Robert Reichel

[Doshell Propivo]

I don't think he cared about the NHL as passionately as many others. A Czech hockey writer who knows him well once said that for Reichel, the NHL was never the ultimate challenge. AS TDMM says, he didn't seem to enjoy physical game. A cerebral center with a good shot who knew how to use his linemates. A bit undersized for the 1990's game and not a great skater either.

Once I read an interview where the journalist asked Reichel how is it possible that Jágr's NHL career was considerably more successful than his own even though he was probably a better player at 18. Reichel's answer was that the Pens pegged Jágr as a future superstar from Day One and were doing everything possible to help him realize his potential, while the Flames were treating Reichel far colder. I don't know enough about this.

He was one of the best national team captains we've ever had. He loved international hockey where he could play his brand of game with a lot of passing and all the subtilities of big ice game. Obviously he also loved the Czech locker room where he could enjoy time with many of his childhood buddies.

This is a class picture from 1985 when Reichel was in Grade 8. Reichel is sitting third from the right. Jiří Å légr is in the upper row, first from the left. Robert Lang in the upper row, fifth from the left. Martin Ručínský in the middle row, second from the right (next to the teacher):

What a great photo!

Yeah, Reichel never fully embraced the NHL or North America. I met him once in a Czech bar in NYC (after Nagano). He was very shy and clearly uncomfortable with all the attention. Hasek was also there and he was completely different, yucking it up with everyone. Reichel seemed to me like a very private person who was much more comfortable in Europe, being close to home than in North America.

 

[NyQuil]

It was him that scored the shootout goal that sunk Canada in 1998 IIRC.

 

[Doshell Propivo]

It was him that scored the shootout goal that sunk Canada in 1998 IIRC.

That is correct.

 

[Pominville Knows]

It can be a normal school but with hockey classes (most likely one per grade, the rest of them being regular classes). It doesn't have to have the word "hokej" in its name. Or the name could be something like "Základní Å¡kola s rozšířenou výukou tělesné výchovy" (roughly "Elementary school with advanced physical education") but it's too long for that board. It was a common scheme in the Czech education system. The girls were probably doing another sport. In any case, there are 24 boys and only 8 girls, doesn't look like a normal class to me.

Could even some of the boys have played for example soccer, or did they have separate classes for those? I wonder if we could find some future stars amongst those, and even amongst the girls. It would make this class even more epic.
But perhaps even more likely and relevant: Is Beranek in this photo? He seems to have played on that years Litvinov team.

 

[MS]

As others have noted, Reichel wasn't a guy who was passionate about the NHL. He really enjoyed playing in Germany in the 1994 lockout and was happy to go back there during his 1995-96 contract dispute.

As a player, was an extremely cerebral player who was neither big nor fast. In the pre-lockout game, he was a front-line offensive talent. But by the time he came back from Germany and the league was going into the heart of the Dead Puck Era, that kind of smallish/slowish forward didn't fit the sport nearly as well and he was re-cast as more of a secondary scorer who could work well with top players (Palffy) than someone who could drive offense for a line by himself.

 

[Rexor]

Could even some of the boys have played for example soccer, or did they have separate classes for those? I wonder if we could find some future stars amongst those, and even amongst the girls. It would make this class even more epic.
But perhaps even more likely and relevant: Is Beranek in this photo? He seems to have played on that years Litvinov team.

No, there's no mention of Josef Beránek in the article where I've found this picture. I don't know whether he was attending that school or not but even if he was, he was probably one grade above Reichel and Co.

Litvínov has always been a hockey-only town when it comes to sports and frankly, there's nothing of interest besides hockey, coal mines and chemical factories. The only non-hockey person from there that is somewhat known outside the Czech Republic is the supermodel Eva Herzigová.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

No, there's no mention of Josef Beránek in the article where I've found this picture. I don't know whether he was attending that school or not but even if he was, he was probably one grade above Reichel and Co.

