Following Luke Boothroyd and Dave Phillips out of the defensive corps door is Czech netminder Ladislav Kudrna, who signed a 1 year contract with the Swindon Wildcats in the EPL.
After what has to be seen as an ultimately disappointing season for him and the team Kudrna has signed for one of the sides showing early promise with a series of impressive signings including Kudrna himself, Ivan Racek from Slovakia, Nicky and Ryan Watt, Lee Richardson, former EIHL forward John Wheaton and former Hull junior Matty Davies, who is really impressing in the EPL. This past season in the EIHL Kudrna played in 60 of the Stingrays games and came out with a 90.1% save percentage on the team that comfortably finished, and deserved to finish, bottom, he should prove to be an excellent netminder for Swindon.
During his term in the UK and France he was also signed late season for Nottingham, in 04/05, and Newcastle, in 06/07, to replace injured netminders for EIHL playoffs, and both times recorded over 93% save percentage although despite his best efforts came out empty handed both times.
Kudrna in action for the Newcastle Vipers in the 06/07 EIHL playoffsKudrna returned for his 2nd season with the Stingrays in 07/08 after icing in France for HC Caen, he was a player coach Rick Strachan called "Mr Dependable". He provided that, Strachan wanted a netminder that would be solid and, more importantly, a netminder that would be able to ice week in week out in the UK's top league and that is exactly what he got. Unfortunately, and probably tellingly, he was unable to replicate the sometimes unbelievable form of his predecessor Miroslav Bielik, who stole numerous games for the Stingrays in 06/07 but suffered terrible luck with injuries.
It is clear that both netminders had their positives, Bielik, his obvious class, Kudrna, his consistency but both also have their problems, Bielik, the number of injuries he sustained, Kudrna, his lack of stepping above the consistent performances he has and occasional stinker of a performance.
Strachan now knows that a fine balance between the two would be ideal although difficult to find. So far in Strachan’s reign as Stingrays boss he has signed 4 European netminders as his number one, those being Pasi Raitanen, Anders Hogberg, Miroslav Bielik and Ladislav Kudrna, whilst he has yet to sign a North American netminder. The question now is will the obvious problems with his last two European netminders prove to be the catalyst in signing his first North American netminder? Or will he continue to search for the ideal between Kudrna and Bielik in Europe?
