Vladimír Růžička as an Omsk head coach?

Ruzicka who was captain of the Nagano gold-medalist Czech national team retired as player after the season 1999/2000 after six seasons spent in HC Slavia Prague, which he helped to advancement into Czech Extaliga. Since 2000/01 Ruzicka has been head coach for Slavia Prague. He has now been with the club for eleven seasons, what is an unique case in the Czech club’s scene. Before this season Růžička signed another seven-years long contract, but the coach who equally is also Slavia’s generalmanager and co-owner told, that this won’t be a bulk.

“I already have an offer on the table,” Růžička admitted for Czech News Agency(ČTK), “in the next couple of days I will make a decision. It’s quite fresh, I am thinking about it with my wife now.”

Avangard Omsk is seeking for Růžička’s services perhaps also as a attempt to keep Jaromír Jágr in the organization. It has been rumours that Jágr has a bad relation with the current head coach Raimo Summanen. If Jágr would leave the club another Czech star Roman Červenka could leave the club. Before the time Červenka told, that he likes a cooperation with Jágr and in the case he will stay for one more season, it is also possible that he will prolong his contract with Avangard. But if Jágr leaves Červenka probably would make a try at NHL.

That’s two big reasons for Omsk why to replace Summanen and find a replacer. And the best choice could be in Vladimír Růžička, a big friend of Jágr. Růžička and Jágr played together during the Olympic Games 1998 in Nagano, when Czech Republic grabbed the gold.

Růžička also has an impressive record with his current. For eleven seasons in a row he has taken Slavia to the playoffs and won the league title twice (2002/03 and 2007/08) and threesilver medals(2003/04, 2005/06 and 2008/09) and one bronze (2009/10).

This season was pretty hard for the club. One time it was balancing on a shape of non-advancing into the league playoffs, but later Slavia woke up and grabbed the 7th spot, what meant an advancement into the playoffs preliminary round, when their players eliminated Litvínov in 5 games. In the
quarterfinals Slavia went though Liberec in 7 games and their quest ended even in the league semifinals and relegation from a President’s trophy winner Třinec in 7 games.

Růžička had a few offers from KHL in the past but in all the cases he rejected them, as they weren't interesting enough to make him leave Slavia. This time the Russian press is speculating about financially very interesting offer that cannot be rejected.

 

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