The Detroit Red Wings wanted to keep defenseman Radim Simek with the team. His point of view, however, was that he did not want to continue taking buses.
“It’s true,” Simek told Czech outlet iSport about the Red Wings’ offer. “It was a two-way contract with a large sum of money guaranteed, which was about equal to the NHL minimum. But it was no longer worth the money to me.
Instead, the 32-year-old Czech defenseman chose to resist the idea that you can’t go home again. Simek decided to sign with the Liberec Tigers of the Czech Extraliga. He departed the same franchise seven seasons ago to join the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League.
Simek Finished Last Season With Griffins
His rationale for quitting up on North American hockey was straightforward. Simek had the impression that North American hockey was given up on him.
Last season, the Sharks assigned him to the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda, where he served as captain. Simek, who has appeared in 209 NHL games, was playing minor pro hockey for the first time in four years.
Simek would spend the 2023-24 season in the AHL with the Grand Rapids Griffins, Detroit’s top farm team, after being traded to the Red Wings. He’d play nine regular-season games and eight Calder Cup playoff games for Grand Rapids.
Simek simply didn’t want to ride the busses again this season.
“I didn’t see a real future there,” Simek stated about the North American professional game. “I would continue flying over the farm, taking the bus for eight hours round trip. At the age of 32, I didn’t want to go through this again. I have other priorities.
“My wife and I are expecting our second kid in October. I just refused to spend time on the bus when my wife was at home with two girls, one of whom was a newborn.
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