Defenseman Filip Hronek Accepts Big Offer to Play for a Team Other Than the Vancouver Canucks

The Vancouver Canucks' season may be over, but that doesn't mean we won't see their players participating in meaningful hockey in the weeks ahead.

Earlier this week, Team Canada General Manager Kyle Dubas gave a bit of an update on the potential participation of three members of the Canucks organization at the World Championship, but elsewhere, it looks like Vancouver will be well represented at the tournament.

In a recent interview posted on Czech media outlet Hokej.cz, Czechia General Manager Jiri Slegr said that Filip Hronek has informed him that he will be playing at the 2025 IIHF World Championship.

Hronek, 27, had a tough season in Vancouver, which included a nearly seven week absence after having a procedure to fix a lower-body injury he sustained in late November.

The Hradec Kralove, Czechia native finished the 2024-25 season with 33 points (five goals, 28 assists), 40 penalty minutes and had an even rating in 61 games.

Next month's IIHF World Championship will be Filip Hronek's fifth appearance at the tournament, with the last coming in 2022 when he helped Czechia to a bronze medal with two assists in ten games along the way.

Heading into the tournament, there's going to be plenty of pressure on Czechia, who are the defending gold medalists and the nation could be getting a big boost with David Pastrnak available due to the Boston Bruins not making the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Hronek and Czechia will begin their quest for the gold medal on the opening day of the tournament - Friday, May 9th - as they take on Switzerland for a 7:20 am PT puck drop.

Source: Hokej.cz/Marek Hedbavny
A BIG BANG for the Czech Republic! Hronek promises to participate in the World Championship