SAN JOSE – The San Jose Sharks have a handful of gamers on the lookout for recent begins this season with the crew’s new teaching employees, and defenseman Radim Simek is correct close to the highest of that checklist.
Simek vented his frustrations to a Czech web site in Could about how final season unfolded, saying the Sharks group was not forthright with him about why he largely didn’t play over the ultimate two months of the season.
Between accidents and wholesome scratches, Simek solely performed in three of the Sharks’ remaining 27 video games. He instructed the web site, and reiterated Thursday, that the Sharks’ former teaching employees stated administration on the time wished to see the youthful defensemen play, and that administration instructed him after the season that lineup selections had been left as much as the coaches.
In all, Simek, who turned 30 on Tuesday, performed in simply 36 video games and noticed his common ice time drop to a career-low 13:17 per night time – about 4 minutes lower than it was two years in the past.
However with basic supervisor Mike Grier now in cost, and coach David Quinn behind the bench, Simek is able to flip the web page and is keen about what’s forward.
“I had an amazing summer time, feeling good, figuring out,” again within the Czech Republic, Simek stated, “I’m feeling wholesome, the knee is sweet. I couldn’t await the primary observe. I’m feeling so, so nice.”
Simek is at his finest when he’s utilizing his physique to finish performs within the defensive zone, and becoming a member of the push every time the chance arises.
However Simek hasn’t fairly been the identical participant since he tore the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in his knee in a March 2019 recreation in opposition to the Winnipeg Jets. Simek, who additionally broken his meniscus within the accident, missed the remainder of that season and the Sharks’ playoff run to the Western Convention remaining.
Simek was nonetheless coping with some knee points a 12 months later and performed simply 48 video games in the course of the 2019-2020 season. Within the COVID-19 season of 2020-2021, Simek noticed his ice time drop by a mean of three minutes per recreation, as Nikolai Knyzhov joined Erik Karlsson, Brent Burns, and Mario Ferraro because the Sharks’ high 4 defensemen.
Simek’s state of affairs didn’t actually enhance from there, and towards the tip of final season when he knew he wouldn’t be within the lineup, Simek stated he was truly utilizing his time on the ice after practices and morning skates to get bodily prepared for the World Championships.
Simek would go on to assist the Czech Republic win the bronze medal, a wanted carry from a hockey standpoint after a disheartening season on the ice. “It was so good for me,” Simek stated of enjoying for his nation.
Off the ice, the primary half of 2022 was a blessing as Simek and his spouse, Anna, welcomed their first child, Melinda, in January.
“So I might come dwelling and I might see her smile,” stated Simek, including that it helped him overlook about any issues he was having with the crew.
Requested Thursday about his relationship with former Sharks coach Bob Boughner, Simek stated, “It was good, we had been mates. However one thing occurred between administration and training employees, possibly it was, like, dangerous communication. I don’t know. (Boughner) wasn’t a foul man. He was man. I like him. However possibly he doesn’t like my recreation.”
Quinn, by all indications, does.
With the departures of Jake Middleton and Nicolas Meloche, Simek might present San Jose with a much-needed bodily aspect. Meloche led all Sharks defensemen with 158 hits final season, adopted by Mario Ferraro (140) and Simek (96).
“I’ve favored a number of what he brings within the brief time period I’ve watched him,” Quinn stated. “I don’t know so much about him, however I like his power, I like his in-your-face strategy – which I feel we’re going to wish – and there’s an excellent alternative for him right here.”
Simek, within the third 12 months of a four-year contract, will nonetheless need to earn his ice time, as he’s one in all seven defensemen on one-way contracts and figures to compete with Matt Benning and Markus Nutivaara for time on the Sharks’ third protection pair.
Nonetheless, the Sharks had a crew assembly Wednesday to debate the season forward, and the chance everybody has.
“It’s a recent begin for lots of men that possibly weren’t pleased with the way in which issues had been going or the way in which issues had gone the final season,” Grier stated. “So we simply made it clear to them that we’re not coming in right here with any preconceived notions, that we’ve bought an open thoughts. When you play properly, you’ll get a chance.”