This Day in Hockey History – November 18, 1977 – Czech, Please!

Nov 18, 2019

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On the 51st anniversary of the Detroit franchise’s first NHL game, November 18, 1977, the Red Wings put 33-year-old center Vaclav Nedomansky on the ice for his NHL debut. Three years earlier, he left Czechoslovakia (now the Czech Republic) as the first professional ice hockey player to defect from behind Europe’s Iron Curtain.

Nedomansky had a highly successful hockey career back in Czechoslovakia. He played for Slovan Bratislava for 12 seasons beginning in 1962. In that Czech Elite Hockey League, he led the scoring in three seasons, including his last. Of his nine appearances at the IIHF World Ice Hockey Championships, Czechoslovakia medaled every year but 1967. In 1974, he was the top forward of the tournament. At the Olympics, his scoring helped his national team take home silver in 1968 and bronze in 1972.

Unfortunately, political tensions grew and civil liberties disappeared as the Soviet Union occupied Czechoslovakia in 1968. Five years later, Nedomansky left for Switzerland then Canada. He later commented, “One of the happiest moments was when I immigrated to Canada. That way, I was a free man. I could develop not only as a hockey player, but as a person.” Although Nedomansky was stripped of his Czech citizenship as punishment, he became a Canadian citizen and later obtained dual U.S. citizenship.

In North America, Nedomansky signed with the Toronto Toros of the World Hockey Association (WHA). He had been scouted by the NHL’s Atlanta Flames, and GM Cliff Fletcher traveled to Czechoslovakia to speak with him. After Nedomansky defected, Fletcher approached him again. However, Nedomansky felt concerned about racial tensions he heard Atlanta experienced and chose Toronto instead. He moved south when the franchise relocated to become the Birmingham Bulls in 1976.

It seemed that the Bulls, like many WHA teams, ran into some financial difficulty and disposed of some higher salaries. On Tuesday, November 15, 1977, in a rare inter-league trade, they sent Nedomansky and Tim Sheehy, two known scorers, to the Detroit Red Wings (in return for the loan of Dave Hanson and Steve Durbano). Nedomansky told the press, “I appreciate it. It’s a nice chance for me, but it’s very surprising. My family is in Toronto and this will be a nice chance to have them closer to me. It’s only a four-hour drive from Detroit.” His new coach, Bobby Kromm, looked forward to it, too. “Ned is going to be a big asset, especially on the power play. I don’t know of a centerman in the league who can step over the blue line and shoot the puck like he can.”

That Friday, Nedomansky finally played in an NHL game. Coincidentally, the Red Wings were hosted by the Atlanta Flames at the Omni Coliseum. The home team took an early lead. Shortly after Tom Lysiak put the first tally on the scoreboard, Bill Clement scored his 99th and 100th goals back-to-back. Atlanta led 3-0 at the first period intermission.

Just over seven minutes into the second period, Detroit had “clicked on two power play goals off the usually reliable Flames penalty killers.” A couple minutes later, Atlanta put in another. Within the next couple minutes, Detroit scored a third goal. As the recap reported, “Newcomer Vaclav Nedomansky, the big Czech centerman obtained this week in a trade, assisted on all three goals in his debut and was a standout on the power play.” Unfortunately, Detroit could not find the back of the net again, and the Flames won 5-3. Of the eight goals that night, five were power-play goals.

Nedomansky remained with the Red Wings for four seasons. In September 1982, he signed with the New York Rangers because he admired Herb Brooks’ work with the U.S. Olympic team. “I went to New York because of (Herb Brooks). I went into that training camp without a contract just to play for him and make the team. I listened to him more and liked him very much.” That October, he was claimed on waivers by the St. Louis Blues. After a couple months, the Blues complied with Nedomansky’s request to be returned.

When Nedomansky’s NHL career ended with the 1982-83 season, he had played in 421 NHL games. His scoring added up to 122 goals and 156 assists for 278 points.

In honor of his paving the way for other central and eastern European hockey players to play hockey in North America and his prolific scoring, Nedomansky has just been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame’s Class of 2019.