Lukas Rousek was as soon as a thriller to the Rochester People teaching workers.
Earlier than Rousek emerged as a dynamic winger and playmaker this spring within the Calder Cup Playoffs, Amerks coach Seth Appert watched video of the Czech Republic striker’s video games to find out about his ability set. and the way he may match into the lineup.
Meet Jake Richard, a 6-foot-1, 171-pound proper wing who was drafted final week within the sixth spherical at No. 170 total out of the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the USA Hockey League.
In September 2021, Rousek, 23, underwent ACL reconstruction in his proper knee that compelled him to overlook the primary 57 video games of this season. As a result of harm and the Covid-19 pandemic, he had by no means skated in entrance of Appert.
“To be trustworthy, we had no concept what we have been going to get,” stated Michael Peca, an assistant coach at Rochester who received two Selke trophies throughout his 14-year NHL profession. “Apps had seen a tape about him and he actually appreciated it.”
As soon as cleared to observe with the Amerks in March, it did not take lengthy for Rousek to determine himself as a professional prospect for the Buffalo Sabers. The 5-foot-11 ahead scored two targets and 6 factors in 10 video games throughout Rochester’s run to the third spherical of the playoffs, step by step incomes extra ice time and possibilities because the run went on.
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The Sabers’ prime two 2020 draft picks left followers clamoring for his or her everlasting task to Buffalo. The wait might be over quickly.
Rousek earned a number of rounds of applause from the group at LECOM Harborcenter on Saturday along with her outstanding passing potential through the Sabers’ 3-on-3 event to cap the franchise’s first improvement camp in three years, serving to the Perreault crew win the championship trophy.
Rousek, a sixth-round draft choose in 2019, stood out in a camp that featured eight first-round picks and 5 gamers with NHL expertise. He made excellent passes and used his fast fingers to attain a breakaway purpose through the title sport.
βHe is so good,β stated Sabers prospect Jack Quinn, Rousek’s teammate in Rochester and through the 3-on-3 event. βHe’s actually good. He is a superb man to play with. He’s so good and makes different gamers round him higher.β
Twice, Rousek didn’t have her title within the NHL Draft. In 2017, Rousek was not picked, regardless of his league-leading 37 targets and 82 factors in 40 video games within the Czech Republic’s under-18 league. He performed skilled hockey in his residence nation the next season, however did not present sufficient to get chosen.
Frank Musil, the Sabers’ newbie scout within the space, passionately defended Rousek earlier than the 2019 draft. The winger averaged greater than a degree per sport within the Czech Republic’s second-tier professional league, received 34 video games on the degree highest and capped his closing draft-eligible season with an impressive playoff efficiency.
The following steps for every participant are unclear.
Rousek watched from the stands at Vancouver’s Rogers Middle as 159 different gamers have been drafted earlier than him. Lastly, the wait was over when the Sabers referred to as his title within the sixth spherical.
βIt was my first dream,β Rousek stated after a improvement camp observe this week. “I couldn’t consider it. However now, my second dream is to play within the NHL.”
Following his choice, Rousek had a few spectacular seasons within the Czech Republic’s prime skilled league and signed a two-year entry-level cope with the Sabers in April 2021 with the intention of constant his improvement in Rochester.
Final summer time, when Rousek was working along with her expertise coach to arrange for the Sabers’ Prospect Problem and coaching camp, she suffered what she thought was a minor harm whereas doing a routine spin with the puck. It wasn’t till he was seen by crew docs in Buffalo that he obtained the analysis. His ACL required a whole reconstruction that may require six to 9 months to recuperate.
βI assumed possibly two, three weeks,β he recalled. βSo he advised me, ‘Six or 9 months.’ He was loopy. He could not consider it.
The 2-way contract will enable the Sabers to assign Pilut to the Rochester People with out waivers if he doesn’t make the NHL roster.
Nonetheless, Rousek was not discouraged. On observe days final season, Rousek was usually the primary participant to reach at Blue Cross Area. He would do his rehab exercises, he would watch his teammates on the ice and sit within the locker room, listening to his jokes. Rousek was decided to be taught English. He paid shut consideration to phrases and phrases. When Rousek wasn’t certain about one thing, he requested Rochester winger Matej Pekar, a fellow Czech who has spent a number of years in North America.
