From NHL.com

[Kristi]

http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=323146

[dondo]

thx for posting that kristi -- a good article on Repik

[scrunt]

And now the (potentially) bad news...

http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/sports/story.html?id=b0c0f7ad-9512-4e00-9320-50a4d8781a9d


Decision time for G-men's import players

Repik could return to Czech Rep.; Bliznak off to the pros


Steve Ewen, The Province

Published: Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Apparently Michal Repik's old team in the Czech Republic is trying to get him to bolt on the Vancouver Giants.

Word out of the NHL entry draft in Columbus, Ohio, is that some clubs passed on Repik, 18, early in the second round because they were worried about Sparta Prague enticing him into the pro ranks there next season.

Repik, who was one of the Giants' best players in the playoffs and Memorial Cup triumph, eventually went 40th overall to the Panthers.

"There was some concern about it, yes," Giants owner Ron Toigo said of talk about Repik sticking in the Czech Republic.

As far as whether he's concerned about Repik not returning for a third season with the Giants, Toigo said: "If he doesn't show up, I will be."

Then he pointed out that Jacques Martin, Florida's GM/coach, told Toigo that he wants Repik back in Vancouver. Martin was key in Czech winger Michael Frolik, Florida's first-round pick last year, playing in Canada this past season for the QMJHL's Rimouski Oceanic.

"Michal wants to come back and he wants to do whatever his NHL team wants him to do," said Toigo. "I think he'll be fine."

The Giants have been down this road before, mind you. Goaltender Marek Schwarz, another Sparta Prague product, played with Vancouver in 2004-05 as an 18-year-old after being drafted by the St. Louis Blues. Instead of returning to Vancouver the next season, he opted on going back to Sparta Prague.

He admitted at the 2006 world junior tournament in Vancouver that he regretted the switch. He did flourish playing for the Blues' AHL farm team last season, though, and even saw a pair of games at the NHL level.

A good gauge of Vancouver's mood about Repik's status will come Wednesda, with the CHL Import Draft. Vancouver has one pick currently, 55th overall.

The 5-foot-11, 184-pound Repik had 24 goals and 31 assists in 56 regular season games last year, 10 goals and 26 assists in 22 playoff matchups and three goals and four assists in five Memorial Cup contests.

Vancouver is expected to lose Slovak centre Mario Bliznak, 20, to the pro ranks after he signed with the Canucks, although Toigo said the team isn't ruling out his returning for an overage season. Teams are permitted two import players.