the draft lottery? 5. What are your plans for the off-season? 6. What makes something funny?

The VHL's Riga Reign mounted a miraculous mid-season comeback to end S78 with a shot of making the playoffs, but a final game defeat to HC Davos Dynamo put paid to those plans and left the Latvian club on the outside of the playoff picture looking in. A rotten start to the season left the Reign at the bottom of the European Conference in the early part of S78. However, the team's fortunes changed around the trade deadline, and Riga went into the final game of the season knowing that a win against Davos would get them into the play-in, providing that the Moscow Menace could emerge victorious against the fifth-placed Malmo Nighthawks. The Menace did their part, dominating the Nighthawks to take a 4-1 victory. Unfortunately for the Reign, Davos put in an accomplished performance to register a 3-1 win, leaving both Malmo and Riga tied on points, with the former winning the tiebreak on account of accruing a greater number of wins. The Reign end up finishing the season 32-28-12 record, good enough for 76 points – an improvement on last season's total of 66. However, the team's players and management are now left to rue what might have been ahead of another long offseason. "It's super disappointing that we didn't take the chance that was available to us. We were clearly one of the best teams in the league over the last two weeks or so. It's a shame that we were in a position where we needed to win our final game to get into the play-in, because we should have wrapped up qualification a long time ago. But, we will take these lessons and look to improve once again next season," the Reign's rookie defenseman Jan Hlozek said in a media scrum following the loss against Moscow. Riga has been rebuilding over the last two seasons, and the team can take heart that a number of its younger players truly established themselves as topline players in the VHL. Cabe McJacke @RedSus finished as the team's top scorer with 87 points, up from 57 last season. Star blueliner Linus Zetterstrom @Ledge and Dairy finished joint-second in defenseman scoring in the VHL with a remarkable 86 points from the backend, and forwards Justin Lose @youloser1337and Isau DaMoose @Eynhallow also posted new career-high point totals over a point-per-game. As these players now enter their prime, other players are set to come to the fore. Defenseman Jan Hlozek, selected 8th overall in the S77 Entry Draft, finished his rookie season with 50 points from 72 games – good for second in rookie scoring behind last year's top pick Hard Markinson, but the Czech blueliner said that he still has a long way to go to improve his game. "I think it was nice to see that I managed to adapt throughout the season and started to improve, find my game. It was a real tough jump up from the VHLM to the VHL, but I feel that I found my game and had some success. I must be better in my own zone, but it was nice to see that the game started to come to me and I was able to become a relatively consistent producer for the team," Hlozek said. The Czech blueliner said that he was delighted with the atmosphere in the Reign camp, and said that he couldn't imagine playing for another team in the VHL at the present time. "After two years away in North America, it was so nice to be back in Europe and with a team that has such a strong connection to the city in which we play. Our fans were incredible this year, and the team does everything possible to maintain that connection with the fans. We play for them, and they give us motivation and drive. I don't think there are better fans in the league, so why would I want to play for anyone else?" Hlozek stated. With the season now at a close, Hlozek said that he was looking forward to getting back to the Czech Republic, in particular his home village of Topolna, to spend time with his friends and family. "It's been great being in Europe because my family have been able to watch all my games. My dad used to coach me back in juniors and he's still my harshest critic. He just wants me to continue to improve, so I always listen to him very carefully. It will be great to get back after a long, hard season, but I don't just go home to rest. I have everything set up there so I can continue to train, both on-ice and off-ice," Hlozek said. When asked about his goals for next season, Hlozek said that he had only one thing on his mind. "We have to make the playoffs next season. That's the only thing that is motivating me. It's my only goal. Of course, I need to play well to help the team be in with a chance of making the postseason, but I think we have a lot of good players who are entering their prime. The league should be on the lookout," Hlozek said. It still remains to be seen who will be in the Riga Reign's net for the start of S79. Long-time starter Calvin Harvey announced earlier in the season that he would be retiring from the league, and there's no in-house candidate to take over the starter's spot at present. Hlozek said that he had full faith in the team's management to find a new goaltender who could lead the team to glory. "Look, there are guys in the front office who have the knowledge and the expertise to find the goalie that we need. Harvey was great this season, but these things happen in hockey. Guys come and go, but you have to keep the team intact, and we know as a defense unit that we have to be better for our new goalie once he comes in," the Czech blueliner concluded.

