Good Morning, Islanders Country
Every once in a while, a young prospect comes along with a story that’s about much more than hockey. OHL Defenseman of the Month Vladimir Dravecký has quickly become one of the most intriguing players in the Islanders’ system, but as Chris Botta discovered in conversations with the defenseman, his father, and his coaches, the story behind his rise is really about family, sacrifice, and a work ethic that was instilled long before the Islanders came calling.
Here’s Chris with a closer look at the people and principles shaping Dravecký’s journey to the NHL.
A Conversation That Changed Everything
Vladimir Dravecký was born into a hockey life and raised on the move. Now a rising star in the Islanders’ prospect pipeline, he was born in New Hampshire on Dec. 19, 2007, during his father’s first season with the Kings’ top affiliate, the Manchester Monarchs. His father’s long career took the family to leagues in Russia, Finland, Slovakia and Czechia. But the pivotal moment in young Vladi’s development may have arrived when he was ten years old.
Dad felt it was time for a talk.
“I always saw that my son had talent, but talent is only 10 or 20 percent of making it to the highest levels of your profession,” his father, also named Vladimir, said during a phone interview from his home in Czechia. “
You have to work hard. My wife Martina and I thought he needed to hear from us, so we had a really deep talk with him. We told him, ‘Your mother and I will help you in every way possible, but if you want to be a professional, we have a lot of work to do from now until the end of your career.’ He said, ‘Yes, this is what I really want.’ So from that day on, the three of us prepared everything down to the detail – eating, sleeping, resting, everything.”
He continued, “Martina and I felt the most important parts were beyond hockey. It’s about how you treat people. Our advice was to stay humble at all times. A hockey career is not long, so you have to work hard and show yourself as a humble person.”
That conversation may explain why the Islanders’ prospect keeps looking ahead after a memorable October. Dravecký’s parents taught him early that talent wasn’t enough. The work doesn’t stop.
The Surprise of Camp Is Just Getting Started
After his eye-opening performance at training camp, the Islanders signed Dravecký to a three-year entry-level contract.
He was excited but quickly returned to working at his craft.
“I was very happy about the contract,” the younger Dravecký said on the phone the other day. “I heard from Mathieu Darche and he was first-class. I appreciate the chance to get to live my dream and to do it with the Islanders. But the contract is only the first step on a long road in front of me.”
Dravecký is determined. Despite Darche calling him “the surprise of camp” and saying “he left a real good impression on us before going back to juniors,” Dravecký knows he still has plenty to prove.
So far, it looks like he is on his way. In his first 13 games this season with the Guelph Storm of the Ontario Hockey League, Dravecky has four goals and 16 assists for 20 points. He had 28 points all last season with Brantford. On Sunday, he was named OHL Defenseman of the Month for October.
“I’m a pure offensive defenseman, but I need to build on the defensive part, too,” Dravecký said. “To be the best, I’ve got to be stronger in every aspect of the game. I want to grow after every game. Even if you win 4-0 or 9-5 or whatever it is, there are always some mistakes, and learning from them is how we get better.”
When Vladi’s remarks are shared with his father, the elder Dravecký is delighted.
Dravecký, a coach for HC Oceláři Třinec in Czechia, said, “It feels good to hear that because I believe you cannot lie to hockey. You cannot cheat hockey. You have to earn everything. Hockey shows whether you are working hard or cheating and taking shortcuts. It’s just like real life. Hard work pays off.”
No Days Off, No Shortcuts
For his son, the process does not stop when the practices or games end. Dravecký has quickly developed a rapport with Pascal Dupuis, the Islanders’ director of player development and a two-time Stanley Cup champion. Dupuis checks in regularly and has told the teenager that he’s available to him at all times.
“The Islanders have been an absolutely incredible organization for me,” Dravecký said.
In Guelph, associate coach Rob Davison, head coach Cory Stillman and consultant Dan Girardi oversee his development. Davison, a former NHL defenseman who played 19 games for the Islanders in 2008, works extensively with Dravecký. Stillman is a two-time Stanley Cup winner, and Girardi was a steady defenseman who played more than 1,000 NHL regular season and playoff games with the Rangers and Lightning.
“Vlad is gifted and dynamic and he has a lot of drive,” said Davison. “He’s very coachable and eager to learn. Every player has areas where they need to improve. As he transitions to pro hockey next year, we want to get Vlad fully ready on the defensive side.”
After back-to-back games on weekends, the Storm are usually off the ice for two days, but Dravecký puts the time to good use. He goes to the gym. He does recovery work. He starts preparing for the next game.
“I do not like days off,” he said.
