Vipers tough guy Czechs in

Aug 23 2007 Evening Chronicle

JUST days after confirming his retirement as a player, Mobilx Vipers’ coach Rob Wilson has secured the signature of his final import defenceman.

Giant Czech Petr Kratky will wear the yellow and black of the Tyneside club this season after spending last year in France with HC Briancon.

There he scored 13 points (4+9) in 20 games, while adding 64 penalty minutes. Briancon finished third in the Magnus Ligue, with just five defeats from 26 games.

Wilson (pictured) said of his new signing: “I’ve been after Petr for about two months, and have been talking to him and his agent for some time.

“His signing gives me a balance of left and right shot defencemen which is important for one of our offensive systems.

“Three weeks ago I thought the deal had fallen through but we managed to come to an agreement and I’m delighted to have Petr in the Vipers roster this season,” said Wilson.

“I spoke to Matus Petricko, who played against Petr in the Slovak leagues, and he said that he wouldn’t be happy to face him in the Elite League.

“Petr’s a big guy who plays a physical sort of game, and has a mean streak which I like in my players. Of course, his size is an advantage, but he also has an offensive up-side.

“The main defensive quartet we have is completely new from last year, but I think it’s a much stronger unit as a whole.

“Now the roster is complete, and I’m very happy with how things have gone. We’ve had to be very canny with our budget, but with things like our university deal we’ve been able to recruit very well.

I can’t wait now to get the guys in and start our training camp,” added Wilson.

Kratky, 31, has experience in the Czech and Slovak Extraliga, with a spell in the Russian Hockey League and more recently with Herenveen in Holland.

“I am looking forward to playing in Newcastle,” said Kratky. “I have spoken with players who have played in the United Kingdom and they speak highly of the League.

“Coach Wilson has told me the kind of hockey he wants to play, and I can’t wait to get started.”

The Vipers players will start a week-long training camp at the Newcastle Arena before playing a home-and-away series against defending league champions Coventry Blaze on September 1 and 2.

The home game is at the Arena on Sunday, September 2, face-off 5.30pm.