Presser, week ending 20.06 1. We're in the final stretch and hot on Malmo's heels. Can we make it into the fifth spot? 2. What's been the major factor in our good form over the past week? 3. Are you feeling good about your game or do you feel you have more in the tank? 4. In what areas have you seen the most improvement in your play this year? 5. How difficult is it to be playing hockey in a cold rink when it's summer and the sun is shining? 6. Do you have any travel plans for the summer vacation?

Riga Reign defenseman Jan Hlozek’s fine run of form over the past week has seen the Czech blueliner catch up in the race for the VHL’s rookie scoring title. The eighth overall pick in the S77 VHL Entry Draft has racked up several multiple point games over the past seven days, including a three point performance in Riga’s 6-2 win over London United on Wednesday, to keep him hot on the heels of current top scorer Hard Markinson. “It’s nice to be finally having some good performances. Each year I played in the VHLM, I always started slow but then got better as the season goes on. I’m hopeful that will continue and I can help us get into the playoffs,” Hlozek told reporters after the Reign dropped a pair of games against the first-placed Seattle Bears. The Reign currently sit in seventh place in the European Conference, six points out of a spot in the play-in round. The Latvian side’s form has improved, with the club recently putting together a string of five wins in a row together, and Hlozek, who sits five points back from Markinson having registered 40 points in 58 games, said that he wouldn’t get distracted by any discussions of his potential nomination for the top rookie award this season. “That can wait. I’m not interested in personal awards. I just want to get into the playoffs,” he stated.

Week 2

1. The Reign recently acquired Jolly Greene Giant and Oh Sens from the Toronto Legion in exchange for Addison McLaren and Han Jae Kuk, with multiple draft picks involved. What did you think of the deal? I think these guys have made an immediate impact, so it's good to see. I hope I'm not next on the trading block though 2. Who is the scariest team to play right now? At the moment, I think the scariest team we're playing is ourselves. 3. What do we do about our goalie situation, with Harvey gone next season? I think the draft may resolve that, depeding on where we select 4. What was your favourite cereal growing up? I hated cereal. In order to be the elite level athlete I am, I only ate hard-boiled eggs and drank raw eggs. 5. What was the best gift you ever received? Getting drafted to the VHL by Riga. 6. Which player do you hate the most in the NHL? Auston Matthews because go sens go

The Riga Reign rallied back from a 3-0 deficit in the second period of their most recent game against the Los Angeles Stars, but while it wasn’t enough for the win as the California-based side won the game in overtime, defenseman Jan Hlozek put in an accomplished performance that should give the Czech defenseman optimism for the playoff push. The Stars led 3-0 at the 3rd minute mark of Wednesday’s game, but the Latvian side rnetted three times in the following 10 and a half minutes to level the score. Rookie defenseman Jan Hlozek was instrumental to this turnaround, assisting on both of Riga’s first two goals before lighting the lamp on the powerplay to tie the game. “Obviously, it’s disappointing to lose the game, but we showed good character in this game to at least get a point. Los Angeles are a good team, they’re full of good players, and it’s good for us to show that we can compete at this level,” Hlozek said. “We just need to keep getting pucks in deep, getting the forecheck activated, and then get pucks to the net. If we keep doing these things, I’m sure that good things happen. The mood in the locker room is good. The boys are going, it’s just that we need the bounces to start going our way,” the Czech defenseman added.

