'We Miss Him A Lot'

PRAGUE, Czechia - Martin Pospisil left an impact, to say the least.

Unfortunately, he was forced to leave altogether, too.

Pospisil, a shining star with Slovakia's entry at the 2024 IIHF World Championship in Prague, has left both the team and tournament after sustaining an apparent upper-body injury in the country's final preliminary game against Sweden on Tuesday.

"It's heartbreaking, for all of us, because he's a special kid," Slovakia coach Craig Ramsay said.

"He does everything you ask. He just gives you 100%. And he's so likeable. He just helps everybody around him play better. He's doing everything... powerplay, PK, we use him to start games and set a tone.

"He's that kind of a kid."

Pospisil crashed hard into the end boards midway through the first period of a bout against Sweden that had no implication on knockout round seeding for either side with each previously qualifying for quarterfinals.  

Though he skated off under his own power, Pospisil did not return to the game.

Nor will he return to the tournament, instead heading home to recover.

It was tough to see, according to Slovakia captain Tomas Tatar.

"Especially in a meaningless game like that," Tatar said. "It wasn't pretty. I hope it's nothing serious, just a mild injury, and he's going to be OK. Always tough to see your teammate go down.

"I wish him the best and obviously we miss him a lot."

Pospisil, a plucky forward who had a breakout year with the Flames to the tune of eight goals, 24 points and 109 minutes in penalties in 63 games, emerged as one of Slovakia's top players.

In six-and-a-sixth preliminary games, the Zvolen product tied for second in team scoring with seven points (3G, 4A) and logged a plus-5 rating while averaging 14:12 of ice time per game - including his 1:53 logged against Sweden prior to sustaining his injury.

He'd thrilled on a number of fronts.


"He's got a great stick, which is really vital if you're talking about big-time hockey," Ramsay said. "The teams that are coming have great sticks. They know how to get the puck back. And once you get it you have to know how to keep it. He has that ability to put pressure on people. He has the size and strength to battle with them. He can pick off passes and he can hold onto the puck. Just exactly what we need.

"Then he stumbles...

"This is such a grind, such a hard thing, but when you get a kid and you see what a good kid he is... and then he can't play because of something like this, it's not good."

The tournament served as Pospisil's first showcase with Slovakia's men's program, but despite an early departure - in which he'll miss a quarterfinal date with fellow Flames forward Andrew Mangiapane and Team Canada - he certainly left his mark.

And an impression.

"He brings that energy, that tenaciousness," Tatar said. "He's actually a very good skater. I'm surprised how fast he skates.

"He's very hungry. 

"You want a guy like that on your team."