The 2 have been roommates and rapidly turned shut buddies. Pekar translated interviews for Rousek all through the season. In improvement camp, Rousek did not want any assist. He spoke with confidence and conviction as he described the adversity he encountered earlier than the playoff race.
“He is an outgoing, enjoyable man,” stated Pekar, who’s recovering from shoulder surgical procedure. He’s at all times himself. He realized English by being near me and getting used to the American lifestyle. It got here naturally to him, and we have been at all times collectively.
“I knew how he performed from his time within the Czech Republic. And he is among the finest passers I’ve ever seen.”
Throughout Rousek’s restoration, the teaching workers confirmed him quite a few movies to arrange him for the day he can be cleared to play video games. Appert and Peca weren’t certain the place they’d put Rousek within the lineup as a result of they have been uncertain of his strengths and weaknesses in opposition to skilled American Hockey League gamers.
The Sabers’ No. 1 choose from final week’s draft in Montreal is not on the ice this week at LECOM Harborcenter as he makes certain his shoulder injured within the WHL playoffs is one hundred pc match. The child is bummed out as a result of this was his first likelihood to indicate folks in Buffalo the big expertise the Sabers simply acquired, and since he stated Thursday that he appears like he is solely missed per week or two of being prepared.
Rousek put her worries to relaxation when she lastly received clearance for the contact. He started making performs in observe that wowed his teammates, passing the puck by means of tight areas to arrange a standout purpose.
βI used to be coming off a whole ACL reconstruction and it normally takes some time to get again to one hundred pc,β Peca stated. βI believe it is a testomony to how laborious he labored, how badly he needed to return again and show himself. β¦ When he stepped in, he wowed guys day by day in observe along with his passing potential and his imaginative and prescient.β
Rousek took some time to unleash her potential in opposition to opponents. He had zero factors in his first six video games and completed the common season with simply 4 in 19 video games. Nonetheless, he step by step earned extra time on the ice and the belief of the coaches, and located solace when the playoffs started.
Rousek scored within the first sport of the playoffs by fooling Belleville goalie Filip Gustavsson with a formidable stick-handling show, beginning Rochester’s comeback from a three-goal deficit early within the third interval. Rousek additionally had 4 factors within the closing three video games of the Amerks sequence win over Utica.
“The primary 5 video games have been powerful,” Rousek stated. βIt is a completely different form of hockey, and I hadn’t performed in 11 months. The primary 5 video games have been loopy. However each sport after that was higher and higher, and at 15 video games, 5 within the playoffs, I felt good.”
Devon Levi sat within the Sabers’ suite on the TD Backyard as his buddy and Olympic teammate Owen Energy competed within the first of two video games at Frozen 4 in April and, just a few weeks later, watched from the stands as coach Don Granato was working. a morning skate in Boston earlier than a matchup in opposition to the Bruins.
Rousek is slated to play a distinguished function in Amerks’ lineup subsequent season that’s anticipated to incorporate 2021 draft picks Isak Rosen and Aleksandr Kisakov. With a younger crop of forwards on the NHL roster, the Sabers can afford to be affected person with Rousek and others. His play in improvement camp, together with some nifty passes to arrange Quinn, was one of many week’s many examples that confirmed the group amassed a wealth of expertise within the prospect pipeline.
Quinn and Owen Energy of Staff Perreault and Staff Martin respectively led the event with two targets every and met within the championship.
Though Quinn was the perfect striker on the ice (Rousek, JJ Peterka and Jiri Kulich weren’t far behind), it was the goalkeepers who have been the primary attraction. Erik Portillo and Devon Levi had a mixed 54 saves on Saturday. The duo recorded shutouts in regulation time throughout each of their matchups, forcing a shootout.
“You will most likely by no means see me on document saying I loved two 0-0 video games,” Sabers coach Don Granato stated. “However they performed two video games 0-0 there and it was enjoyable to observe them.”
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