The early years
I grew up in Příbram, a gritty little town 37 miles from Prague, where hockey grabbed me at a young age and wouldn’t let go. It wasn’t just a game - it was my shot at something bigger. By 16, I’d fought my way onto Sparta Prague’s A-team, my stick drawing NHL eyes, but every step was a grind.
The routine? An hour each way on shaky buses and poorly lit metros - schoolbooks in one hand, gear in the other. Often times, I would be fall asleep standing on packed late-night rides home after practice with my legs aching. At home, we were crammed into a house with my grandparents, and my parents worked late to so I can keep a hockey stick in my hands.
Nothing came easy - every shift I played carried their hustle and my hunger. Although I was quiet, my game was in the spotlight and the buzz grew louder. Those early struggles - bone-deep fatigue, sacrifice from my parents, and the pressure to prove myself all shaped the player and person I am today.
1999 NHL DRAFT
My hockey story hit a defining peak on June 26, 1999, when the Atlanta Thrashers selected me as the first overall pick in the NHL Draft. That night in Boston’s FleetCenter was a whirlwind. I was a young kid standing under glaring lights with my name becoming the top choice for a brand-new franchise.
The road to that draft stage was intense. By my mid-teens, I was already on the NHL’s radar, thanks to my play with Sparta Prague’s A-team and some loud hype from my agent. Scouts were circling, and the buzz was inescapable. In 1997, I was grinding in the Czech Extraliga, holding my own against seasoned pros. Atlanta’s GM, Don Waddell, saw enough to trade up for that coveted first pick, betting on me to anchor their expansion roster.
Draft day itself was a memory I will never forget. Sitting with my family, heart pounding, when Don Wadell, then-GM of the Atlanta Thrashers, winked at me on his way to the stage. Then my name rang out. First overall. The Thrashers were a blank slate, desperate to build something big, and I was their foundation. It was a life-changing leap that hit me like a slapshot. Stepping onto that stage, I felt the thrill of validation and also instant weight of expectation.
NHL CAREER
I spent six seasons with the Thrashers, lacing up for 414 games. My peak came in 2003-04, when I played all 82 games and hit a career-high 40 points. It was a glimpse of what I could do when my body held up. But injuries were a constant shadow - broken jaw, broken ankle, hyper-extended elbow. All keeping me off the ice more than I wanted. Still, I pushed through, determined to live up to that first-pick promise.
In June 2006, I was traded to the Dallas Stars, a fresh chapter that only lasted one season - 41 games.
My career ended sooner than I planned, cut short at 27 by chronic injuries that piled up over the years. The final blow was a hip injury so severe it forced me out after just three games with SC Bern in Switzerland in 2007, leading to a hip replacement I’d needed for years. I’d been playing through pain - concussions, busted bones, that nagging hip - for much of my NHL run. By my last season with the Stars, I was a shadow of myself. My body gave out before my drive did, wrapping my NHL stats at 455 games and 188 points.
Those seven years taught me more than stats show - resilience, grit, and how to fight when the odds stack up. Now, at PSHI Development, I turn that into fuel for the next generation. I’ve been the top pick, the grinder, the guy who fell short but kept swinging.
POST PLAYING CAREER
Right after hanging up my skates, I stepped into the agent world, becoming an NHLPA-certified player agent from 2007 to 2022. For 15 years, I represented talent across the league, drawing on my own journey - nearly 500 NHL games, 188 points, and the weight of being a top draft pick all to guide players through contracts, careers, and the grind I knew too well. It was a front-row seat to the business of hockey, but my heart kept pulling me back to the ice itself.
Coaching was part of my next chapter. I’ve led teams from 12U to 16U, pouring my NHL know-how into young players hungry to grow. I also took the helm in the North American Hockey League (NAHL), sharpening my skills as a head coach in a competitive junior circuit. One of my proudest moments as a head coach? Guiding the Little Caeser’s15U team to a national championship - a testament to what focus and teamwork can do. Whether it was breaking down plays or building confidence, I found my stride teaching the game from the bench.
Today, my priority is PSHI Development, my video coaching company. It’s where I blend everything I’ve learned - playing through pain, navigating the NHL’s highs and lows, coaching kids to titles - into a system that makes players “Hard to Play Against.” Using video communication, feedback, and accountability, I help athletes sharpen their skills and mindset, just like I did facing the league’s best. From my days as an agent negotiating deals to leading a national championship squad, it all fuels this mission: to develop players who don’t just want to play but want to dominate.
Hockey’s been my life - from being a kid traveling over an hour one way by myself to the rinks by buses and trains, the draft stage in ’99, all up to today. I’ve worn a lot of hats - player, agent, coach but at PSHI, I’m doing what I love most: building the next generation, one video session at a time.
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