Samuel Kňažko: I understand that I lost my chance to win the Olympics – ŠPORT.sk

To this day, this year only had one match in the Finnish Liige and two in the Champions League. That’s why he had to deal with his situation.

The nineteen-year-old talent has signed a rookie contract with Columbus. The management of the Blue Jackets also knew that the game in the Finnish junior would not give the defender much. He clearly showed this with his performance when he kept the average point per match in the team for twenty years.

“Before the season, I signed a new contract with Turku. They told me they were counting on me to the first team and giving me a chance that didn’t work out. I wanted to play in Liiga, but the TPS management now told me that I was only the ninth defender in the lineup for them and I was looking for a new club. We talked about the situation with the management of the Blue Jackets. From there, they told me that I would either stay in the junior in Finland and wait for a chance in the ‘A’, or go to Seattle, who had once chosen me in the junior draft, ” Samuel Kňažko approached.

The young man leaves for the Seattle Thunderbirds in the junior WHL after more than three seasons in northern Europe. “Seattle has been the most confident, they will provide me with the best care. I wanted to play men’s hockey, but at least I’ll be more visible. I should fly to the US at the end of the month. It will all depend on when I receive my visa, ” said the young man.

RAMSAY WANTS TO HELP HIM

Even before departure, the clever back will improve the mood in the Slovak national team. “He played very well at the World Cup. We wanted to show him that we were still counting on him. He will be given space to enjoy it in the German Cup. He has a difficult situation in the club, maybe we will help him with other matches for the national team, “ Craig Ramsay told us.

“I was very pleased when Oto Haščák called me. I am glad to be able to show again in the national team jersey. I’m glad they didn’t forget me. I appreciate it. I want to show that they were wrong in TPS and I belong to men’s hockey, “ said Kňažko resolutely, who is also looking forward to someone from the nomination.

“David Mudrák and I played together in the junior national team. It would be great if we started together in a defensive pair. “

Kňažko realizes that by moving to an overseas junior, he loses one important thing. “I took it for granted that I was losing the chance to fight for the Winter Olympics in Beijing at the WHL. I’m sorry. However, I am young and I believe that I will play in the Olympics in the future, “ wished the captain of the national team within twenty years of the last world championship of this age category.

Photo gallery

Samuel Kňažko.

Source: hockeyslovakia.sk

THE MOOD WAS HOLDED BY SLAFKOVSKÝ

The offspring of April hockey was slapped after an excellent August qualification, when there was only a place left for him in the junior Turku. “I admit that I lost the motivation to play as a junior. I had to fight it. Juro Slafkovský helped me a lot, for whom I am glad that he is doing well in TPS and playing regularly. I wonder what awaits me in the WHL. It’s a tougher league where it’s more defended, which could help me, “ thought the young defender, who could also play in a better league at the end of the season.

“It looks like our team could have a longer season, it is in second place in the table. I was told from Columbus that once my WHL year ended, they could call me to a farm in the AHL. ”

There was great interest in Kňažka in the Slovak extra league. He wanted to get it in Trenčín, where he played a large part of his youth career, but also Slovan Bratislava. “I was contacted by both clubs, which I appreciate. If I had to choose, I would go to Trenčín, but it could not be solved otherwise. I have signed a rookie contract with Columbus, they decide my fate. They gave me a choice – to fight for an ‘A’ in Turku through a junior, or to go to Seattle. I chose the second option. I believe she was right, “ finished the young national team defender.