PAST DEVILS PODCASTS
SPEAK OF THE DEVILS PODCAST
Lovejoy and Stafford Reflect on Retirements
Corey Pronman Breaks Down Devils Draft Picks
Hear from some of the newest additions to the Devils franchise
Holtz and Mercer discuss being drafted by New Jersey
Kevin Smith and Martin Brodeur Chat Draft Party
Sam Cosentino Discusses Draft
Larry Robinson reflects on time with Devils
David Gould Discusses His new HBSE Role
Chris Peters previews the draft
Recchi Joins the Devils Organization
John Madden discusses life after retirement
Special broadcasters episode
Walsh and Smith talk development and more
NHL's Davis and Scott discuss social justice and HBSE
TSN's Craig Button discusses 2020 NHL Draft propsects
"I'm not trying to sound like an old man or old-fashioned immigrant, but I literally landed […]with a pair of skates and a bad polyester suit," Holik told the Speak of the Devils Podcast, "That's all I had with me. But I had a work ethic, and I had skills and discipline. And I was determined to succeed."
Holik is introspective, he puts thought into every answer. He is thoughtful and pragmatic and that's exactly what you get on the latest Speak of the Devils Podcast with Bobby Holik as this week's guest, starting with his humble arrival in North America.
"It was absolutely phenomenal opportunity. That's all it was. You know, I always go back to what I was talking about earlier, it's not about what you get. But as long as you get the opportunities, what you do with the opportunities is another story."
We know what Holik's story is on the ice. A first-round pick, a two-time All-Star, 18 years in the National Hockey League, 11 with New Jersey, and of course a two-time Stanley Cup champion. There's no denying that Holik took advantage of every opportunity and turned it into a lengthy, successful career.
But it wasn't all celebration. It was a challenge that Holik persevered through. He entered the league at a unique time in history, which meant an additional layer of challenges, arriving in North America from Eastern Europe.
"I have to give my parents a lot of credit, because they prepared me extremely well, not knowing what they were preparing me for. So, I was from day one, I never had a day or moment where I was looking back or longing for the time has passed. There were doubters, not I, but there were doubters. And I said, you know, what, they're gonna try to stop me.
"And at the time was just the tail end of the Cold War, and there was a lot of dissent towards the Eastern Europeans. And people say, 'Oh, it was tough for me', I'm like, 'You don't understand. People called me an effing communist, not knowing that my dad was one of the most staunch anti-communists in the history of Czechoslovakia. So, the prejudice was part of it, but I looked at it as a challenge."
Those lessons from that challenge are what Holik uses to this day to help the next generation of young men in the world. He now works with young men near his home in Wyoming to mentor them and bring out their fullest potential. It isn't so much through hockey that he's invested himself, he works with all kinds of young men, from first-responders, firemen, a variety of athletes that he has crossed paths with.
"That's what I teach the young men today, when people doubt you, they disrespect you for whatever it is, take it as a challenge to prove them wrong. And my motto was, I'm just going to be too good to be denied […] It's been wonderful, and all I'm doing is trying to make a difference."
