Making his Western Hockey League debut at SaskTel Centre on Wednesday, it was onerous to overlook new Saskatoon Blades centreman Frantisek Dej gliding into the faceoff dot.
All six-foot-five-inches of him matched up in opposition to opposing forwards on the Portland Winterhawks.
“I play bodily,” mentioned Dej. “I wish to play the attracts; I’m form of a two-way participant so no matter it takes.”
It took Dej simply over one interval of play to indicate Blades followers what that meant, as he snarled with Winterhawks captain Kyle Chyzowski in entrance of goaltender Evan Gardner early within the second body.
What adopted was a spirited tilt which noticed Dej ship a collection of upper-cuts which injected vitality into the SaskTel Centre trustworthy.
“He dropped the gloves first,” mentioned Dej. “I used to be not anticipating that, however I’ll take it every single day. I feel the refs saved him there.”
Flanking Dej on the wing throughout Wednesday’s 4-3 shootout loss to the Winterhawks, ahead Rowan Calvert bought a entrance row seat to the scrap which he mentioned solely solidified the brand new import’s presence on the staff.
“Yeah he’s scary,” mentioned Calvert. “An important man off the ice, clearly he’s a man you need in your staff. I wouldn’t be dropping the gloves with him.”
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Signed by the Blades on Jan. 8, Dej involves the staff after spending the primary half of the season enjoying in Slovakia’s high skilled males’s league with HK Dukla Trencin the place he registered two assists in 15 video games.
Blades head coach Dan DaSilva had heard about Dej’s bodily presence, however added it was one other factor to see him dive right into a battle in his first WHL sport.
“I didn’t assume he would do it in his first sport,” mentioned DaSilva. “I do know he form of talked about being all in favour of stepping into [a fight]. I used to be stunned a bit of bit that it occurred in his first sport, however not stunned that it occurred.”
Saskatoon isn’t Dej’s first cease in Canadian main junior hockey, nonetheless, as he dressed for the Sherbrooke Phoenix of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League final yr the place he scored 16 factors in 50 video games and delivered a clutch extra time winner in Recreation 2 of Sherbrooke’s first spherical collection in opposition to Blainville-Boisbriand.
Whereas Dej left the QMJHL to return to his residence nation, CHL golf equipment are permitted to signal former imports from different leagues granted they continue to be eligible.
Extra just lately, Dej is recent off his third stint suiting up for Workforce Slovakia on the World Juniors the place he helped the Slovaks to a quarterfinal look.
“I used to be joyful once I bought that supply,” mentioned Dej. “The expertise was wonderful. Canada hockey is totally different and the World Juniors hockey is totally different, too. I’ll take that have.”
Dej is anticipated to change into one in every of Saskatoon’s high centremen the remainder of the season following the departure of forwards Brandon Lisowsky, Ben Riche, Misha Volotovskii and Lukas Hansen main as much as the WHL commerce deadline.
Nevertheless, DaSilva mentioned there’s nonetheless loads of work forward to completely incorporate the import into the lineup.
“I feel he simply brings a relaxing presence to our staff as effectively,” mentioned DaSilva. “He’s studying the programs, it’s his first sport within the Western Hockey League so there’s stuff to enhance on for certain. We’ll do this by means of video and apply, however it’s an awesome first impression from him.”
The Blades will look to finish a three-game shedding streak on Friday evening, as they proceed their residence stand in opposition to the Purple Deer Rebels at 7:00 p.m.
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