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Rychlovsky Doing Utmost To Make Red Wings

Czech forward ready to make impression

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2 weeks ago

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Jakub Rychlovsky, Red Wings
European free agent forward Jakub Rychlovsky is coming to Traverse City seeking to impress the Red Wings brass.

If Jakub Rychlovsky were to pen one of those how I spent my summer vacation essays, the central subject matter would be the Detroit Red Wings.

Among the more prevalent storylines that will be unfolding later this week in the NHL rookie games between Detroit and the Dallas Stars will be to see what kind of impression Rychlovsky can make in his North American bow.

He’s been doing his utmost to prepare to make his arrival impactful.

“I trained for four months. It was probably my longest preparation in my career,” Rychlovsky told Czech website iDnes.cz. “I think I prepared well. Now it’s just up to me to show myself in the best possible light in Detroit and leave a good first impression.

“I’m really looking forward to it, it’s been too long here in the Czech Republic.”

Rychlovsky Seeking Place With Red Wings

The six-foot, 178-pound left-winger is coming off a season in which led led the Czech Extraliga with 26 goals. That was earning him a two-year contract with Detroit.

He seems to already succinctly understand the methodology that the Red Wings hockey operations staff likes to undertake with prospects. Generally, rookies will serve their apprenticeship in the AHL with the Grand Rapids Griffins.

“If you look at the history of how Detroit has handled players, they have mostly sent them to the farm,” Rychlovsky acknowledges. “So my journey will probably lead there too. But anything can happen.

“I will do my best to fight my way into the first team.”

While some of his Czech compatriots were making the move to North America at a young age in order to play Canadian junior hockey, Rychlovsky, 23, believes he was better served by staying home. His resume is already showing five seasons of pro hockey against men.

“I think it was the best path I could have chosen,” Rychlovsky said. “Thanks to this, I was able to adapt to senior hockey more quickly and build an important role in the team at a relatively young age.”

Simek Counsels Rychlovsky

Rychlovsky was getting his first taste of the NHL lifestyle while attending the Red Wings development camp in July.

“When I came to the main arena in Detroit, that’s probably when it hit me,” Rychlovsky explained. “The background, number and attitude of the people who look after the players in the organization is at an extreme level.”

He’s been working out with his old club Liberec in preparation for his North American debut. That’s been enabling him to pick the brain of defenseman Radim Simek. Simek finished last season with the Griffins before opting to return to play the 2024-25 season back in his homeland.

“We had daily debates about how everything is going on there, so that at the beginning I would have at least some information that would make it easier for me,” Rychlovsky said. “I am very grateful to Radim for that. I value his advice very much and I will certainly draw on it.”

The Red Wings haven’t been enjoying much in the way of success in recent years with European free agents. It doesn’t sound as though Rychlovsky will be giving them much runway to make a determination on whether he has a future in Detroit.

“After the season, it will be seen whether I will continue in America or return to Europe,” Rychlovsky explained. “It’s all in the stars.”

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John Parham

I am now a huge Jakub Rychlovsky fan. More the person than the player. A guy getting a chance to live his dream, and he’s going all out to make it happen. His appreciation of the player support and borderline pampering is refreshing. With players haggling with GMs over millions, you have a guy busting his ass because he just wants a foot in the door. I hope he makes it.

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Tom Rady

Sounds like he will give the Wings one year to make it. He will agree to spent part of the year in the minors, but if he has not made Det by the end of the year he is back to Europe the following yr.

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