According to Igor Eronko of Sport-Express, HC Neftekhimik has signed free agent forward Andrej Nestrasil for the upcoming season. Nestrasil was not issued a qualifying offer by the Carolina Hurricanes this spring after a scathing interview he gave in the Czech Republic in which he said “I’m done here, 100%. I do not want to continue here.”
Nestrasil played just 19 games for the Hurricanes last season, bouncing up and down constantly from the minor leagues as an injury replacement, but spending the majority of his time in the AHL. The 26-year old was a third-round pick by Detroit in 2009, but hasn’t ever really shown an ability to consistently contribute at the NHL level. In 128 career games he has just 48 points, and rarely found the scoresheet even at the minor league level this year.
Instead he’ll head to Neftekhimik who went 28-28-4 last season but drew just over 5,000 fans on average. One of the much less popular teams, Neftekhimik could use a player to excite their fans and perhaps Nestrasil can be that. After all, during his time in the QMJHL he was a highlight machine that seemed to do everything at top speed. It’s hard to see him ever returning to the NHL after his poor experience, though if he breaks out there may be a little more guarantee coming from another team. Carolina no longer holds his rights after failing to qualify him.
This guy is a piece of crap and that interview he gave removed any chance he was going to get a job.