Turek looms large as Blues approach playoffs

Originally published on EuroReport.com in 2001

By Lucas Aykroyd

Roman Turek’s nickname with the St. Louis Blues is “Large.” Since he’s 188 cm and 98 kg, it’s not hard to see why. But the 30-year-old Czech goaltender is also playing a large role with his NHL club for the second straight season.

Head coach Joel Quenneville has decided Turek will shoulder most of the workload for the Blues heading into the Stanley Cup playoffs. Turek wants to lift his game to the level he attained last year, when he set a team record with 42 wins and led the league with seven shutouts.

“It’s totally different than last year,” Turek said after a March 2 game in Vancouver. “Last year, we won a lot of games 2-1 or 3-2. That hasn’t happened many times this year. My goals-against-average is higher than last year.”

That’s not entirely surprising, since the winners of the last two Norris Trophies are missing from the St. Louis blueline with injuries. While Turek would love to see Al MacInnis and Chris Pronger back in uniform, he takes a pragmatic view.

“We’re having a very hard time right now,” said Turek. “It’s tough to play against the good teams when you’re missing your best players. Both these guys make nice passes, and Chris plays hard and takes a lot of hits. Of course, we miss both of them, but it’s an opportunity for the younger guys from the farm team to step up, and they’ve played well too.”

Another youngster who has impressed Turek is backup goalie Brent Johnson. The rookie has already twice tied the Blues’ team record for the longest winning streak by a goalie (seven games).

“He’s played very well so far in his first season. We are good partners and good friends off the ice.”

Despite winning the Jennings Trophy last season, Turek doesn’t always get the respect one might assume. There were rumors this season that St. Louis might trade for a goalie with more playoff experience, such as Mike Richter of the New York Rangers. Turek has a simple way of dealing with such distractions.

“I don’t read the newspapers. Sometimes it’s unbelievable what writers put in there!”

Lots of nasty things were said last year when St. Louis enjoyed a 114-point regular season but lost a seven-game shocker to the San Jose Sharks in the first round of the playoffs. The intensely competitive Turek took it hard.

“For a month after the last game, that was a tough time for me, and I think for everybody,” Turek said. “But you have to forget what happened and just be ready for the next season and playoffs.”

It’s a philosophy that has served Turek well throughout his career. He spent five seasons with Budejovice of the Extraleague, reaping MVP honors in 1993-94. He won a gold medal with the Czech national team and made the First All-Star Team at the 1996 world championships. But in North America, his road to success proved rockier.

Although the Strakonice native was popular among his Dallas Stars teammates, he was never able to wrest the starting job away from Ed Belfour from 1997 to 1999. Being shipped to St. Louis for a third-round draft choice in June 1999 turned out to be a blessing in disguise.

Today, Turek forms a triumvirate of dominant Czech NHL goalies along with Dominik Hasek of Buffalo and Roman Cechmanek of Philadelphia. In early March, Turek was chasing Cechmanek for the league lead in shutouts. He admits to being taken aback by the former Vsetin keeper’s NHL exploits.

“I’m a little bit surprised, because it’s his first season over here,” said Turek. “He’s playing with great confidence now. What helped him is that Brian Boucher didn’t play as well this year as last year. He played well and the Philadelphia coaches gave him more and more opportunities.”

Turek may be a hero to young netminders in the Czech Republic, but he didn’t idolize anyone growing up.

“I never had just one favorite player or goalie,” he said. “I always watched everyone, especially goalies, and I learned something from everyone.”

He hopes the national team will keep him in mind for the 2002 Olympics. If Hasek isn’t up to reprising his Nagano heroics, the time could be right for Turek to step to the forefront.

“I didn’t play in Nagano, but I’ll be ready next time if they want me.”

Whatever happens, Turek can find solace at home with his wife Helena and their eight-year-old son Eddie. Family life has toned down his fervor for diversions like heavy metal music. He used to drive ten hours to see his favorite band, Iron Maiden, performing in Germany. But his busy NHL schedule precludes that sort of thing today.

Instead, he’s focused on the big prize: the Stanley Cup.

“When the guys who are injured come back, we will be a very strong team again on the road like last year. Now we’re having some troubles playing on the road, but we still play good home games.”

If the Blues hope to get it together in the playoffs, you know Roman Turek will have to come up large.