Actual leader of the players statistics of U18 Carpathian Junior Hockey Laegue is Lukáš Lačný, the captain of the HK Mládež Michalovce. In the interview he told us something about his  hockey beginnings, but also about his dreams.

Tell us something about your hockey beginnings. How did you get into hockey and where did you take your first hockey steps?

My father got me involved in hockey, when he once asked me if I’d like to go train in Humenné. I tried it and I started to enjoy it and I still do:)

Do you still remember your first coaches? Can you highlight some of the trainers who have had a major impact on your hockey growth?

I would certainly like to thank each coach who coached me, because each of them taught me a lot of new things. But perhaps most of all I’d highlight my current coaching tandem, Radovan Regend and Ivan Králik, who do a great deal of work with us and who give us important advice not only for hockey but also for life. Great thanks certainly go to coach Martin Stripai, who coached me back in the pupils’ categories.

Do you have a hockey idol or a favourite hockey team?

My biggest hockey idol is Sidney Crosby, but I also like young players Auston Matthews and Connor McDavid. My favourite team is the Pittsburgh Penguins, which has been really successful in recent years. I also like the Toronto Maple Leafs, which has a lot of young players on the team and in the future could rank among the top teams in the NHL.

What would you like to achieve in hockey? Do you have a hockey dream?

My dream is certainly the NHL! But if that doesn’t happen then I’d like to play in some prestigious league and make my living at hockey. But first of all, I believe that my dreams will be fulfilled :)

If you didn’t played hockey, is there another sport you would have devoted yourself to?

That’s hard to say. I like a lot of sports. As a child I loved playing football

The Carpathian Junior Hockey League has its first round behind it. What are your impressions from this competition?

This is a super competition, in which we can measure our strength with competitors from different countries. It is certainly an advantage for every player that he’s playing a larger number of games and that he can progress as a result.

After the first round you are the top goal-scorer and the most productive player in the U18 category; what is the secret of your success?

The fact that I’m the most productive player certainly pleases me, but my teammates and the entire staff get credit for all of this. I would be just as happy if one of my teammates were in that position. First of all, we are a fine collective and we want to achieve the best position as a team.

Like you, your team has also done well. HK Mládež Michalovce is in first place after the first round. Given the strength of your competitors, will it be difficult to maintain this position in the coming rounds?

We go from game to game with the same goal – to win. I hope that we hold on to first place and through the coming rounds improve on our success from last season.

The next round of the CJHL is on the programme in November and takes place in Novoiavorivsk. What are your goals when travelling to Ukraine?

I don’t have any of my own goals. First of all, we’re going there to hold onto first place as a team, and I believe that we’ll have fun playing hockey.

In conclusion, what would you wish for your teammates but also your competitors in the CJHL?

For my teammates certainly that we do even more than in the first round, and to my competitors a lot of luck in the coming games.