#Rangers’ Libor Hajek still getting feel for game after layoff

DENVER — For Libor Hajek, it felt like it was still summer given his lack of game action through the first quarter of the season.

“My summer ended last game,” he said, referring to the fact that he made his season debut in the Rangers’ shutout loss to the Predators on Sunday before drawing into the lineup again in Tuesday’s defeat against the Avalanche. “So finally some games, it was good.”

Hajek may have made the Rangers’ roster out of training camp, but the 23-year-old defenseman had been a healthy scratch for the first 26 games of the season in favor of either rookie defenseman Nils Lundkvist or offseason-addition Jarred Tinordi. It wasn’t until Lundkvist was unavailable Sunday due to a non-COVID illness that Hajek slotted into the lineup.

While it was both a mental and physical challenge, Hajek said he is a professional and knew he just had to wait for his chance.

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“I understand the situation,” he said before recording three blocked shots and a penalty in 10:12 in the 4-2 loss at Ball Arena. “It’s hard to be ready in my head every day, but that wasn’t bad. All the guys on the team helped me so much, we have the best group ever here. Just feels great to be around. I wasn’t really thinking about it much, just here with the teammates and having fun.”

During his time away from NHL game action, Hajek was assigned to AHL Hartford in November for a conditioning assignment and skated in five games with the Wolf Pack. It took some time to adjust to the speed of the game again, Hajek said, but he still managed to record two assists and a plus-three rating.

While Hajek noted that the Rangers haven’t pointed out exactly what they want him to work on, the Czech said he already knows. From working in practice and watching film, Hajek said he wants to improve his play in the offensive zone and on the blue line, as well as his breakouts and first passes.

“Just wait for a chance,” he said. “I wasn’t really asking, you know, I just do whatever I got from the coaches. I was just waiting for my chance.”

USA Hockey announced Tuesday that Rangers president-general manager Chris Drury will serve as assistant GM of the U.S. Olympic men’s hockey team at the 2022 Beijing Olympics under Wild general manager Bill Guerin.

“It’s certainly great to have Bill and Chris working together in building our Olympic team,” executive director of USA Hockey Pat Kelleher said on a zoom call with reporters Tuesday. “They were exceptional players in their day, both played in the Olympics, and today they’re accomplished leaders of NHL clubs. Our team is in good hands.”

Drury, who is a three-time Olympian after competing in the 2002, 2006 and 2010 Winter Games, served as GM of the 2019, 2020 and 2021 U.S. Men’s National Team for the IIHF World Championship. He was also part of the management group for the national team in 2016 and 2017.