Growing up in Slovakia, Kristian Ferletak couldn’t get NHL games on TV, only on the Internet. But those glimpses infused the five-foot-10 forward with the stuff of dreams.
That’s why, after being selected 54th overall by the Victoria Royals in the 2014 Canadian Hockey League European draft, he is happily excited to change continents to play major-junior hockey.
With his brash, confident demeanour — not to mention the Washington Redskins cap atop his head before practice Monday — Ferletak seems to be adapting well to North American life. “My dream is the NHL,” said the Slovakian U-18 team forward.
The Royals signed Ferletak to a Western Hockey League contract as main camp opened at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre. The native of Trstena will be the second allowable European player on the Royals roster this season along with forward Axel Blomqvist of Sweden, the lanky 19-year-old who has signed an NHL entry-level contract with the Winnipeg Jets.
That’s a skate groove in which Ferletak would like to follow. He believes he’s in the place to do it, because he plays the more-direct North American- type game.
“I play the Canadian style and like the smaller ice surface better,” he said, in broken English. “It’s a simpler game with not [as much] passing.”
Despite his size, Ferletak can bang, as attested by his 72 penalty minutes to go with his nine goals and 32 points in 44 games last season with the Slovakian U-18 team program.
“I’ve looked at videos and this [WHL] is a hard league with lots of hits,” said Ferletak.
That’s fine by him.
“I do lots of skating in a game and take lots of shots, but I also like physical play,” added the Slovak, who recorded two goals and an assist in five games at the 2014 IIHF U-18 world championships.
Not shy, Ferletak is proving a bit of a character already in training camp.
He said his musical tastes range from house to rap but what really calms him before games is listening to opera.
How that will go over in the Royals’ Alberta- and B.C. Interior-influenced dressing room, which prefers country music, remains to be seen.
Ferletak is among 36 forwards skating in Royals’ main camp. There are 18 defencemen and seven goaltenders.
Camp continues today with scrimmage games at 9 a.m., 1:45 p.m. and 4 p.m. at the Memorial Centre and concludes Wednesday with the annual intra-squad game at 7 p.m.
The Royals open the WHL pre-season Friday in Everett, Washington.
