Czech hockey representative Michal Jordán.
Prague – Hockey defenseman Michal Jordán will play for Lahti in the Finnish league. The 32-year-old representative, who started at six World Championships, the Olympic Games and the World Cup, signed a two-year contract with the Pelicans. The bronze medalist from last year's WC was last active in Switzerland, where he defended the colors of the Rapperswil-Jona team.
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“For me, it's a great decision. Even the guys I played with in the clubs or in the national team and went through Lahti recommended this move to me. They were very happy there,” said Jordán in a press release from the Sport Invest agency, which represents the Zlín native.< /p>
The defensive-minded back has 79 games in the NHL for Carolina, in 2016 he returned to Europe and headed to the KHL. After the season in Kazan, he moved to Khabarovsk, where he worked until last December, when he left Russia for Switzerland. He was also the team captain in Amur.
“I also had offers that were financially more attractive compared to Lahti. But I wasn't just looking at the money. The way things work in Finland, how the players are physically fit, is good for me. I could extend my career even more. Conditions in the club is excellent, great coaches work there,” said Jordán.
He also left for the north of Europe because of his fourteen-year-old son, who also plays hockey. “I don't know if he will pursue it professionally, but it will be a good step for him as well. The way in which youth hockey is combined with studies in Finland is well-known,” explained Jordán, who already announced during the WC in May that he wanted continues to play abroad and does not plan to return to the Czech extra league.
Jordán will report to Lahti at the beginning of August, when the team starts preparing on the ice. Now he trains individually. “After the World Cup, I took about ten days off, now I have individual preparation. It's better than taking a break for three weeks, then it's very difficult to catch up. I've maintained myself and I want to be as prepared as possible,” Jordán added.
