iSport.cz’s Pavel Barta spoke with new Red Wings forward and free agent signing Dominik Kubalik for an article which is half-hidden behind a paywall. That being said, a third of the article is available for the public to read.
While it’s in Czech that spits out garble in an online translator, a very rough translation of the article helps us understand who Kubalik is:
Kubalik about the end in Chicago and the new breeze behind the Red Wings: ‘They Will be like Tampa’
Three and out. They turned their backs on him in Chicago after three seasons, so Dominik Kubalik has already signed with the Detroit. “It’s a different breeze,” the 26-year-old told iSport after agreeing to a 2-year contract worth $2.5 million per season with the Red Wings. He believes a new chance is coming, and believes that it will reawaken his killer instinct. The team knows about him; it was the Red Wings who gave up the most goals in the NHL. “Maybe that’s why they took me,” he said, smiling, during an interview for Sport Daily and the iSport.cz website.
Filip Hronek, Jakub Vrana and Filip Zadina already play on the team. The arrival of another Czech player didn’t cause the same stir as the signings of Andrew Copp, David Perron, Olli Maatta or Ben Chiarot. The Red Wings, however, sent a message that they will once again be a force to be reckoned with.
“One day, they can be like Tampa,” said Kubalik. General manager Steve Yzerman’s vision appealed to him, as he already built a championship team in the Lightning.
Against Detroit, you scored the most goals of any of the NHL’s teams. Seven in twelve games. Listen, did they hire you to stop that, too?
“Well, it’s possible (smiling). We talked about that, too, so I think they knew about that, too. It’s good. I just have to find another team to play against, then…”
Were you nervous around the time that the free agent marketplace opened?
“I was. I found myself as a free agent for the first time, it was my first experience as an UFA. The last few days have been quite challenging. Once we heard from Chicago that they weren’t going to submit a qualifying offer, negotiations [with other teams] began, and it started to work itself out. There was someone on the phone at every moment, waiting to see what might happen, who would answer, looking at the lineups…On one hand, it was really cool, but, at the same time, it’s challenging because there’s so much happening over a short period of time. I’m glad that it’s over. And I hope that both sides will be satisfied. I hope this decision will be successful.”
When you said you got a lot of phone calls, did you have any other serious applicants?
“Some were, but from others, it was more about feeling out. I don’t know exactly who said what, although of course I was aware. But a few teams stood out from those calls. Detroit came out as the best of them, and I’m glad that it was completed and signed, and that I have a contract for two years.”
The paywall hits after that paragraph, but a little more context, even in garbled Czech, is always useful.
