from: reginapats.com

Kalus wants to take next step

Greg Harder, The Leader-Post
Published: Friday, April 28, 2006

Petr Kalus has every intention of coming back to Regina -- even if he's only passing through.

With the ink still fresh on his first NHL contract, Kalus is already making preparations for an impending pro audition with the Boston Bruins. In doing so, he might also be getting ready to say farewell to the Regina Pats.

The gifted sniper hopes to get a running start on Boston's training camp by joining the Pats for a late-summer reunion. The WHL club typically makes icetime available to its veteran players several days before their official workouts start in the first week of September.

"I want to come to Regina and skate with the guys," Kalus said Thursday from his home in the Czech Republic. "I talked to (GM) Brent Parker and he said, 'Petr, if you want you can come to Regina in August, you can practise with the team before you go to training camp.' "

Kalus's stay could be a brief one.

Now that he's under contract, the Bruins have the option of assigning him to their AHL affiliate in Providence as early as next season.

Kalus does not fall under the restrictions which apply to 19-year-old players from North America, who must be returned to their junior teams if they don't make the big club. Since Kalus was drafted out of Europe -- before he came to the WHL -- the Bruins are not obliged to send him back to Regina.

In fact, Kalus has already been told by his agent, former NHLer Petr Svoboda, that he should focus on landing a pro job next season rather than continuing his junior career.

"He said it's good for me to play next level," said Kalus, Boston's second-round pick in the 2005 NHL entry draft. "My dream is to play NHL, but if I'm not playing on the first team I want to play in the AHL with Providence."

Regina's brass is crossing its fingers that Boston will see things another way. Parker is on the record as saying he believes another year of development would do a world of good for Kalus, who led all WHL rookies last season with 36 goals and was instrumental in the team's surprising 40-win season.

As for Kalus's wishes, he reiterated that although it's his hope to be in the pros next season, Regina would still be a viable fall-back option.

However, a return to the junior ranks isn't something he's even considering at this time.

"(Staying in Regina) would be good," he added, "but I'm just concentrating on playing pro. I'm so excited for next season. Right now I just want to play there next year.

"It's big motivation."