Kase is Living the Good Life

The laugh is unmistakable, that certain type of hearty chuckle from the depths of the belly that gets others to join in, too. When you hear it, you know. That's the laugh of Ondrej Kase.

Life is good for the 22-year-old Ducks right wing, who is having a breakthrough season going into his second playoff run with the Ducks. Kase, who lasted until the seventh round of the 2014 NHL Draft, scored his 20th goal of the season in Anaheim's 3-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild on April 4. His goal, the eventual game winner, gave the Ducks a 2-1 lead in the third period and a berth in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the sixth consecutive season.
After the game, Kase spoke to members of the media, and things were going fine for the Kadan, Czech Republic native, whose English has improved dramatically since he made his NHL debut with Anaheim last season. But once the bright lights of a video camera illuminated his face, Kase knew what was coming.
"Oh no, no cameras!" he said only half-jokingly, as he still tends to get nervous in front of the lens. After a few seconds, he took a breath and reflected on his goal and the victory. "The guys congratulated me," he said with a smile. "I'm so happy we have two points. This is the biggest goal for me right now."

Funny he said that because just three days prior, when he scored a beauty of a game-winning goal in overtime against the Colorado Avalanche, he proclaimed that one as being the biggest of his career.

The morning after the playoff-clinching victory, following a practice at Honda Center, Kase took some time to reflect on his season and look ahead to the playoffs. No cameras were involved this time.
"Every year is better and better," Kase says, looking back on his professional career that began in 2015 when he made his North American debut with the San Diego Gulls of the AHL. "My first year in the minors, I was injured, so I was out for three to four months. That season was [tough] for me. Last season and this season, I was able to make progress here."
Kase finished that Gulls season with 14 points (8g/6a), but the ailments limited him to just 25 games. He went on to appear in nine Calder Cup Playoff games, earning four points. He began last season with the Gulls before making his NHL debut on Nov. 2, 2016 vs. Pittsburgh. He scored his first career NHL goal seven games later and finished the season with 15 points (including five goals). He went on to score twice in nine games for Anaheim in the playoffs last spring.

Kase admits he had no idea how this season would unfold for himself after suffering a few injuries right off the hop - which unfortunately fit right in with the rest of the Ducks this campaign. However, true to the "Energizer Bunny" nickname bestowed upon him from head coach Randy Carlyle, Kase bounced back. "Reaching 20 goals is good for me," he says. "I'm happy. But the biggest thing is we made the playoffs."
His work ethic and enthusiasm for the game is infectious. His chemistry with linemates Nick Ritchie and Adam Henrique is unmistakable. Carlyle says each player brings unique qualities that helps the line as a whole. "If you can have people give him the puck in those situations, and if you get 'Big Ritch' going to the front of the net taking people to him, that allows Kase and Henrique to move the puck effectively in the offensive zone," Carlyle said to reporters. "The trio seems to work well off each other."
But the harmony between the three extends beyond the rink, Kase says. "We speak together off the ice, too. The chemistry is there for everything."
Kase and Ritchie are roommates on the road, but that wasn't always the case. He used to room with young defenseman Brandon Montour, but that experience was short-lived. "He snored so bad," Kase said, just as Montour happened to walk past him in the locker room. "We needed a change. It was actually pretty loud. I felt bad for him! Ritchie is a good guy. We have fun." Overhearing, Montour countered, "Don't ever listen to anything that guys says."
Although he gets more comfortable speaking English with every passing day, Kase says he was recently reminded there is room for improvement. "I saw a [comment] on my Instagram," he says, with a smile. "Somebody said my English is still brutal."
A man of many nicknames, Kase made sure to address them.
The origin of "Drej," he says, dates back to last season when former Ducks forward Joseph Cramarossa opted to keep it simple. "My first name is spelled Ondrej with the 'J,' so Crammer just started calling me 'Drej' for short," Kase says. "So a couple guys started calling me that."
"Kaser" seems to be the most common nickname amongst his teammates, even though his last name is actually pronounced KAH-shuh, and he says Henrique is the only one who calls him "Kachi."
On the cusp of the postseason, Kase was asked if he was planning on shaving his already fertile beard and starting fresh for the playoffs. Without hesitation, he shot down that idea. "I can't right now," he says. "I'm not shaving. I waited for this for two months, so I can't shave it."
Before he could even finish his sentence, he busted out in laughter. Such is life for Kase, the kind of guy you can't help but root for - and laugh along with him the whole way.