Litvínov has always been a hockey-only town when it comes to sports and frankly, there's nothing of interest besides hockey, coal mines and chemical factories. The only non-hockey person from there that is somewhat known outside the Czech Republic is the supermodel Eva Herzigová.

would petr nedved have been a grade below?

and speaking of nedved, another tremendously talented and precocious czech player of that time. what were czech observers' impressions of reichel vs. nedved, before nedved's defection?

from what i can tell, reichel was in the men's league at 16, while nedved was still in the junior league at 17, before he defected?

 

[Sensinitis]

I've registered for the sole purpose of answering this particular post.

Reichel was a prodigy. At the sweet age of 17, he scored 48 points in 44 games in the senior Czechoslovakian hockey league. For those who smirk, that league was bursting with talent at the time.

At the age of 18, Reichel already led the senior league in points (83) and goals (49 in 52 games), mere six points short of the record set by Milan Novy in 1977.

That was and still is unheard of. For comparison, that same year, Jagr, who by then had finally come into his own, scored 60 points in 51 games. It doesn't take a genius to realize that Reichel was at the time considered the biggest talent in the history of Czechoslovakian hockey and most definitely the most talented guy on the Holik-Reichel-Jagr line.

Whatever led to his production dropping, it's unknown to me.

He had some German ancestors and acquired a German passport, thus his connection to Germany was pretty strong. He originally played for Frankfurt during the first lockout, thus returning there during the contract holdout was a no-brainer.

Hope I have answered at least some of the questions.

Far exceeded my expectations! Thanks.

I don't think he cared about the NHL as passionately as many others. A Czech hockey writer who knows him well once said that for Reichel, the NHL was never the ultimate challenge. AS TDMM says, he didn't seem to enjoy physical game. A cerebral center with a good shot who knew how to use his linemates. A bit undersized for the 1990's game and not a great skater either.

Once I read an interview where the journalist asked Reichel how is it possible that Jágr's NHL career was considerably more successful than his own even though he was probably a better player at 18. Reichel's answer was that the Pens pegged Jágr as a future superstar from Day One and were doing everything possible to help him realize his potential, while the Flames were treating Reichel far colder. I don't know enough about this.

He was one of the best national team captains we've ever had. He loved international hockey where he could play his brand of game with a lot of passing and all the subtilities of big ice game. Obviously he also loved the Czech locker room where he could enjoy time with many of his childhood buddies.

This is a class picture from 1985 when Reichel was in Grade 8. Reichel is sitting third from the right. Jiří Šlégr is in the upper row, first from the left. Robert Lang in the upper row, fifth from the left. Martin Ručínský in the middle row, second from the right (next to the teacher):

This can make one wonder about the magnitude/degree of impact of external factors on a player and his career. Far too often is it perceived that a player gets to where he is because he deserved it, worked hard, no excuses, etc.
Also makes one wonder perhaps about how to judge a player. Maybe we dont have the best players here in NA, only those comfortable enough to play in this setting. Dont know, just a thought.*

* this paragraph is actually in response to those that mentioned Reichel being a private, shy person, disliking much attention..

 

[Sticks and Pucks]

would petr nedved have been a grade below?

and speaking of nedved, another tremendously talented and precocious czech player of that time. what were czech observers' impressions of reichel vs. nedved, before nedved's defection?

from what i can tell, reichel was in the men's league at 16, while nedved was still in the junior league at 17, before he defected?

On that note, I'm also interested in any Holik vs Nedved comparisons. Both players were around 6'3" and rated top 3 in their respective draft years.

 

[Iapyi]

i remember going to a flames game in calgary the year after reichel came back from germany, there were 3 or 4 guys there who had travelled from germany to watch reichel play in the nhl

before the game they were telling me how reichel was going to destroy the nhl and they honest to goodness thought he was the best player in the world and better then gretzky.

by the end of the game they were completely astonished at how much better the nhl was then the del.

they learned a valuable lesson that night and were awesome guys to get drunk with.

 

[VanIslander]

Lazy without the puck.

Reminded me of early 80's players.

That's all I recall.

