Top 25 Slovakian Players Of All-Time – #2

[TheDevilMadeMe]

Joe Pelletier seems to think Nedomansky was Slovak:

"One of the most under-appreciated and even unknown early greats of international hockey would have to the big Slovak star Vaclav Nedomansky."

http://www.greatesthockeylegends.com...al-man-of.html

Patrick Houda says "Vaclav was born in Hodonin, Czech Republic but his parents were Slovaks," but then says "Scouts and managers in the NHL were drooling over the 6'2" and 210 Ibs Slovak," referring to Nedomansky.

http://www.1972summitseries.com/othernedomansky.html

From wikipedia:

"He was born in Hodonin, in eastern Moravia in the present-day Czech Republic, but very close to the Slovak border. Today, he claims to feel more Slovak than Czech, having played in Bratislava." Unfortunately, the article doesn't have a cite.

[Bring Back Scuderi]

Originally Posted by the edler

Yes, unless someone presents irrefutable evidence he's not

Irrefutable isn't going to happen on issues of nationality when countries were combined for decades. There's going to be evidence on each side, but Begbee's point that it would be harder to prove he's Czech than Slovak seems very interesting.

Seems like the arguments being made are as close to irrefutable as you're going to get. I was just cowering behind North American ignorance, but TDMM is right, it's not like there's a "he's Czech" consensus from European posters.

[tony d]

Chara

[jcbio11]

Originally Posted by Bring Back Scuderi

Irrefutable isn't going to happen on issues of nationality when countries were combined for decades. There's going to be evidence on each side, but Begbee's point that it would be harder to prove he's Czech than Slovak seems very interesting.

Seems like the arguments being made are as close to irrefutable as you're going to get. I was just cowering behind North American ignorance, but TDMM is right, it's not like there's a "he's Czech" consensus from European posters.

There would be a consensus if you just asked Czech posters.

I still maintain he is a Czech. If someone can find me one source where a person from the Czech hockey world calls him a Slovak, I might just be convinced.

Here's a video of him talking to a Slovak reporter (who's asking questions in Slovak) and responding in Czech.

http://www.cas.sk/clanok/152776/vide...e-vyborny.html

Anywho, I think we can agree that he won't be considered for these polls for now.

Voted Chara, hard to give it someone else at this point of his career. Norris Trophy, captaining the Boston to their Cup and a sure thing Hall of Famer. Neither Palffy, Bondra or Hossa are anywhere close to a sure thing, so Chara takes this one.

[the edler]

Originally Posted by begbeee

What kind of proof do you want?
When Bondra was born in Ukraine, does it mean he is considered Ukrainian, until someone brings irrefutable proof?

Let's sum up the facts:
1. born in nowadays Czech town Hodonin which is like 100m from nowadays Czecho-Slovakian borderline - don't forget at the time there was no border
2. born to Slovak parents (both are Slovak parents) - i.e. Chara's father is Czech, do we need another irrefutable proof for him? http://czechhockeyreport.blogspot.sk...al-man-of.html
3. he speaks czech language
4. he has chosen to play in Slovakia in Bratislava, at the time most Slovaks play in Slovak teams, most Czechs play in Czech (..and I mean very most of them) unless it was an army club, which Slovan Bratislav was not.
5. he has worked as a consultant and Norh-America manager for Slovak national team not Czech NT
6. finally considers himself Slovak

Article which says there was three Slovaks inducted into Czech Hockey Hall of Fame:
http://hokej.pravda.sk/ostatne/clano...i-aj-slovakov/

Why is he so easily considered czech, I've posted a lot of facts why he may be and is considered slovak? I think it's harder to prove he is czech, than he's slovak.

yeah, but what's his citizenship? is he a citizen of Slovakia?

[begbeee]

Originally Posted by the edler

yeah, but what's his citizenship? is he a citizen of Slovakia?

Actually, I bet my 2 cents he is a citizen of USA.

Czech websites are suspiciously niggard about his nationality, what could be a silent, undeclared approval.