At Friday’s Edmonton Oilers practice, Kris Knoblauch had an on-ice chat with David Tomasek, the 29-year-old Czech forward who won the Swedish League scoring race last season but currently is painfully learning what it’s like to be an NHL rookie.
While the player politely declined to offer up the gist of the conversation, the player’s body language suggested he was fine with the message from the coach. It didn’t look like he was being told, say, that a trip to the farm in Bakersfield was on the horizon (very unlikely) or he was getting scratched, again (might happen when Mattias Janmark and Zach Hyman return).
It didn’t look like he was being told he would be getting more than his 8:52 even-strength minutes a night, either, the fewest of any of the healthy forwards a month into his North American odyssey. But there are no guarantees for first-year NHLers, even ones who could be playing for their country in the Olympics next February.
This is what Tomasek says he signed up for when he decided to leave the good life in Europe, where he was a star with 49 goals and 102 points over 99 games in Farjestad the past two seasons, to boldly try the NHL for the very first time.
Oilers vs Avalanche Saturday night
Tomasek is that older European experiment, a guy who didn’t come here with his eyes wide shut. He’s trying to fit in on a team that has been to the Cup final two years running.
“I’m learning a lot about myself,” said Tomasek, starting the Saturday night Oiler game against Colorado Avalanche in the middle with Ike Howard and Matt Savoie on the fourth line.
“I thought I knew things, but I don’t.”
David Tomasek (86) of the Edmonton Oilers, against the Calgary Flames at Rogers Place in Edmonton on Wednesday, October 8, 2025. Photos by Shaughn Butts-Postmedia
‘Stay patient’
The right-shot forward Tomasek has a goal and two assists in 12 games. Nothing to write home about but he has the same one goal as third-liner Trent Frederic, who has to give the team more, clearly, and two more points.
“It’s a big mental challenge, finding a way to play the game (NHL),” he said.
“I have a lot of respect now for the guys in Europe who’ve had to do that job (not playing much). Gives you a different perspective for sure… inside you want more (minutes) but you have to be positive. I didn’t expect to be in the same role as I was in Europe.”
But he’s also had to handle being a healthy scratch something that hadn’t happened to him since he was much younger pro in Europe. He’s played fewer 5-on-5 minutes than Howard (9:10) and Philp (10:11), two other rookies, and certainly less than another first-timer Savoie (11:09). And two veteran forwards are coming back very soon, Janmark off IR and Hyman off long-term injury, which means some necessary roster-size subtraction.
Tomasek has played centre, but more on right-wing. He got some early time in the top six, he also got some heavy power play time as a place-holder for Hyman with the big guns. He did set up Leon Draisaitl with a gorgeous PP pass through some skates for Leon’s 400th goal, 35:07 PP minutes in all. But Jack Roslovic, playing RW with Leon Draisaitl ES, has taken the fourth forward spot on the league’s No. 1 PP, for now, and done more with it. Two goals in 8:42 minutes.
“Tommy (Tomasek) was initially that guy and was out a couple of games and we replaced him with Jack. We wanted a right-shot guy in that situation we can help with entries like Jack even though Leon and Connor do most of that. He’s done everything we asked him to do,” said Knoblauch.
Tomasek is a talent, for sure. He skates well enough, with a heavy shot and fine play-making skills. He works hard, and doesn’t complain. We’re not talking Jiri Dopita here from back in the dark days, a star in Europe who couldn’t make it work here. He’s got a better skill-set than fellow Euros Dominik Kahun, Joakim Nygard and Gaetan Haas, who were here and smaller.
But, he is probably playing 10 fewer minutes a night here than he did in Farjestad, with Nygard on his wing.
“I had a great life in Europe,” he said.
“But I chose to come here, freely, to experience this. I’m telling myself, ‘enjoy every day.’ Get engaged, learn as much as you can so you get better, obviously. So you make it, at my age and situation,” he said.
“Stay patient, keep working and you never know… things change quickly and try to do the best job you can with the minutes you get.”
These sound like the words Knoblauch might have been saying to Tomasek Friday as he was centering a line with Howard and Savoie, if we’re guessing.
But Tomasek is miscast as an NHL fourth-liner with his skills if there is no special-teams work. And fourth-line is where Janmark, one of the team’s best penalty-killers and defensive wingers fits when back. That said, Tomasek has been there before.
“On the national team I had to accept the defensive role and. I believe that was one of the reasons we won (world championship) two years ago,” he said.
This is where he could be playing if he makes the Czech Olympic team.
“Exactly,” he says.
He has played with Draisaitl, Connor McDavid, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Evan Bouchard on the PP, gravy time. He had some great looks but the lone goal he scored was 5-on-5, a shot that went in off a skate.
“It was a new role for me (in Hyman role). It was also challenging being a fourth-line player and jumping in there (first PP unit). How to get back in the game and get some chances. I’m glad for whatever time I got there. I was bit nervous at the beginning there. Tried to do the best I could,” he said.
He knows that you have to make the best with the minutes you get. They can’t be empty minutes at the end of the night. “If I can get a couple more hits in, simple stuff, good D zone, this is what I’m focusing on. You can’t afford many mistakes in this role. If I’m playing centre, trying to get some reps in. I was good on face-offs in Europe. Work on extra stuff, stay in shape,” he said.
Frustration is probably there. But, he’s being a good soldier.
But sitting out games is sobering when you are 29.
“Maybe I sat out when I was 20. I had to learn that then, maybe this helps now. Here we have way more players to rotate. You don’t have as big a roster in Europe. I know how it works,” he said.
“The coach doesn’t have to say ‘be patient.’ I know that.”
“It’s good I can play different positions. I did that in Europe, too. I’ve kind of been playing with the same guys, with Howie and sometimes Savvy, Philp. I’ve had Rico (Adam Henrique). Bottom six, but it hasn’t been crazy.”
He says he’s in for the long haul. He’s not wondering why he left Sweden.
“Obviously there is the Olympics (trying to make the team). I’m trying to stay present. That’s the best approach,” he says.
There’s no clause in his contract that says he can return to Europe if things aren’t working out here?
“Not that I know about,” said Tomasek.
Related
Bookmark our website and support our journalism: Don’t miss the news you need to know — add EdmontonJournal.com and EdmontonSun.com to your bookmarks and sign up for our newsletters here.
You can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribers gain unlimited access to The Edmonton Journal, Edmonton Sun, National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. Support us by subscribing today: The Edmonton Journal | The Edmonton Sun.