 

[feffan]

This can make one wonder about the magnitude/degree of impact of external factors on a player and his career. Far too often is it perceived that a player gets to where he is because he deserved it, worked hard, no excuses, etc.
Also makes one wonder perhaps about how to judge a player. Maybe we dont have the best players here in NA, only those comfortable enough to play in this setting. Dont know, just a thought.*

* this paragraph is actually in response to those that mentioned Reichel being a private, shy person, disliking much attention..

I´m sure of this. And you wrote it better and more calmer than I ever could have.

As I see it the NHL has grown to attached to raw abilitys. Speed demons go before smarts. I think the leauge is ready for a revolution like the one the Jets/Oilers of the 70´s/80´s did to the NA scene. Bring back the smart and hockey minds to the game. Not the robot era that is now. A team that will let those kind of players play on the 1-3 line will have success I think.

I think a player like Reichel could have been on Patrik Kanes level if he came over to the right team, especially if he came up in the past 04/05 lockout hockey enviroment. But circumstances out of his control put him in one of the worst periods to show his talents. And, as that story seems to tell, on a bad team to develop.

Today many probably remember him on the same level as Lang, or even sligthly worse. But Reichel to me was on another level. Falls in the same category as Pálffy to me on that part, even if Pálffy got more out of his NHL career. But both could have been remembered among the great forwards of their generation if they happened to be playing on the right teams. A player like Hejduk is also probable seen as most NA fans as a superior player than both, but who I see it as nowhere close to those two as a hockey player. But by chance Hejduk found himself on the Colorado juggernauts. Have a 20-22 yo Reichel or Pálffy come on that team in the mid or late 90´s they would be seen as some of the greatest players of the DPE.

 

[JackSlater]

I don't think he cared about the NHL as passionately as many others. A Czech hockey writer who knows him well once said that for Reichel, the NHL was never the ultimate challenge. AS TDMM says, he didn't seem to enjoy physical game. A cerebral center with a good shot who knew how to use his linemates. A bit undersized for the 1990's game and not a great skater either.

Once I read an interview where the journalist asked Reichel how is it possible that Jágr's NHL career was considerably more successful than his own even though he was probably a better player at 18. Reichel's answer was that the Pens pegged Jágr as a future superstar from Day One and were doing everything possible to help him realize his potential, while the Flames were treating Reichel far colder. I don't know enough about this.

He was one of the best national team captains we've ever had. He loved international hockey where he could play his brand of game with a lot of passing and all the subtilities of big ice game. Obviously he also loved the Czech locker room where he could enjoy time with many of his childhood buddies.

This is a class picture from 1985 when Reichel was in Grade 8. Reichel is sitting third from the right. Jiří Å légr is in the upper row, first from the left. Robert Lang in the upper row, fifth from the left. Martin Ručínský in the middle row, second from the right (next to the teacher):

Great picture. Reminds me of the picture out there of Subban/Tavares/Stamkos/Pietrangelo and company, though that was Toronto rep hockey so it is a bit more likely.

As for Reichel, he was a very interesting player. Not very fast or big but crafty. That type of player is becoming less common as hockey players from all countries are brought up to pursue physical skills rather than mental skills. In retrospect he reminds me of Jordan Eberle, though without that tank era Oilers stink all over him.

 

[Rexor]

would petr nedved have been a grade below?

and speaking of nedved, another tremendously talented and precocious czech player of that time. what were czech observers' impressions of reichel vs. nedved, before nedved's defection?

from what i can tell, reichel was in the men's league at 16, while nedved was still in the junior league at 17, before he defected?

I don't know. Too young to remember this. Compared to North America, Czech/Czechoslovak fans and media always largely ignored prospects and younger players in general, as if these players became interesting only after making the senior national team. Nedvěd was just a junior player when he defected so that only experts knew about him. I tried at least some googling and there was an interview where Nedvěd says that in juniors, Reichel was a lot more physically mature than him and that this gave Reichel a bit of a headstart. So that it seems that Reichel was indeed a better and more impactful junior player. As for Holík, I'm not sure. He was from a great hockey family, being drilled by his crazy father from a very young age, likely more mature and prepared for professional hockey than most of his peers... on the other hand, talent-wise he was nowhere near Reichel or Nedvěd imo.

