Voracek joins KHL
Daily News Flyers blog
Voracek joins KHL
The NHL lockout is two days old and now two Flyers have joined Russia's KHL.
Jake Voracek confirmed to the Daily News on Monday that he signed a temporary contract to join HC Lev Praha, the new KHL franchise located in Prague, Czech Republic.
Voracek said he is currently in Europe and could join Lev Praha's lineup as soon as Thursday's game against Avangard Omsk.
Voracek, 23, is one of the Czech Republic's most recognizable players in his home country.
Rather than use a standing offer to join HC Kladno, the team owned by former teammate and close friend Jaromir Jagr in his hometown, Voracek took an attractive offer to join the KHL, which is widely believed to be the second-best league in the world. Prague, the Czech Republic's cosmopolitan capital city, is located just 20 miles west of Voracek's hometown of Kladno.
Voracek originally said on Sunday that he wasn't sure whether he would sign to play in Europe, based on insurance costs. It is indeed possible that HC Lev Praha agreed to pay for Voracek's insurance policy.
NHL players are limited to making no more than 65 percent of their yearly salary in the KHL. Voracek met the KHL's stringent policy for temporary players, since he has represented the Czech Republic recently as a national player and has played more than 150 career NHL games.
Voracek signed a 4-year, $17 million extension with the Flyers this summer after scoring a career-high 18 goals in his first season with the team.
He will join former NHL players Marcel Hossa, Erik Christensen, Alexandre Picard, Jaroslav Svoboda, Lubos Bartecko, Jakub Klepis, Michal Repik and Jiri Novotny on the HC Lev Praha roster.
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Some hockey fans have said that Voracek will not be a good replacement for Jagr on the Flyers' topline because of all the experience that Jaromir has, knowing how to be at the right place at the right time...But Lavi took Jagr off the top line and the first power play unit near the end of the season...Also, Jakub is a developing young star with a lot of offensive upside and his speed will help him play defense better than Jagr ever did.
P.S. Mr. Bettman would lock out his mother of he thought he could get another nickel.
Bettman is a cancer on the NHL and should be banished back to the NBA— USAFirst1- How many really care about any of this player/mgmt stupidity beyond the 10,000 core Flyer fans (and nothing wrong with that)? No doubt hockey is not a significant sport with a wide audience such as the Phils, Eagles or 76'rs enjoy.— topprof
- The players should just work out,play pick up games.and bide their time instead of risking injury playing overseas.In addition their bodies will have one less year of wear and their careers extended.— Andrew Grier
- Hockey players are trained to improve year after year since a young age. If you decide to take a year off while others are still playing high level hockey, you may lose a job. — swany65
- This comment has been deleted.— GrindHouse
