Breaking: Top Defenseman turn down Red Wings contract deal.

Defenseman Radim Simek was someone the Detroit Red Wings wanted to stay with the team. However, from his perspective, he didn’t want to continue taking buses.

Simek confirmed the authenticity of the Red Wings’ offer to the Czech website iSport. It was a two-way contract that came with a sizable money guarantee—roughly the minimum required by the NHL. However, I no longer felt that it was worth the money.

The 32-year-old defenseman from the Czech Republic, however, was choosing to reject the idea that you can never go home. Simek decided to sign a contract to play in the Czech Extraliga with the Liberec Tigers back home. He departed the same squad seven seasons prior to join the San Jose Sharks of the NHL.

Last season, Simek concluded with the Griffins.
He had a very straightforward explanation for quitting hockey in North America. It seemed to Simek that hockey in North America was losing interest in him.

The Sharks had sent him to the AHL San Jose Barracuda last season, where he would lead the team. With 209 NHL games under his belt, Simek was playing in his first minor league hockey experience in four years.

Simek would play in the AHL for Detroit’s top farm team, the Grand Rapids Griffins, for the remainder of the 2023–24 season after being traded to the Red Wings before the trade deadline. He would suit up for eight Calder Cup playoff games in Grand Rapids and nine regular-season games.

Simek really didn’t like the idea of taking the busses once more this season.

About the professional game in North America, Simek remarked, “I didn’t see a real future there.” “I would continue flying over the farm and ride the bus for eight hours in total.” I didn’t want to go through this any longer, at thirty-two. My priorities are different.

In October, my spouse and I will welcome our second kid into the world. I declined the offer since my wife was at home with their two girls, one of which was a newborn, and I couldn’t spend time on the bus.