“I was so thrilled I got an invitation for a little get together with the Ambassador and speaking about New Jersey and Newark,” Elias said after the speech. “It was fantastic. I was very proud to talk about my second home, New Jersey. And my home team. It’s easy because I live it. I still consider myself a Devil. Also proud to be an American. We bring up our girls that way, they love both sides of the world and both cultures.”
Elias, who became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2018, has been emersed in both cultures throughout his life. He grew up in Trebic, a city two hours from Prague. He relocated to Prague when he was 15 years old and moved to the United States at 19 years old to begin his professional hockey career in North America.
Elias made New Jersey his home from 1996 until his retirement two decades later in 2016, when he moved the family permanently back to Czechia. But Elias still owns his Hoboken home and returns frequently to the Garden State.
While he was born in Czechia, Elias the man was made in Jersey.
“I came when I was 19. For me, hockey was the only thing,” he said. “Then you realize life is about something more. I’m lucky enough to have a wonderful wife (Petra) and two daughters born in New Jersey. You build up relationships along the way. And realize the support and commitment and help from other people and your community, not just hockey, is so important for your overall being and being a good person and good hockey player.
“The things I learned (in New Jersey) about being a professional hockey player and what it takes to be a good person, I still use to this day.”
Elias’ life is coming full circle once again as his Devils will open the 2024-25 regular season in Prague against the Buffalo Sabres as part of the NHL’s Global Series. And now Elias finds himself as a de facto Ambassador to Prague and the Czechia.
“I’m super excited. I’m proud of having the Devils here playing in front of the Czech people,” he said. “The Czechs absolutely love hockey. You see what they did at the (2024) World Championship (in Prague where the team won a gold medal). We have the best fans, different fans, but the best fans. I’m super excited for our team to showcase what they’re capable of, an elite level of hockey.
“We’re huge sports fanatics. It’s a bit part of our nature, a big part of our culture. Hockey is one of the top sports here.”
While Czechia will get to experience NHL hockey, the country and city of Prague also get to showcase itself to the NHL and the entire hockey world as well.
“I’m sure the guys are enjoying this beautiful architecture, and this beautiful town. I’m proud my team is here,” Elias said. “There is more to Czechia than Prague. Castles, old castles, cities that have a lot of history. The fantastic architecture. Some places are literally out of this world. A lot of travelers know that.”
Elias’ only disappointment is that he won’t be putting on the sweater come game time.
“Just regretting it didn’t happen 10 years ago (so I could play),” he laughed. “But you can’t stop time.”
It will be fun week for Elias and the Devils leading into the game. But when the puck does drop, Elias will be all business.
“I’ll be a little anxious and nervous. I care about winning and the team doing well,” he said. “I know it’s a different (way to start the season) but at the end of the day they want to start the season well. It’s showcasing the best game in the world, the best players in the world. I think it should be fantastic hockey. Devils versus. Buffalo. Both teams have a lot of talent. When the puck drops, I’ll be nervous and excited for the result, hopefully it will be positive.”
In the meantime, Elias is happy to do whatever he can to help the Devils enjoy their time in Prague, whether it’s showing the team around town, giving recommendations on restaurants, bars, museums, tours, or whatever is asked.
In many ways, Elias has been in a dual Ambassador role, representing Czechia to the Devils while also representing New Jersey to his fellow Czechs.
And that includes giving a speech to the United States Ambassador to promote New Jersey and Newark. After all, he’s not only Czech, but he’s also an American. An American that’s proud to call New Jersey his second home.
Elias closed his speech with: “You gave me and my wife the two most important things in our lives, and that’s our daughters, Sophia and Kaila. We’re proud be to called New Jerseyans.”
