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Circa89 · 12-01-2005, 12:51 AM

I asked this question on the Flames message board but those guys are mere amateurs compared to Calgarypuck so I'll ask it again here.

I had an arguement with an infamous hockey person about this topic and he said I was wrong, however I still think I'm right. Please put this to bed for me.

We all know that Serguei Priakin was the first "official" Soviet to play in the NHL. He came to Calgary and was then followed with the KLM line to the NHL.

My question is who was the first "legal" Czechoslovakian to play in the NHL? Of course they were some (Makita etc.) who came over before they were invaded by the Soviets and became the CSSR. Then there were several who defected (the Stasny's etc.). But who was the first allowed to come over with the governments permission and do it legally as a communist country?

I thought it was Jiri Hrdina, am I wrong?

If Jiri is correct I think Fletcher should be inducted into the HHOF for arranging the first Russian and Czech player to be allowed entry into the NHL.

12-01-2005, 12:51 AM	#1
Circa89 Scoring Winger Join Date: Nov 2005 Exp:	Trivia Question I asked this question on the Flames message board but those guys are mere amateurs compared to Calgarypuck so I'll ask it again here. I had an arguement with an infamous hockey person about this topic and he said I was wrong, however I still think I'm right. Please put this to bed for me. We all know that Serguei Priakin was the first "official" Soviet to play in the NHL. He came to Calgary and was then followed with the KLM line to the NHL. My question is who was the first "legal" Czechoslovakian to play in the NHL? Of course they were some (Makita etc.) who came over before they were invaded by the Soviets and became the CSSR. Then there were several who defected (the Stasny's etc.). But who was the first allowed to come over with the governments permission and do it legally as a communist country? I thought it was Jiri Hrdina, am I wrong? If Jiri is correct I think Fletcher should be inducted into the HHOF for arranging the first Russian and Czech player to be allowed entry into the NHL.