PRAGUE, May 10 (CZHockey) - The Victory Hockey League (VHL) is set to undergo a massive shake up in the coming seasons as the league’s commissioners announced that a new developmental league, the Victory Hockey League Europe (VHLE) is set to be launched to ease young players’ transition to the topflight of world hockey. The announcement will see a third league created, giving more top line minutes to players who have outgrown the old traditional league, the VHLM, but will find themselves at pains to assert themselves during their first one or two seasons in the VHL. The decision should help young players still in their development stage to be fully primed and ready to contribute at a high level once they step into the VHL. Additionally, by basing the league entirely in Europe, the plan has the potential to further grow the sport on the European continent. One of the top young European players in the VHL, Jan Hlozek, told CZHockey that he would have welcomed the chance to play in the VHLE if it had been in place last season. “I think it’s a great decision. I definitely would have liked to have played in the VHLE, because at times the quality in the VHLM was a little, and I not mean to be insulting, low,” Hlozek said. The Czech blueliner has had a mixed bag during his rookie VHL season with the Riga Reign. Despite playing two full seasons in the VHLM, scoring at almost a point-per-game clip, Hlozek said that the jump up to the VHL was massive. “It’s an entirely different game up in the VHL. The players are much better. They are much stronger, and they are much faster. Also, it’s a different style of game for me. I went from playing almost 30 minutes a night with top PP time, to know around 20 minutes of tough minutes. I think I would have benefited if I had the chance to play in a league with guys in the same position against me, rather than being thrown out against the Lee Xin’s and Aloe Dear’s of the VHL,” the Topolna native remarked. Hlozek, who has 28 points in 44 games for the seventh-placed Reign, said that he was struggling to find consistency in his game at the moment, despite scoring 3 points in the Latvian side’s most recent overtime loss against the Los Angeles Stars. “It’s a bit of a strange time at the moment. I have some games where I feel like I’m really chasing the play, struggling to keep up. But that game against Los Angeles was a good one for me. Obviously, the most important thing is that the team is winning, but I also need these sorts of performances to build confidence so that I can become a contributor on this team, to get the team more wins,” he said. Prior to the S77 VHL Draft, in which he was selected 8th overall, Hlozek said that he was hoping to be drafted by a team based in the European Conference so that he would be closer to his family and friends after two seasons in North America with the Saskatoon Wild and Miami Marauders. Commenting on the league’s decision to base the league in Europe, Hlozek said that this could be vital for young European players who may find themselves struggling to adapt on the other side of the Atlantic. “You have to remember that a lot of the guys going into the VHLM are leaving their home countries for the first time, going thousands of miles away at the ages of 18, 19, 20. It’s difficult for them, as it was difficult for me going to Saskatoon in my first season. Your family can’t really watch your games, you struggle with the language, it’s difficult to socialize. So, I think after having one season in North America, it’s a good thing that these Euro guys get the opportunity to play at home, at least for one season, if they have been selected in the draft by one of the Canadian or American teams,” Hlozek said. There is much excitement throughout the VHL community as the league is poised to announce the cities in which the VHLE teams will play. Hlozek, a native of eastern Czech Republic, said that he hoped some of the cities close to his home settlement of Topolna would be selected. “I know that it might be unlikely that another Czech team is selected, because Prague play in the VHL, but Brno is a great city that loves its hockey. Alternatively, my home town is only about 60 kilometers from Bratislava in Slovakia, so that would also be a great place to put a team,” Hlozek said. The Riga Reign blueliner also shared some love for the other Baltic countries of the region, as well as a dark horse contender in the form of Vienna. “Austria is also a great hockey country, and who wouldn’t want to play in a city as beautiful as Vienna? Furthermore, it would be great to have a couple of other teams in the Baltics to help grow the game there. I mean, having a team in Vilnius or Tallinn would be great for the region, as I know how passionate the people are here and how much they want to grow the game of hockey,” Hlozek said. The trade deadline in the VHL is approaching, and the Riga Reign look set to shake things up once more. Recently, the team welcomed Jolly Greene Giant and Oh Sens to the roster, with Addison McLaren and Han Jae Kuk heading in the other direction to Toronto. “I mean, we have to do something to try and give us a boost for the playoff push. We’re in contention, we just need to string some wins together to give us every opportunity we need. I don’t think my name has been in any trade rumours, but of course, you never know. I’m fully committed to bringing success to Riga though, and I hope I get to stick around to see it happen,” Hlozek concluded.

