Young Czech winger Vojtěch Čihař inks a three-year deal with Los Angeles, heading to the WHL's Kelowna Rockets after the World Juniors.
Czech left winger Vojtěch Čihař, 18, has signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Los Angeles Kings, the NHL club announced on Wednesday.
Čihař, who has been playing in the Czech Extraliga for Energie Karlovy Vary, will report to the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets after the IIHF World Junior Championship. Čihař’s CHL rights were traded to Kelowna from the Lethbridge Hurricanes on Nov. 10.
Given his disappointing start to the season in the pros – Čihař has just eight points in 27 Extraliga games – the transaction foreshadowed Čihař’s move to the North American junior circuit.
“It’s not that good for me,” Čihař said just two days before his trade, during the U-20 Five Nations Tournament in Piešťany, Slovakia. “But I said I wanted to play a good tournament here, and then we will see what will come next. I will try my best in the men’s league too, but we will see.”
Speaking about the Kings, who drafted Čihař in the second round of this past summer’s NHL Entry Draft, he said, “They need the best for me, so if the best way (is) for me to come to North America, then I will go.”
“We have been in close contact with the Los Angeles management since the summer and have consulted on all steps together,” David Hamal of the Global Management Group, the agency that represents Čihar, told Hokej.cz. “The signing of the rookie contract is a reward for Vojta for his long-term, honest work and professional approach. At the same time, I would like to appreciate the HC Energie Karlovy Vary organization, which gave him room to grow and the necessary trust.”
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"Vojta deserves huge congratulations,” said Karlovy Vary sports director Jiří Kalous. “He has made a huge leap in the last three years, and signing this contract is just a well-deserved consequence of continuous growth and the ability to establish himself in pro hockey. We will continue to support him overseas as he continues to develop his potential.”
Čihar is a returning member of the Czech team that took bronze at last year’s World Juniors in Ottawa, and he’ll be called on as a big contributor to this year's team as it aims a return to the podium this year in Minnesota.
“I think we have a really good team, and I think we can probably attack the finals,” Čihar said about the Czech team’s outlook. “Maybe the tournament will not be good, but we will do our best because we have a really good team, I think.”