It's interesting though that just taking a look at the picture one cannot help to notice how big and developed Reichel looks. Compared to Šlégr for example. Another Czech player who was noticably bigger than his peers as a kid and then carved out a career as a midget was Martin Straka.

 

[Theokritos]

Compared to North America, Czech/Czechoslovak fans and media always largely ignored prospects and younger players in general, as if these players became interesting only after making the senior national team.

I guess that has to do with the absence of an entry draft in Europe. A talented young player will either stay with his club or if his club isn't attractive enough to stay then he is inevitable going to end up with one of the top clubs (either in terms of success or wealth or both) of the country. (Or he goes abroad.) People have little incentive to follow junior hockey on a national base because it makes no difference to their club.

In North America on the other hand, the senior clubs don't run their own junior teams and it's not a foregone conclusion where the talented young players will end up. Will my team pick in the top 3 or will it pick lower? Which players are the most promising and which can be expected to be available where we pick? That's quite an incentive for fans and media all over the league to keep an attentive eye on the prospects.

 

[Sensinitis]

I´m sure of this. And you wrote it better and more calmer than I ever could have.

As I see it the NHL has grown to attached to raw abilitys. Speed demons go before smarts. I think the leauge is ready for a revolution like the one the Jets/Oilers of the 70´s/80´s did to the NA scene. Bring back the smart and hockey minds to the game. Not the robot era that is now. A team that will let those kind of players play on the 1-3 line will have success I think.

I think a player like Reichel could have been on Patrik Kanes level if he came over to the right team, especially if he came up in the past 04/05 lockout hockey enviroment. But circumstances out of his control put him in one of the worst periods to show his talents. And, as that story seems to tell, on a bad team to develop.

Today many probably remember him on the same level as Lang, or even sligthly worse. But Reichel to me was on another level. Falls in the same category as Pálffy to me on that part, even if Pálffy got more out of his NHL career. But both could have been remembered among the great forwards of their generation if they happened to be playing on the right teams. A player like Hejduk is also probable seen as most NA fans as a superior player than both, but who I see it as nowhere close to those two as a hockey player. But by chance Hejduk found himself on the Colorado juggernauts. Have a 20-22 yo Reichel or Pálffy come on that team in the mid or late 90´s they would be seen as some of the greatest players of the DPE.

I remember a line from American author/philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson "a wise man knows that foolish legislation is a rope of sand, which perishes in the twisting". Now law has little to do with the topic, but there is a broader interpretation of this quote that does: players (Datsyuk and Brad Richards most famously) and observers alike have expressed this same sentiment of yours, and it shows that things are bound to change, naturally. It is becoming clearer and clearer that this, to use your terminology, robotic conception of the game has significant shortcomings, from the point of view of the player and the observer. The game only follows the character of the people involved in it. Sure, it's far from everyone that's expressing this, but it's significant enough to have an impact on the game itself.

 

[popo]

In his book Battle of Alberta, Mark Spector describes Reichel as an "aloof jerk". He tells an anecdote of him refusing to speak to Calgary media for the year, and then changing his mind mid season only to have the media guy rebuke him by saying he was refusing to speak to him.

 

[Leafsdude7]

You may have missed a joke there - I figured a poster with a name like yours might appreciate a reference to Quinn's fondness for Renberg, er... Reichel, whatever his name was...

In fairness, though it's usually the assistant coaches that make the lineup cards, even if the head coach is supposed to look them over, so Keith Acton or Rick Ley probably deserve more of the comeuppance for that.

I wonder how much of the lockout in 94-95 had to do with Reichel's decision to hold out in 95-96. He played for Frankfurt for both, but he did come back in-between. Maybe he enjoyed playing there for the year so much he decided to go back unless Riseborough and the Flames coughed up enough money.

