SM league player: Rib removed

At least so far, Jan Bednar has been a good acquisition for Äss. Tomi Natri / AOP

The Czech goalkeeper who made a convincing impression at the start of the season with Pori Ässie’s goal in the Ice Hockey Championship League Jan Bednar23, lives without one rib.

Bednar moved to Äss from North America, where he played in the AHL and ECHL, among others.

Bednar told the Czech Current-news website that he suffered blood clots in his right hand and lungs in 2022. According to Bednar, the blood clots came completely out of the blue after he had attended the rookie camp of the NHL club Detroit Red Wings and returned to Canada for the QMJHL junior league.

One night, Bednar’s right hand began to swell and he went to the hospital.

– Of course, it was serious and a gigantic shock. I didn’t know what it was about. I knew English, but not doctors’ jargon, Bednar told Aktualne.

The Detroit organization was told about it, and Bednar was transferred to receive treatment on the US side. The goalkeeper believed that he had gone on a trip for a week or two, but the doctors in the USA immediately said that Bednar needs surgery and will be sidelined for six months.

Bednar was initially given a blood thinner, but it didn’t work. In the first operation, blood clots were removed from the hand. In another operation, Bednar’s first rib below the collarbone was removed.

– It was necessary to make more room for the blood vessel and allow the blood to flow normally. The doctor assured me that there is a high probability that I will still be able to play hockey.

Rehabilitation was long. Bednar underwent surgery in November. For the first three months, Bednar was unable to exercise at all because of blood thinners.

– If my finger had been cut, it would have been really difficult to stop the bleeding. Since the rib was removed, I couldn’t go to the gym.

Bednar played a total of 13 games in the QMJHL and ECHL in the 2022–23 season.

Bednar was left to fight for a place in Detroit’s NHL team, but a place at the top did not open up. For this season, he returned to Europe and came to Finland.

– There was really no need to regret it.

Aces is the series leader.

– I have nothing to complain about, and I’m happy that the team is doing well. It’s just a bonus that I get a lot of games. If someone had said before the season that we are at the top at this point, we wouldn’t have believed it.

Bednar thanks the Finns for the fact that quite a lot of English is spoken in the Ässie booth, so none of the team’s players feel like outsiders.

Bednar is also surprised by the Aces’ fans. The home matches have been well attended, and in addition, 1,000 Ässie fans recently traveled to Tampere for an away match against Tappara.

– I have never seen anything like that. It’s really great. The city’s support drives us forward.

Bednar’s dream is still to play in the NHL. The Czech keeper chose Finland because he thought the Liiga was the right place to develop as a player.