Edmonton Oilers forward Ales Hemsky made news on Tuesday, when he joined the team from his native Czech Republic at the IIHF Inline Hockey World Championship in Germany, but after a loss to Germany in the quarterfinals, it appears that one game was enough.
Hemsky was not in the lineup on Wednesday when the Czechs faced Sweden in a placement game at Saturn Arena in Ingolstadt, Germany. The Oilers forward's presence proved unnecessary, however, as the Czechs defeated the Swedes, 5-4.
Hemsky - whose brother, Petr, is the coach of the Czech team - had two assists on Tuesday, one to give the Czechs a 3-2 lead in the second period on Tomas Demel's goal and another to tie the game at 4-4 in the third period on Martin Vozdecky's score. The host Germans, however, won the game in overtime, sending the Czechs to a placement game against Sweden that Hemsky sat out.
It was a sensible move for Hemsky, who could justify trying to help his country defend its world championship. With a championship off the table, the risk of injury in a placement game just didn't make sense.
Hemsky has certainly kept busy, though, since the end of his season with the Oilers. He had eight points (five goals and three assists) for the Czech Republic at the 2012 IIHF World Championship last month, including a pair of assists to help beat host Finland in the bronze medal game. He followed that up by joining the Czechs at the inline championship.
Hemsky will turn 29 this summer and just finished his ninth NHL season, all with the Oilers, who have him under contract through the 2013-14 season. A bronze medalist with the Czechs at the 2006 Winter Olympics, he scored 10 goals and handed out 26 assists in 69 games for the Oilers in 2011-12.
