Patrik Elias hired as GM of Czech men’s national team
Former New Jersey Devils captain and two-time Stanley Cup champion Patrik Elias has been named the general manager of the Czech men’s national team.
The Czech Ice Hockey Federation announced the appointment in a media release on Wednesday, along with the detail that Elias will serve in the role on a two-year contract.
“Patrik is a recognized personality not only in our country. He has an overview of players in the NHL and, thanks to his work in the Czech Republic in recent years, also of players here at home,” Czech Hockey president Alois Hadamczik said in a statement (translated to English). “He has management skills and I believe that he will be a benefit to Czech hockey.”
The Czech Federation also announced the addition of Richard Kral to serve as an assistant coach on Zdenek Motak’s staff, alongside fellow assistant coach Pavel Gross and goaltending coach Jaroslav Kames. Elias and the coaching staff will oversee Czechia’s entries into top-level international tournaments over the next two years, highlighted by the IIHF World Championship.
Druhý nejproduktivnější český hráč v NHL, legenda New Jersey Devils a trojnásobný bronzový medailista s národním týmem. 👑 Patrik Eliáš se stává novým generálním manažerem české reprezentace. 🇨🇿 Více informací 👉 ceskyhokej.cz/novinky/8870-p… #narodnitym #ceskyhokej
Elias, 50, spent the entirety of his 1,240-game NHL career with the Devils, who originally selected him in the second round (No. 51 overall) of the 1994 NHL Draft. The 6’1″ left wing made his NHL debut with New Jersey in the 1995-96 season.
After establishing himself as a full-time NHLer with the Devils in the 1997-98 season, Elias eventually developed into an impact player just in time for the Devils to win the Stanley Cup in 2000. He played an instrumental role in the club returning to the Stanley Cup Final in both 2001 and 2003, winning the latter, and served as the Devils’ captain in the 2006-07 season.
Although Devils head coach Brent Sutter stripped Elias of the captaincy after just one season in the role, he remained a highly effective player deep into his 30s (and otherwise served as an alternate captain from 2000 until his retirement). He surpassed the 70-point mark five times in his career, including in the 2011-12 season, when a 35-year-old Elias scored 78 points in the regular season and eight more in the playoffs as the Devils mounted yet another run to the Stanley Cup Final.
Elias retired from professional hockey after appearing in just 16 games with the Devils in the 2015-16 season. The Devils retired his No. 26 jersey in a pre-game ceremony during the 2017-18 season; he became the fifth player, and the first forward, to have his number retired by the team, joining Ken Daneyko (3), Scott Stevens (4), Scott Niedermayer (27), and Martin Brodeur (30).
Since his retirement, Elias has served as an assistant coach with the Czech national junior team, as well as a team consultant with Czech club HC Slavia Praha since 2023. During his playing career, he played for the Czech team at four Winter Olympic Games, four World Championships, and the 2004 World Cup of Hockey.