1. So much pain, trying our best to stay positive! 2. I certainly get pumped when the GM comes into the locker room to shout at us. 3. Prague 4. The same way I'd find a word that rhymes with orange. 5. Any Tarantino movie, they're crap. 6. Milan Kundera books, like The Joke.

MAY 31, (TheHockeyUpdate) - Jan Hlozek, a rookie defenseman for the Riga Reign, is settling into life in the VHL, and while the Czech blueliner has his eyes on making the playoffs with the Latvian-based side, Hlozek is also striving after personal success. Hlozek has had a mixed start to life in the pros. After a stunning season last time round that saw Hlozek win a Founder's Cup with the Miami Marauders and World Junior Championship gold with Team Europe, many predicted that the Topolna native would be a frontrunner for the Christian Stolzschweiger Trophy, awarded to the top rookie of the season. However, the Czech blueliner has struggled on a Riga Reign side that, once again, sits outside a playoff place. Hlozek has scored just one goal through his first 24 VHL games, adding eight assists with a -13 rating. "I knew that the VHL was going to be a tough adjustment. It's the best league in the world, and so I was prepared that there were going to be some struggles. However, I would like to have done better to start my career with Riga, to make it seem like they made a good decision by selecting me in the draft," Hlozek said in an interview. An extended season last time round could be the reason for Hlozek appearing to be slow out of the gates, the Czech blueliner stated. "It was definitely a struggle being in shape at the start of the season. You go from playing in the playoffs, to then going all the way in the World Junior Championship. It's a lot of hockey. I must have played close to 100 games last season. Playing that much hockey, you're bound to be banged up. I had loads of niggling injuries at the end of the season and I needed to rest up and treat them. Maybe that's why I can't find my game at the moment," Hlozek said. Hlozek scored at almost a point-per-game pace in his two seasons in the VHLM, but finding the back of the net is proving to be a more tricky proposition in the big leagues. The Czech defenseman has just one goal from his 50 shots on net. "It's a cliché to say that I'm gripping my stick too hard or snatching at shots because I'm struggling to score. There's just fewer opportunities to walk the line, and there's less time to pick your spot before the opponent is already in your face trying to poke the puck off your stick. Plus, the goalies are better, so all those things together means that it's super important to be ready," Hlozek said. For the Czech defenseman, priority number one at this present time is to get the Reign back into a playoff place. "I know that the guys didn't want to repeat last season and miss the playoffs. We started the season quite well, but we had a rough go over the past week. I think we dropped five straight games, which you simply cannot do if you want to be making the playoffs. The mood in the camp is generally good, although of course, no-one likes it when you're losing. We just have to be better," Hlozek said. The Czech blueliner currently sits in joint 10th in rookie scoring with nine points, and any hopes of winning the Stolzschweiger look far out of reach. "I think before the season, maybe I got too caught up in the talk that I could be a contender for that trophy. Of course, I want to have the best career I can, but as with all players, I'd happily swap personal accolades for championship wins," Hlozek concluded.

Czech defenseman Jan Hlozek has got into hot water with the Latvian law enforcement authorities after the Riga Reign blueliner was detained over a disturbance at his city centre apartment over the weekend. Police were called to Hlozek's apartment in the early hours of Sunday morning after a party got out of hand. Upon their arrival, officers observed severe damage to the communal areas of the apartment building, as windows were smashed and a door was ripped off its hinges. Neighbors told CZHockey that Hlozek has cut a sullen figure over the past week, as the Reign dropped five straight games to push the Latvian side further out of the playoff race in the VHL. Hlozek personally couldn't be reached for comment, but his agent, Jaroslav Bednar, said that the Czech blueliner would fight any charges issued by the Lativan authorities. "My client will not be commenting on any of the allegations levied against him. At this stage we are working to repair the damage and make sure that Honza [Jan] is safe and sound," Bednar said. After a promising start to the season, Hlozek's form, like that of his team, has tailed off over recent games. Hlozek has nine points through 24 games, with a -13 rating.