Marek Malik

He’s been a professional hockey player for 17 years. He played 756 NHL games. He was runner-up in the national championship twice and won an Olympic bronze medal with the Czech national team. But Marek Malik, Vitkovice Steel’s top star, still hasn’t won a single title during his career. Something he wants to change at the 2011 Spengler Cup.

Better late than never: That’s Marek Malik’s motto when he travels to Davos this year. It’s his goal to win the 2011 Spengler Cup. “I always aim high,” says the former Servette Geneva player, but he immediately becomes modest again: “We can get a good result if we don’t have too many injured players and if we’re in good shape.”

But winning the Spengler Cup trophy would actually mean a little more to the 1.96m tall player than to some of the other participants.

756 NHL Games and Several Medals, but…

Defender Malik is 35 years old, and he doesn’t have to prove anything anymore now that he’s approaching the end of his career. Rather the opposite: Many players may even be a bit jealous when they look at what he’s accomplished so far.

Whoever gets to play a total of 756 NHL games for five teams (Hartford Whalers, Carolina Hurricanes, Vancouver Canucks, New York Rangers, and Tampa Bay Lightning) should be more than just happy. Further, Malik won an Olympic bronze medal with the Czech national team at the 2006 Olympic Games. And, last but not least, he was runner-up in Switzerland’s national championship with Servette Geneva in 2010.

The Opportunity Malik Wants to Take

But something that’s still missing in Malik’s remarkable career is a title win. After losing the playoff finals in the Czech Republic’s Extraliga against Ocelari Trinec, he definitely wants to win a title this season.

But looking at Vitkovice’s rather meager start into the Czech league this season, it’s rather doubtful whether Vitkovice will be able to win the championship this spring. Therefore, the club’s participation in the Spengler Cup comes in rather handy – it may be the opportunity Malik needs to make his dream come true.

Malik: ''Swiss Hockey Has a Lot of Quality''

''I’m really looking forward to the Spengler Cup'', says Malik. He knows about the tournament’s long history and its tradition – and that’s why he wants to take the whole thing very seriously. ''The Spengler Cup has such a long history and there’s so much prestige involved, it’s just great.''

Malik will certainly tell his young teammates a lot about Swiss hockey. ''It’s very fast, intensive – hockey going from one end of the rink to the other and back again.” When he came to Geneva in 2009, he was surprised about the Swiss national league’s quality, and he only has good things to say about the time he spent in Switzerland.

Ideal Conditions – But that’s No Guarantee for Success

''I had a very good year in Switzerland and I’m very happy to return to this very nice country,“ says Malik. Apart from his ambitions as an athlete, he’s also looking forward to being in the Davos region: ''I think that Davos is one of the most beautiful winter holiday resorts, and I especially like its wintery atmosphere during the Christmas season.” Everything is set for Malik to have a great time in Davos. But will both teammates and opponents do their part to make Malik’s Spengler Cup appearance successful?