Wann Kerr inspires young generation of hockey players

[VattghernCZ 1,095]

No, he doesn't, but it's nice when a coincidence agrees with a narrative, isn't it?

 

From season 48 to season 85, there were 34 Czech players drafted by a VHL team. That's on average 0.92 Czech players every draft. From season 87 on, 18 Czech-born players have been drafted or have declared for an upcoming draft, including some high end players and some highly anticipated prospects like David Pasta (S98), Dog Jagr (S96) or David Pastanap (S95). Pretty much doubling the per-draft average.

 

What has changed? The season 86 draft featured 3 Czech players - Left Alone (8th overall), Wann Kerr (10th overall) and Viktor Hasek (62nd overall).

 

The 10th overall selection by Vancouver Wolves, Wann Kerr, was known for a few things. Apart from being one of the hockey's biggest drunks and a player incapable of winning anything, he also set the new scoring record by a Czech player, was a Zlatá hokejka (an award for the season's best Czech hockey player world-wide) finalist and was extremely involved player development in his home country. Whether it was supporting junior teams financially, or spending every Summer in Czechia meeting the future stars in person, on the ice, he made it his mission to help put Czechia back to the level it used to be.

 

And the wave of young Czechs shows his efforts are not wasted.