Illustrative photo – Match of the play-off preliminary round of the hockey extra league – 1st match: Bílí Tygři Liberec – HC Kometa Brno, February 11, 2022 in Liberec. Petr Jelínek from Liberec scores the third goal.
Plzeň – Hockey forward Petr Jelínek will not work in extra-league Pilsen after all. The 38-year-old pupil of Slavia Prague signed a two-year contract in the west of Bohemia at the beginning of the month, but now he received an offer to work as a scout with the NHL club Los Angeles Kings, which he decided to accept. The extraleague champion from 2016 thus ended his active career.
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“It came like a bolt out of the blue. Just last Thursday, I spoke on the phone with coach Kořínek and we discussed how I would prepare for the new season. But then an offer came that I simply cannot refuse,” said Jelínek on the official Pilsen website.
Jelínek considered the end of his career already after the end of the season, when the management of Liberec announced that they would no longer be interested in their long-time captain. In the end, however, he was celebrated by Pilsen.
“I was looking forward to the engagement in Pilsen and had high expectations from him and from myself. Especially because of the Indians, it is all the more difficult for me, because I regret what role I got them. But I couldn't say no to such an offer, it's a huge honor for me,” Jelínek said.
Jelínek played 922 games in the extra league and scored 366 points for 164 hits and 202 assists. Before the title with Liberec, he won silver (2009) and two bronzes (2010 and 2013) with Slavia, and became vice-champion three more times with the White Tigers (2017, 2019 and 2021).
Pilsen will now look for a replacement for the experienced striker . “Of course, we respect Peter's decision and wish him only the best in his future career. For our team, it is of course a very sensitive intervention that we now have to deal with, which represents a big challenge for us. But I am completely convinced that we will manage it,” said the general manager manager and co-owner of the club Martin Straka.
