From left, hockey players Martin Ručínský, Lubomír Višňovský, Jan Hlaváč and Patrik Eliáš at the TK for the match between hockey legends Czech Republic – Slovakia, which will take place on February 10, 2023 in the O2 arena on the occasion of the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Czech team's victory in Olympic Games in Nagano 1998, November 22, 2022, Prague.
Prague – Former outstanding ice hockey players of Czech and Slovak history will present themselves on Friday in Prague's O2 arena in an exhibition match of legends, which will take place on the occasion of the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Czech victory at the Olympic Games in Nagano. Jaromír Jágr, Robert Reichel, Milan Hejduk, David Moravec, Libor Procházka and Roman Čechmánek should represent the golden team on the ice. Another six players are to complement one of the coaches, Slavomír Lener, on the bench.
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“I'm really looking forward to it. Especially if it's in the context of the anniversary of the biggest success of our hockey. It's a perfect opportunity for all of us to get together, but it doesn't mean that we won't fight for the victory. We won't give the guys from Slovakia anything for free. The rivalry will be there, although at the moment it's more like a friendly one,” said Martin Ručinský, who will be one of the hockey players who will move into a coaching role. Just like Martin Straka or Jaroslav Špaček.
In addition to the gold Olympians, the Czech team will feature, for example, Patrik Eliáš, Václav Varaďa, David Výborný or Petr Nedvěd. Ján Lašák, Ľubomír Višňovský, Marián Hossa, Marián Gáborík, Michal Handzuš, Miroslav Šatan or Žigmund Pálffy will play in the Slovakian jersey.
Friday's match will also be revenge for the September event “Legends are back”, when the Czechs in Bratislava they won 5:4. “I will try to build the strongest team that can be built from hockey retirees in Slovakia. I believe that it will all be successful and that we will repay the Czech hockey players for the loss on our ice, where in the end they played practically to their full potential, shot with a hammer and was it's quite heated,” said Višňovský at the November press conference.
The event will also include autograph signings, which will start at 4 p.m. in the fan zone near the O2 arena, and other accompanying program. The opening goal will be thrown by the currently injured star forward Jakub Voráček from Columbus.
“Just as the Czech victory in Nagano was a unique day, this promised hockey match should also be unique. We want everyone to enjoy hockey,” said Andrea Bársony from the organizing agency Eniva.
