Illustration photo – NHL game Washington – Detroit. Pictured is Czech defenseman Filip Hronek in Washington on February 21, 2023.
Vancouver (Canada) – For the first time in his career, Czech hockey player Filip Hronek is changing to an overseas NHL location. They acquired a 25-year-old offensive-minded defenseman from Detroit thanks to the Vancouver trade. The Canucks received a pick from the Red Wings in the fourth round of this year's draft. They sacrificed the first-round talent pick they recently acquired from the New York Islanders when Bo Horvat was traded, and a second-round pick for this year's draft as well.
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Hronek, a native of Hradec Králové, has one more season left on his three-year, $13.2 million contract, which he signed at the beginning of September 2021. After it ends, he can become a protected free agent. His trade is surprising considering his key role in the Red Wings team and the successful year he is having both personally and as a team. Detroit is still fighting for participation in the playoffs, which the famous club last played in 2016.
In the ongoing season, Hronek was the second busiest player of the entire team. In 60 games played, he scored 38 points for nine goals and 29 assists. In terms of goals and points, he has already equaled his previous personal highs, he made more passes only last season – 33. Only forward Dylan Larkin with 57 points is better on the team in terms of scoring. Just like Hronek, other forwards Dominik Kubalík and David Perron also collected 38.
In addition, for the first time in his career in the NHL, Hronek is in positive numbers in the rating of participation on the ice for goals scored and conceded. While he had a total of -95 over the previous four seasons, he has a +8 this season.
The bronze medalist from the last World Championships in Finland played a total of 100 games for Detroit, which selected him 53rd overall in the 2016 draft. 305 games and scored 156 points thanks to 30 goals and 126 assists. He hasn't tasted the Stanley Cup playoffs yet and probably won't again this year, as Vancouver is in last place in the Western Conference by an abysmal 19 points.
