Hip check, please: Sodrznik becoming known for physical play
The signature defensive move of Nashville Predators standout Dan Hamhuis is the hip check, which he uses to flatten opponents who try to gain control of the puck and advance it. But Hamhuis doesn't have much on Springfield Junior Blues defenseman Klemen Sodrznik when it comes to sending players flying to the ice.
"The hip check is my specialty," Sodrznik said. "I've done it my whole life.
"It's much harder to hip check because forwards have a lot of speed. But when they make the mistake of trying to skate through me, that can't happen."
Sodrznik, who is from Ljubljana, Slovenia, is an anomaly in the North American Hockey League in that he is a physical, European defenseman.
"Sodrznik came recommended to us by (former N.Y. Rangers and Buffalo Sabres coach) Ted Sator," Blues coach Chris Wyler said. "I'd say Ted is a pretty good hockey guy.
"Klemen is a very physical player for a European and not afraid to throw his body around. That intrigued us because there's not a lot of room to run around in our rink. We were hoping to get a little more offense out of him, but all in all he's been a solid defenseman all year long."
Sator coached the Slovenian national team that won the International Ice Hockey Federation Division I Tournament last April. Sodrznik didn't play in the tournament, but he caught Sator's attention.
"When I was very young, I wanted to play American hockey," said Sodrznik, 20. "Ted suggested I go to Chicago and play in a select tournament. I got the chance to (play for Springfield) or go to the St. Louis Bandits after the tournament.
"Ted said I'd have a better chance to play in Springfield and get scouted for a Division I college scholarship. School is always first in my family; you can always fall back on your education if you get a chance and don't make it in (professional) hockey, so I came here."
NHL Central Scouting listed Sodrznik on its players to watch list last October, but he didn't make the January listing after playing for Slovenia in the World Junior Championships Division I tournament last December in Riga, Latvia.
"I didn't play very well because I was sick with a cold and I wasn't up to par physically," said Sodrznik. "I had to fly from Springfield to Chicago to Munich to Ljubljana (where he spent five days at home), back to Munich than Latvia. The air in the plane was either too cold or too hot and I got sick. It probably affected the way I played.
"I had two assists in five games and we finished third, but I had a lot of problems when I stepped on the ice."
Sodrznik's off-ice adjustment to Springfield has been relatively smooth, especially since lifelong friend Ales Sila also is with the Blues as a back-up goalie.
"Sila and I live five minutes away from each other (in Slovenia)," Sodrznik said. "Having him here speaking the same language helps me a lot. We are together all the time.
"English is like a second language in Slovenia, and I started learning it in fifth grade. At first, I thought it would be hard (playing here) and that guys would hate me since I came from Europe, but my teammates are so nice. We are like a family."
Sodrznik, who has two goals, six assists and is a plus-5 in 39 games with the Blues, doesn't regret the decision to play in the NAHL.
"The biggest challenge was to get to this country and make a team," he said. "I'm trying to play a different style of hockey. The ice is smaller and it's a faster and stronger game.
"I don't have any luck trying to score; it's not my year for goals. I'm not disappointed in the way things have gone. I'm satisfied with my defense."
Don Trello can be reached at (217) 788-1550.
Sodrznik file
NAME: Klemen Sodrznik
VITALS: 5-11, 205
BORN: Feb. 16, 1988, in Ljubljana, Slovenia (it was part of Yugoslavia at the time)
FAMILY: Parents Janez and Karmen Sodrznik and brother Ziga, age 16
EDUCATION: Graduated in 2007 from the Ljubljana High School for Multimedia and Graphic Design
YEARS WITH BLUES: First season
POSITION: Defense
FAVORITE NHL TEAM/PLAYER: L.A. Kings, forward Anze Kopitar
NOBODY KNOWS: "My teammates call me the Slovenian Sylvester Stallone because of my voice. He's not American either - he's Italian."