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About Brett Friedlander

Brett Friedlander became a hockey fan in the heart of the deep south in the early 1970s. He became hooked the first time his father, a charter Atlanta Flames season-ticket holder, took him to a game at The Omni. His first job covering hockey was with the Annapolis Capital, where he covered the Washington Capitals and learned to do an uncanny imitation of coach Bryan Murray from 1984-93.

He's also covered the Carolina Hurricanes and Fayetteville FireAntz of the Southern Professional Hockey League for the Fayetteville (N.C.) Observer. He has also been a regular contributor to Rinkside magazine and Faceoff.com. The highlight of his writing career came on June 19,2006, when the Hurricanes beat the Edmonton Oilers in Game 7 to win the Stanley Cup. His first book, "Chasing Moonlight: The True Story of Field of Dreams' Doc Graham" was released by John F. Blair, Publisher, in April 2009.

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Dvorak's long career in Florida comes full circle Print
Southeast
Written by Brett Friedlander   
Friday, November 12, 2010 00:00

Back in 1995, the Panthers' first-round draft pick arrived in Florida from the Czech Republic at age 18. Today, Radek Dvorak will have played in more games than any player in franchise history.

Brett FriedlanderTonight, Radek Dvorak will skate onto the ice at the BankAtlantic Center and into the Florida Panthers’ record book. The game against the Minnesota Wild will be his 574th in a Panthers uniform, the most franchise history.

Making the milestone all the more special and ironic, the man Dvorak will replace as Florida’s all-time games leader is the same man that helped him survive in the NHL when he first arrived as a teenager from the Czech Republic – countryman Robert Svehla.
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“It's something special to be with this organization for this kind of time. I started back in 1995 and it seems like yesterday,” Dvorak, who will be honored by his team before the game, told the South Florida Sun Sentinel. “I was a young guy coming to a new country, 18 years old, missing your family, your life at home and all of a sudden you're on the other side of the world.

“I was lucky I had Bobby Svehla and his wife to ride me around, take me to dinners. He was my roommate for four years and helped me adjust to living over here. Passing him, a legend, is especially nice.”

Dvorak was the Panthers’ first-round draft choice in 1995 and played a key role in the team’s run to the Stanley Cup Finals during his rookie season. He remained in Florida for 4½ seasons before being traded to the New York Rangers in 2000.

The 33-year-old right winger set a career high with 31 goals the following season before going to Edmonton – where his team also lost in the Cup Finals in 2006 – and St. Louis, before finally returning “home” to South Florida.

In contrast to his first tenure with the team, when he was viewed as a potential star in waiting, Dvorak has become a hard-working third-liner and taken become the mentor to another young Czech, the way Svehla did with him.

“He was one of my idols,” 22-year-old Michael Frolik said.

And he’s still going strong, even in his 15th NHL season. Of the three goals he’s scored in 13 games this season, two have been game-winners – on Oct. 14 against the Calgary Flames and two weeks later against the New York Islanders.

“He's a consummate professional,” Panthers coach Pete DeBoer said. “He still loves the game, comes to the rink with a smile on his face. After that many years in the league, he understands his role.

“He's still one of the best third-line guys in the league. He has the wheels, kills penalties, scores some big goals.”

Notes

Carolina Hurricanes captain Eric Staal scored a pair of goals in last Saturday’s 3-2 win against Florida. They were the 198th and 199th goals of his career, moving him past Jeff O’Neill into fourth place in franchise history. He now trails only Blaine Stoughton (219), Kevin Dineen (250), and Ron Francis (382) on the all-time Hurricanes/Whalers list. … G Semyon Varlamov, who began training camp as the Washington Capitals’ starting goalie, was sent down to Hershey of the AHL for a conditioning assignment. Varlamov has missed 12 games because of injury this season. In two games for the Capitals, he is 0-1 with a 2.91 goals-against average and .896 save percentage. … Tampa Bay G Dan Ellis recorded two shutouts in three starts before allowing five goals Thursday in a loss at Washington. … The mystery of Simon Gagne continues. The Lightning forward, who has missed seven games and is on injured reserve, saw a neurologist last week who confirmed what other doctors have been saying all along: Gagne’s chronic neck pain is not related to a concussion. Gagne was scheduled to take a nerve conduction test on Tuesday to make sure the nerve patterns are properly coming out of his neck. … D Dustin Byfuglien hasn’t lost the clutch scoring touch he showed while posting five-game winning goals in Chicago’s Stanley Cup run last postseason. Despite being moved from forward to defense, he already has three game-winners for the Atlanta Thrashers this season. … Former Florida G John Vanbiesbrouck was inducted into the Broward County Sports Hall of Fame on Tuesday. The next day, he dropped the ceremonial first puck and was honored prior to the Panthers’ game against Toronto at the BankAtlantic Center.

Photos by Getty Images

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Last Updated on Friday, November 12, 2010 03:44