JAN MANDAT ANNOUNCES NEXT STEP IN HOCKEY CAREER

INDIANAPOLIS- Indy Fuel forward Jan Mandat announced Monday that when his suspension from the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) is lifted in January 2023, he will be returning to his hometown team, HC Dynamo Pardubice- Czechia (part of The Czech Extraliga, the Czech Republic’s highest level pro-hockey league). 

Mandat, 26, will rejoin HC Dynamo Pardubice in January 2023 after spending the better part of two seasonswith the Indy Fuel. The Jihlava, Czech Republic native played in 125 games for Dynamo Pardubice between 2018 and 2021, earning 29 goals, 25 assists and 48 penalty minutes.

Since joining the Fuel’s roster, he has quickly become a dynamic team leader both on and off the ice. In 60 games with Indy, Mandat has 25 goals, 32 assists and 30 penalty minutes.

Mandat on his decision:

“Dear Fuel Fans, Yesterday you saw that I’ll be going back to Czech Republic. It was a very difficult decision, but I just feel that it’s something that is going to help me in my career and let me be closer to home. I will still be here playing until the beginning of January and I will still be giving my 100% effort to win games for the Fuel and for you, because you guys are the best fans by far in this league! Thank you very much, with love, your Jan Mandat.”

The Indy Fuel have been off to a hot start in the 2022-23 season, going 6-2-1 in their first nine games. They sit at second place in the Central Division, behind the first place Cincinnati Cyclones by only two points and lead the third place Toledo Walleye by four points. Mandat leads the team in goals, with eight on the season so far.

When asked about the impact Mandat’s absence will have on the team come January, Head Coach Duncan Dalmao was adamant that while his loss will be felt, the team was built to withstand these changes, as they are a normal part of the sport.

"I don’t think it can be understated how important Jan is to our team. To say that it’s not a big hole that he’ll leave would be a flat out lie. The truth is we did build a team for scenarios like this. We knew that guys could get called up, that guys could move on, that guys could get injured – all these things happen over the course of a season. We’re all ultra-confident in the other guys that are here. So you know, we thank Jan for what he’s done and we thank him for what he’s going to do, but at the same time if we say we care about him and we want what’s best for him, then we support him in the decisions he makes and everything that comes with it. So we’re okay with what’s happening. We’ll move on and we’ll be stronger for it."

The possibility of Mandat getting called up come January when his eligibility changed was always a known scenario. Despite his time with the team now having an end date, Dalmao’s plans on how Mandat will be utilized throughout these next two months isn’t changing.

“Once his status was going to change in January, we knew that there was a good chance he was going to get called up or that something was going to change. So as much as this is not a surprise, it’s just something we knew that was coming down the pipe. It’s unfortunate obviously for the team and the fanbase, but again, it’s the nature of the sport, it’s what happens.  For us, we can’t look at it in any shape, way or form other than that. The team was built to withstand these types of scenarios where guys get called up or hurt so we’re full speed ahead. Nothing is going to change with Jan, he’s still a huge part of our team until he gets on a plane and leaves. There’s no ill will, there’s no frustration. Like I said, if we love someone, if you care about someone and they make a decision, you support them in that decision and you move forward together, so that’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to move forward as long as he’s here and when he’s gone we’ll have a plan in place to keep the ball rolling forward.”

--INDYFUELHOCKEY.COM--