Former Montreal Canadiens forward Tomas Plekanc isn’t ruling out one day returning to the NHL. Saying “I’m still a player”, the former Hab noted he’s a ways away from retiring from hockey, but when that time comes and he ready to try his hand at something else, the NHL might be on his radar.
For now, Plekanec said “I’m continuing my career. I play at home in Kladno. I still have fun.” He’s currently a player for Brno Kometa in the Czech Republic League and, as many leagues are on pause, so is his. “We haven’t played for a month,” Plekanec said. While he expects the league to resume the season within a week, it could be the downtime and not playing overseas that has people curious about what and where his next steps will be.
When asked if he would ever consider work hockey as a non-player, he said it’s not something he’s yet thinking about. Hinting he’s not got no plans to hang up his stakes just yet, while talking with TVA Sports (requires English translation), he explained, “I don’t yet have to ask myself questions about my future, about job offers that might interest me. I will think about it one day, probably in two years.”
What Happens in Two Years?
There’s a lot of uncertainty surrounding the game of hockey and the professionals who make a living in the sport these days. Who knows what the NHL and other international leagues will look like. That said, if there’s a job opening in the NHL at that time, it might be something Plekanec considers.
“I can’t say I would never say yes to a job in the NHL,” he said. He added, “But I still have time to think about it. My focus is on hockey in Kladno and on my family.”
If and when he returns, it certainly won’t be as a player. He noted he’s still in great shape and hasn’t slowed down but also admits he’s playing in a second division and the level of play is a long way from the NHL. If he feels that way now, in two years time, coaching or an executive position is the type of work he’s looking at.
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