TORONTO – Lukas Jasek is finally where he wants to be: in North America.
Jasek, a native of Trinec in the Czech Republic, has been trying to move his hockey career across the pond since 2014; at the time, his agent advised him the best course for his career would be to continue playing in the Czech Republic.
The Vancouver Canucks, who selected Jasek in the sixth round of the 2015 NHL Draft, attempted to bring Jasek to the Canadian Hockey League without any success.
“We tried to get him over here to play junior,” Trevor Linden, Canucks president of hockey operations, told the Sporting News. “He was tied up in a contract there. It’s always a little bit murky as to what that looks like.”
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Fed up with his situation, the 20-year-old sought new representation last year and hired Allan Walsh to help him reach his goal of playing in the NHL.
“He was too old in the CHL and had previously signed a contract with Liberec in the Czech league, which did not allow him to play in the (CHL),” said Walsh. “What we told him back then to focus on was having the best year he could possibly have in Czech, and then hope was, Utica would be playing games after Liberec was done.
“The moment Liberec was done, we immediately approached Vancouver about getting him to Utica on a ATO/PTO.”
The six-foot-one, 172-pound winger appeared in 48 regular season games for Liberec this year scoring eight goals and 10 assists in the Czech Extraliga. He also dressed in four games with HC Benatky of the Czech 1 Liga – the country’s second division.
Jasek finally got his wish last month signing a PTO with the AHL’s Utica Comets and immediately made an impact scoring three goals and four assists in six games.
“He’s got a pretty good (hockey) sense,” said Linden after watching Jasek for the first time on Saturday. “He’s a pretty smooth operator, he understands time and space at this level and he’s a pretty fluid skater.
“He stepped into a really challenging situation and has handed it really well. It’s a credit to him, he’s a pretty driven kid obviously.”
The Canucks rewarded his strong play signing him to a three-year, $2.8 million entry-level contract on Friday.
“Our guys had watched him play in the Czech league and obviously we had some good reports,” Linden said. “It’s just another young player we can add to our group. We think after we saw him here in North America, and saw that he’s got some NHL potential, we’ll see where that goes in the next little bit, but pretty easy decision.
“The one thing about Lukas that he has is pro experience in Europe with the men’s league there in the Czech Republic.”
Jasek made his Calder Cup playoff debut on Saturday in the Comets 3-2 overtime loss to the Toronto Marlies skating on a line with Michael Chaput and Zack MacEwen.
“He’s been an impact guy for (the Comets),” said Andrew Degroot, ISS Hockey’s head scout for the AHL. “He’s a good skater, he can skate. He’s a big kid.
“You’ve got to like in six regular season games, he scored seven points.”
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Under the Czech-NHL transfer agreement, once Jasek signed an NHL contract as a drafted player, his European contract was terminated so he’s eligible to play in the NHL or AHL next season.
However, Jasek, who is still learning the English language, has his sights set on the NHL next season.
“This kid is so psychotic, he’s coming in to the summer, and into training camp fighting for a job in Vancouver,” said Walsh. “He’s committed to playing in North America next season.”
Dahlen skips Swedish camp for Utica
Jonathan Dahlen is back in North America after an impressive season with Timra in Allsvenskan – the Swedish second division.
The 5-foot-11, 176-pound forward joined the AHL’s Utica Comets two weeks ago after helping Timra earn a promotion from Allsvenskan to the SHL.
Dahlen finished the regular season with Timra scoring 23 goals and 44 points in 44 games. He then led the Allsvenskan in playoff scoring with eight goals and six assists in 10 games leading Timra back from a 3-1 deficit against Karlskrona to win the promotion series.
“It’s huge, being a big part like that and staying with Timra even though all teams in the top league wanted to get me over,” said Dahen, who confirmed he was in talks to join fellow Canucks prospect Elias Pettersson in Vaxjo of the SHL this season. “I wanted to stay and finish what we started with all the boys who were nice to me when I came up to the big club in Timra.