The right-handed defenseman watches all of his shifts from the previous game on his phone. When practices resume, Dravecký and Davison review plays where good decisions led to positive results, and where he could have been better.
Also watching is his dad, who utilizes In-Stat for his job as coach but also to monitor Guelph games.
“I haven’t missed a Storm game – I just catch them the day after,” said his father, whose teammates in Manchester included Matt Moulson and Thomas Hickey. “I have a coach’s instinct, but I never tell Vladi what he has to do. He has good people around him in Guelph. I mostly focus on his behavior during games because body language tells you a lot. He’s my son.”
The Family Behind the Hockey Player
This week, Vladi’s father is in Guelph, taking advantage of a national team break in Europe. It is a rare opportunity. While Martina and their daughter Valentina travelled three times last season to see him, his father only got to Ontario once.
The younger Dravecký, who turns 19 next month, says his parents have done everything possible to prepare him. Martina brought him to the rink as an infant, putting headphones on him to muffle the sound as they watched Monarchs games. With Dad busy with his own hockey schedule, Mom accompanied Vladi to most of his practices and games.
His father said, “When I was in the AHL, we were just the three of us in the States, with no help at all. Vladi was basically born at the hockey rink, and it was Martina who made hockey happen for him.”
Vladi calls his father – who played pro hockey for 23 seasons (and at age 41 is a few months younger than current NHLers Brent Burns and Corey Perry) – “my hero and idol.”
After the family discussion when Vladi was ten, his parents began to teach him how to live away from home, cook for himself and handle situations on his own, but also to talk openly when something is bothering him.
“Any time I have something on my mind, I can talk with my family,” Vladi said. “I’m comfortable sharing anything because I have a really strong relationship with them. My parents and my sister Valentina are special human beings. Without my family, I wouldn’t be who and where I am today.”
From Fifth-Round Pick to Future NHL Defenseman
Vladimir Dravecký turned heads during training camp, emerging as an exciting prospect after not being selected until the fifth round of the NHL Draft in June. In his one preseason game with the Islanders, against the Devils, he had an assist and logged 18:39 of ice time, including 5:17 on the power play. He was a standout in two rookie games. His stock rose so quickly that scouts from other NHL teams were asked to keep a close eye on the teenager.
The opposing scouting reports from September reflect Dravecký’s own assessment of his game: offensive gifts, with some work still ahead. Here’s one:
“Dravecký already possesses legitimate NHL-caliber passing ability with deception and vision, combined with strong lateral mobility when he is in possession of the puck. His defensive game has some flaws. He’s a good skater but his stride could use more explosiveness.”
When Dravecký was sent to Guelph, he was committed to elevating his development with Davison, Stillman and Girardi. The scouting reports from his first month of OHL regular season action show a player making a strong case for a future in the NHL.
Said Davison, “I don’t see any reason, if he continues to emerge, why he can’t play on one of your top-two pairings. He’ll be able to run a power play and he’ll be able to take regular shifts.”
With Guelph hosting the 2027 Memorial Cup, Dravecký has a showcase to prove what he can do while leading a team in pressurized moments. His next step will likely be development time in the AHL, the league where his father played when Vladi was born.
A Father’s Belief in His Son
Asking a father whether he believes his child will thrive in the NHL is a bit awkward. But Mr. Dravecký brings both a parent’s perspective and more than two decades of pro hockey experience. He was told it would be understood if he declined to answer. Instead, he elected to share everything in his heart.
Over the phone from Czechia, Vladmir Dravecký said, “At the time, I was sad he was picked late in the draft because I know what kind of hockey player he is. But I believe Vladi will show everybody. I say this because hockey is his life. He is not doing it for money, fame or anything else. He just adores the sport. For me, that is the most important thing – when you truly love something. He will sacrifice everything. He will go and fight for it. I am telling you that 100 percent. The rest will take care of itself.”
He laughed when asked to share examples of his son’s competitive spirit.
“When he was young, we spent a huge amount of time playing hockey, soccer and ping-pong. He hated to lose, and he still does. When he lost, sometimes he would not speak to me for a couple of hours. During the pandemic, my wife and I built a small practice area in our yard – just a floor and a net. He was outside all the time, shooting pucks and creating drills for himself at all hours. Even now, when he comes home, he takes his stick, goes outside and shoots pucks – maybe 1,000 pucks a day.”
And then the father completed his thought about Vladi’s future.
“He is a disciplined young man, and he is also nice and kind to people,” he said. “If you can combine all that with hard work, you are a winner. This is everything that matters.”
And we leave you with this…Vladimir Dravecky: Enjoying The Game
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