Claimed: Hrdina on the comeback trail [2/2]

[diamond_ace 3,106]

Hrdina On The Comeback Trail

by Cecil Harvey, Ice Monthly

 

-ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA

 

Morning breaks. The sun rises on the city of Erie, cresting over the lake, and with it comes the sounds of skates scraping the ice, pucks flying into the net, and whistles being blown. Three men are out on a small local outdoor rink. One of these men, Clark Marcellin, screams commands over the sound of a whistle. "Hustle" is heard as he points to a line. VHL free agent Vaclav Hrdina lines up on the blue line, ready to perform a skating drill around a series of cones. His father, former NHL center Jan Hrdina, is out there watching his son, making sure he keeps up with the rigors of practice. He knows there's potential there; it wasn't long before when the younger Hrdina was a star studded prospect lighting up the Czech league and turning heads with the decision to declare for the VHL rather than Jan's NHL.  Jan has always been supportive of Vaclav's decisions, even that which led him to try out a rival league, but he's seen his fair share of disappointment when his son hung up the boots in frustration a few seasons back.

"It hasn't always been easy, watching my boy out there making rookie mistakes like he never used to make. There was a time when I thought he could, and most likely would, be better than I was. Those days are gone, but somewhere in there is the old flame that used to burn in this kid for the sport. If that can be lit, he could still make something of himself. I want to see him do it, which is why my friend Clark is on him day and night to get better." Jan's career wasn't anything too spectacular either, but he carved out a niche for himself as a faceoff specialist and 40 point guy on the Pittsburgh Penguins, before winding down his career with the then-Phoenix Coyotes and New Jersey Devils while battling hip issues. After he finished in the NHL, he had a few sporadic seasons in the Swedish league before calling it a career. He knows what it's like to have and then lose a career as a pro hockey player, which is why it hurts him to see Vaclav squander his gifts so much.

 

Back when Vaclav was first deciding between the VHL and the NHL, Jan had plenty of connections in the NHL, so he decided it might be a good idea to try to build up relationships with a few high profile names in the VHL. He looked for a respected agency first, but then focused on trying to find a player who'd succeeded in a similar role to what his son wanted to become. He'd found a few, and the two Hrdinas went to talk to them, get a feel for what to expect in the league, but the one man who stood out the most was Clark Marcellin. Incidentally, the diamond_ace agency was one of the ones on Vaclav's shortlist, so naturally when Marcellin was willing to put in a word, that sealed the deal. Now, years later, the success story that was Marcellin, having long since retired, has been trying to bring his young protege back into the fold.

 

"I really thought highly of Hrdina when he first wanted to join. He had all the makings of a superstar, except apparently the drive to actually become one. I took him under my wing when he first came into the league, but when he stopped showing up to practice, he also stopped calling me for advice and drills. At that point, it just spiraled out of control for him. It was no surprise when he inevitably dropped out of the league and no team was willing to sign him. You have to have a guy who is at least willing to go to practice, to try to get better. Vaclav had lost that somewhere. From what I've seen so far, he might have found it again, but then again he was never really expected to lose it in the first place. The jury is still out on whether he earns another shot, but my early prognosis is good. I mean he came out here to train with me at five in the morning, there had to be at least some drive there." Marcellin was highly decorated when he was in the VHL, so if he sees something different about this young man now than before, it's a good bet he's right. Marcellin found a home in Erie after his playing career, as he decided he wanted a location that was relatively near a few VHL teams (Toronto Legion, New York Americans, Quebec City Meute) now that he was training players. He travels to team facilities if it's a player under contract, but if he's working with a free agent, he'll invite them to stay in his guest house for their time spent with him so as to save himself the expenses.

 

 

After three hours of morning skating and passing drills, the three stopped at a nearby coffee shop for breakfast and to warm up before heading back out. Post-breakfast training saw Vaclav try to best his old man at faceoffs, which used to be Jan's specialty. Marcellin would call out an area - left of the dot, straight back, or right of the dot - and Vaclav would try to win the faceoff and direct the puck in the specified direction. As the day wore on, he seemed to improve somewhat, although he'd still lose the occasional one to the former centerman.

 

It's a long hard road ahead for a kid who hasn't played competitive hockey in a few seasons. He'll have to compete against guys who never took a week off, much less the amount of time he's spent sitting on the couch. Nonetheless, there's no question the talent is there, and the potential to go with it. That's never been in doubt. The question is whether the work ethic is there to convert that potential into more talent and a spot in the league he once left. So far, he's off to a good start.

[diamond_ace 3,106]

1038 words. It will be two weeks' worth.

[diamond_ace 3,106]

9 hours and no one commented on this

[boubabi 4,725]

I need to prepare myself mentally for this

[eaglesfan036 4,585]

comment

[hedgehog337 3,480]

REVIEW:

 

It's not a common case when a member returns and does not retires his 30-40 TPE player and continues to work with him instead even if he will be a forever VHLM player. It reminds of...uhmm...myself 

 

But hey, still waiting for your full comeback with a new player.

 

And yes, one more comment in your article, I'll wait for your ''like'' now.

 

@diamond_ace

[diamond_ace 3,106]

Hrdina will not be a forever VHLM player. I definitely can't make him great, I've lost half a career, but he can still be a bottom tier VHLer with enough to generate some carryover for a future guy.

[TheLastOlympian07 2,388]

Review:

@diamond_ace this was a good read man, great to see you back. It is not often we see someone come back and not immediately retire their former player so this was pretty cool to see you try and make something out of Hrdina. Wish you all the best Jason.