“I was really taken by the moment when we managed to do it, being down 3-1 too, it’s not easy. It’s a tough way to go up to the first league in Sweden, but we managed to do it and couldn’t be more proud of the boys.”
Dahlen’s impressive play during the Allsvenskan season earned him a call from the Swedish national team for the upcoming world championship. The 20-year-old turned down the invite to the Swedish pre-tournament camp in favour of joining the Comets.
The native of Ostersund, Sweden, and son of former NHL forward Ulf Dahlen, started the season playing two exhibition games with Utica, but admitted due to a summer bout of mononucleosis, he wasn’t happy with where his game was.
Since returning from Sweden, Dahlen has appeared in two regular season games with Utica scoring a goal and an assist. He registered three shots on goal and was a minus-1 in his Calder Cup playoff debut on Sunday, which the Comets lost 5-2 to the Toronto Marlies.
“It was good, it was real fun,” said Dahlen. “First game I was really tired a lot because I think I was trying to skate hard, second game I used my energy a little smarter and really had it when I needed it the most. I got used to it and I had a really good second game I think.
“I’m not that fast a skater when I skate straight forward, but when I use my hips and open ‘em up, I become a really fast skater.”
Comets coach Trent Cull sees a more confident player in Dahlen now compared to what he saw in the fall.
“I thought he went to the right areas,” Cull said. “He’s a guy whose got a really good hockey sense and he’s a little tenacious with the puck, he doesn’t mind going to those dirty areas, which in turn turns into chances for other people.
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“I think (the exhibition games) was a great window for him, know what to expect and I think that’s probably helping him more.”
Dahlen and Pettersson, who were teammates in Timra for two seasons, have discussed the idea of playing together next season.
“We know each other real good, we’re good buddies, we talk a lot,” he said. “We’re excited about it, to get the opportunity to come over and play together, but its hard work. We’ve got to work hard to gain that opportunity, but we’re willing to do that. Hopefully it happens.”
Lind learning the pro game
Like Dahlen, Kole Lind also battled mono during the season, the illness coupled with injury limited the 19-year-old to 58 regular season games with the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets. However, it didn’t limit his production.
Lind finished with 39 goals and 95 points good for 11th in WHL scoring despite missing 14 games.
“It was an up and down season,” said Lind who was forced to miss the world juniors because he wasn’t fully recovered from mono. “Disappointment and heartbreak at times too, but I think it’s big for a hockey player to try to battle through those things and be mentally tough. I think that’s something I’ve tried to work on throughout my hockey career, use it as motivation and play with more of a chip on your shoulder more than anything.”
Lind joined the Utica Comets on an ATO earlier this month after his Rockets were swept in four games by the Tri-City Americans in the first round of the WHL playoffs. In six AHL games, the six-foot-one, 185-pound forward registered an assist as he adjusts to a new pace of play.
“It’s been a big transition for sure,” he said. “It was a quick turn around. I hopped into games right away and it was a lot different for me, a lot faster and I had to make those plays a split second quicker and it was a lot different, but I felt good out there.
“I think the pace picked up a little bit in the (WHL) playoffs out there, but it’s still a lot faster out here and the pace is just continuing to pick up every game leading into the playoffs now.”
The Shaunavon, Sask. native has yet to appear in a Calder Cup playoff game, but Cull can see what sets Lind apart.
“He’s a hockey-smart player, kind of anticipates the play very well,” Cull said. “His hockey sense is good. He’s come in and he’s a good young prospect, looks like.
“It’s going to be a tough battle for any of these new guys coming in, catching up with the pace of the game, but it’s great to have him.”
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Lind has one year of WHL eligibility remaining, but will begin his pro career next season.
“He won’t be back in Kelowna next year,” Linden said. “He’s going to be a pro. He’s going to be most likely in Utica, but yeah I think he’s played six games and understands time and space is a different animal at this level.
“Kole coming from junior, he’s a really skilled kid, but he understands where he needs to be better.”