It's a beautiful tradition that's now taking root in the Czech Republic: Hockey Day. This year's event took place at the Ostravar Arena in Vítkovice on Friday and Saturday, and featured a number of prominent guests. The most famous of these wasn't made of flesh and bone, but of nickel and silver: the Stanley Cup, which made its debut at this Czech hockey celebration. Ostrava was a true paradise for NHL fans, offering a vibrant festival celebrating the prestigious North American league and the sport of hockey itself.

The atmosphere of NHL hockey returned to the Czech Republic for the third time, and this year's edition promised to be the biggest and most impressive yet. Following successful events in Karvina in 2023 and a memorable continuation in Tábor in 2024, the event returned, this time even larger and more comprehensive. For the first time, the program was spread over two days to fully utilize the packed schedule, ensuring that each participant had an unforgettable experience.

NHL Hockey Day in the Czech Republic 2025 featured a full-fledged NHL Global Fan Tour, offering interactive activities for fans of all ages – from shooting accuracy and speed tests to hockey simulators, virtual reality experiences, PS5 consoles with the latest NHL 25 video game, and more. The program also included a youth tournament showcasing the talent of future hockey stars, as well as on-ice activities.

The highlight of Friday was the highly anticipated Legends Game, featuring Czech hockey icons and well-known figures from the NHL:

TEAM VRBATA:

Michal Neuvirth (jersey #30), Antonín Nowak (1), Radim Vrbata (17), Václav Nedorost (13), Martin Hanzal (11), Petr Míka (79), Libor Procházka (5), Jakub Nakládal (87), Lukáš Krajíček (25), Jiří Tlustý (19), Jakub Belan (71), Dominik Buják (37), David Pastor (29), Viliam Béreš (12). Coach: Slavomír Lener

TEAM POLÁK:

Dušan Salfický (72), Rostislav Olesz (57), Zbyněk Irgl (24), Milan Kraft (14), Jaroslav Bednář (21), Zdeněk Kutlák (80), Rostislav Klesla (4), Michal Barinka (42), Roman Polák (46), Filip Byčkov (91), Denis Puchala (10), Ondřej Rybníkář (18), Petr Smíčka (9). Coach: Vladimír Vůjtek st.

If you could travel back about ten to fifteen years, it might have seemed like an NHL game was being played at the Ostravar Arena in Vítkovice. The logos of the North American league adorned the boards, and hockey players like Roman Polák, Radim Vrbata, Rostislav Klesla, Václav Nedorost, Jiří Tlustý, Rostislav Olesz, and others were skating on the ice.

However, the year is 2024, and these players have been retired for some time. Nevertheless, they, like thousands of fans in the stands, enjoyed the exhibition game that capped off the first day of Hockey Day in the Czech Republic in Ostrava.

"It was fun. I was on the ice for the last time at Hockey Day in Karvina in 2023. That was two years ago. But it wasn't the worst. I think it wasn't completely embarrassing, and there were even worse players there, I won't name names – like Zbyněk Irgl – who were much worse than me," said former defenseman Roman Polák.

The Ostrava native played 806 NHL games for the St. Louis Blues, Toronto Maple Leafs, San Jose Sharks, and Dallas Stars, before moving to Vítkovice in 2020 and ending his career there two years later.

The exhibition match was taken quite seriously, as it featured a team captained by a player who was primarily composed of regional stars and younger players from the university league. His team initially struggled, but in the third period, they were trailing 1-4 against a team full of players from the Czech Republic. However, they managed a remarkable comeback, scoring in a 4-on-4 situation and ultimately winning 9-6.

"The goalies were incredible, they made so many great saves, so we managed to get a few shots past them," said Polák, delighted by the eight-goal outburst in the final period.

A highlight of the exhibition was the presence of 60-year-old Bedřich Ščerban, a former renowned defender for Jihlava and the national team. He didn't look out of place playing alongside much younger players in Vrbata's team's defense.

"It was fantastic. I was very happy to be here. I still miss hockey and long for it, so when I was offered the chance to play, I immediately said yes and really enjoyed it," said Ščerban. "The younger players are fitter, it's clear they're 20 years younger, but I played well and I'm happy."

The performance of the veteran was also praised by Václav Nedorost. "Béďa still plays with the old guard. And when you're on the ice a couple of times a week, it helps. But hats off to him. I'm 42 and I'd rather not go anymore because you don't enjoy it as much due to the lack of movement and agility. But that's the way it is," said the former forward for the Colorado Avalanche and Florida Panthers.

However, he was very critical of his own performance. "My knees held up, but my fitness didn't. I haven't played in a while; the last time I wore my gear was last year at the Hockey Day in Tábor. It's clear that I lack the movement, coordination, and agility. It's tough," he sighed, adding that he saw the same struggles in other veterans, like his friend Vrbata.

"I shot in the first period, it was a disaster. Vrbič didn't score in the second either. We were making fun of each other. But the main thing is that goals were scored for the fans. There were a lot of kids there, and the players put on a good show, so the fans enjoyed it," said Nedorost.

"I was on the ice for the first time since July, so I can't say I enjoyed it in a sporty way," agreed Vrbata, who has over 1,000 NHL games under his belt, playing for the Colorado Avalanche, Carolina Hurricanes, Chicago Blackhawks, Tampa Bay Lightning, Phoenix Coyotes, Vancouver Canucks, and Florida Panthers.

"But it was a good event, especially for the fans. It was great to meet up with guys I haven't seen in a long time. Hockey-wise, it was more about surviving."

Before the veterans' match, a youth tournament was held on Friday, which was won by Poruba, followed by Vítkovice in second place and Krnov in third. The stands were filled with children wearing jerseys from various Moravian and Silesian cities: Přerov, Krnov, Havířov, Opava, and more.

And that's the essence of the entire event: it's a festival for young hockey players and all other fans who get a little closer to the NHL and the sport of hockey. On Saturday, a diverse program, including the NHL Global Fan Tour with interactive attractions, further contributed to this experience at the Ostravar Arena. And for the first time during the "Hockey Day in the Czech Republic," fans had the opportunity to take a photo with the Stanley Cup.

At 6:30 PM, the entire event culminated in a party where attendees watched the NHL game between the Florida Panthers and the Boston Bruins, featuring Czech stars David Pastrnak and Pavel Zacha. The game was projected onto a large screen under the hall's ceiling.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sA1Gx7wfJSg
"I think it's amazing," said Polák. "It's important that this leaves a lasting impression on people, because NHL games are usually held elsewhere due to time zone differences. So, it's great that they are promoted through events like this. There could definitely be more of them." nhldenhokeje.cz / nhl.com / gnews.cz - RoZ