The only Slovak who passed this year’s NHL draft is diligently preparing to go overseas. At the end of August, Miroslav Šatan Jr. will fight for his place in the Chicago Steel university team.
Photo: hockeyslovakia.sk
Miroslav Šatan Jr. in the jersey of the Slovakian under-18 national team.
During the summer, he devoted himself to improving his physical condition in the gym and spent a lot of time on the ice.
“I believe that I have a season of great improvement ahead of me and I am preparing for it in all aspects. I look forward to every training session or match,” says Šatan Jr. for the union’s official website hockeyslovakia.sk.
Peter Ihnačák, who has been a Capitals scout for eight years, is partly responsible for his draft to Washington.
“I admit that I have a hand in it. I followed Mirko from Slovan’s matches and the national team’s 18 matches. I saw his better and worse performances, but what was important – I never felt that he didn’t fight. That’s what I liked about him,” evaluates Ihnačák.
According to the former great forward, Šatan Jr. has excellent hockey thinking and skillful hands. On the other hand, due to his height of more than two meters, he lacks strength and fitness, but he can catch up very quickly.
Ihnačák was able to see the young talent in person during the World Championships in Finland.
“He didn’t have a good first match there. You could feel that he was tired and had short shifts. At the end of the championship, he already played excellently and there he definitely convinced me.
I prepared a montage of trades that I presented to the Washington leadership. I drew attention to the fact that, due to his rapid growth, he had problems with his knees, but his potential is important,” says Ihnačák.
According to him, the young Slovak can develop into a striker who will be a valid player overseas in three or four years. However, he must gain muscle mass.
“He knows how to score goals, so why couldn’t he one day follow in the footsteps of Bondra, Ovechkin or his father? If I didn’t believe in that, I certainly wouldn’t recommend him to the Capitals management,” says Ihnačák.
The father of the Slovak talent is happy about his son’s success, but he knows that the most difficult task still awaits him.
“I’m glad that the Capitals sensed the potential in him for the future and decided to select him. From the point of view of the union, of course I wished for more drafted players. But not every year is as successful as last year,” says Miroslav Šatan the elder.
For now, according to him, it is too early to say whether his son will be part of Washington, which is waiting for a generational change in a few years.
“There is no point in speculating about that now. He is very young and still has a lot of work ahead of him. He has it in his hands and we will see where he can move in the next three years,” says Šatan st.
Source: sportweb.pravda.sk
