Last Czech Standing: The Diaspora Of The Rangers' Czech Influence

(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Michal Rozsival is the only Czech left in a New York Rangers' locker room that was once filled to the brim with his compatriots, and there is little doubt that Rozsival will be leaving the Rangers via trade this summer. 

After posting a minus-7 and failing to make his presence felt on the power play, the Rangers' front office will likely be looking to move their final Czech player. 

Many NHL teams boast nationality-heavy rosters.  A glance down the Red Wings' lineup reveals no less than eight Swedes and the Dallas Stars used to have a seemingly monopoly of Finnish players. 

The 2007-2008 New York Rangers were no different.  Jaromir Jagr, Martin Straka, Marek Malik, Michal Rozsival, and Petr Prucha all called the Czech Republic home, and the Rangers unarguably had the biggest Czech influence of any NHL team. 

The Rangers failed to resign Jagr last summer, even to a one-year deal, and Jagr ended up in Russia.  Martin Straka returned to the Czech Republic to play for HC Lasselsberger Plzen.  Malik signed a contract with Tampa Bay at the start of the 2008-2009 season.  Prucha was traded to Phoenix, along with Nigel Dawes and Dmitri Kalinin, last March.

Only Rozsival remains. 

Did the Rangers organization suddenly give up on Czech players?  Did Jagr's leaving spark this exodus?  Or is it all coincidental?  Any way you dice it, every Czech player in Manhattan will be gone by the start of next season, and it won't quite be the same.

I'll be patiently waiting for Kundratek, Kveton, and Psurny.

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