I believe he had the same agent as Yashin and all those guys (starts with a G, I'm blanking ATM) when he held out in Phoenix, so that would explain that.

 

[Hoser]

You're thinking of Mark Gandler. Reichel was represented by Paul Kraus.

Reichel had oodles of talent that he wasted with indifferent, lazy play. In a span of six years he spent three seasons holding out for more money; it seemed that money was the only reason he ever came to North America.

 

[Albatros]

I wonder how much of the lockout in 94-95 had to do with Reichel's decision to hold out in 95-96. He played for Frankfurt for both, but he did come back in-between. Maybe he enjoyed playing there for the year so much he decided to go back unless Riseborough and the Flames coughed up enough money.

Yes, he was playing together with Jiří Lála who was one of the biggest stars in the Czechoslovak league with Reichel growing up. But despite their age difference the two got along excellent on and off the ice and Reichel also appreciated the German hockey culture better than that in North America. After the lockout ended, Frankfurt fans organized visits to Calgary and it was then like a homecoming when he returned next season. I would say it was more about heart than money even if he was paid very well in Germany.

 

[Sensinitis]

Yes, he was playing together with Jiří Lála who was one of the biggest stars in the Czechoslovak league with Reichel growing up. But despite their age difference the two got along excellent on and off the ice and Reichel also appreciated the German hockey culture better than that in North America. After the lockout ended, Frankfurt fans organized visits to Calgary and it was then like a homecoming when he returned next season. I would say it was more about heart than money even if he was paid very well in Germany.

You can't be serious? Not wanting to play in the NHL can be explained by some other factor than lazyniess greed and lack of heart? I refuse to believe this logical possibility

 

[feffan]

I remember a line from American author/philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson "a wise man knows that foolish legislation is a rope of sand, which perishes in the twisting". Now law has little to do with the topic, but there is a broader interpretation of this quote that does: players (Datsyuk and Brad Richards most famously) and observers alike have expressed this same sentiment of yours, and it shows that things are bound to change, naturally. It is becoming clearer and clearer that this, to use your terminology, robotic conception of the game has significant shortcomings, from the point of view of the player and the observer. The game only follows the character of the people involved in it. Sure, it's far from everyone that's expressing this, but it's significant enough to have an impact on the game itself.

Thanks for a nice tought worthy answer. Will be interesting to see if we both are right about a revolution coming

 

[Doshell Propivo]

In his book Battle of Alberta, Mark Spector describes Reichel as an "aloof jerk". He tells an anecdote of him refusing to speak to Calgary media for the year, and then changing his mind mid season only to have the media guy rebuke him by saying he was refusing to speak to him.

Again, Reichel was a private introvert who was extremely uncomfortable talking to groups of people, especially the media. Even in his native language. Throw in having to learn a new language and adjust to a different culture and it makes things even more difficult.

 

[Leafsdude7]

Yes, he was playing together with Jiří Lála who was one of the biggest stars in the Czechoslovak league with Reichel growing up. But despite their age difference the two got along excellent on and off the ice and Reichel also appreciated the German hockey culture better than that in North America. After the lockout ended, Frankfurt fans organized visits to Calgary and it was then like a homecoming when he returned next season. I would say it was more about heart than money even if he was paid very well in Germany.

Worth pointing out that Robert's brother Martin played for the German National Team, including the 1998 and 2002 Olympics. Wonder if that's connected to all of this, too.

Also, the point re:money was simply that Reichel probably decided that he would enjoy playing in Germany more than Calgary, not that he wanted to make more money. Wasn't trying to imply that he only went back because he wanted the money.

 

[Albatros]

Worth pointing out that Robert's brother Martin played for the German National Team, including the 1998 and 2002 Olympics. Wonder if that's connected to all of this, too.

As I've understood it's more the other way around, Robert was in part behind Martin playing in Frankfurt later on. Martin had moved to Germany as a teenager already, but he too wanted to make it to the NHL and was drafted 37th overall by Edmonton (much higher than Robert). Yet due to injuries and perhaps being a lesser talent than his brother ended up staying in Rosenheim.