Devils' Tomas Nosek Will Not Play for Team Czechia at Mens Worlds

On April 17, in a green zip-up hoodie, New Jersey Devils forward Tomas Nosek completed his end-of-season media availability near his locker stall. He fielded questions about his season, free agency, and the upcoming IIHF Men's World Championship.

"I've never been to Worlds. I've always made the playoffs in my pro career, whether in Czechia or the U.S.," he said. "This is kind of a new thing for me, and I never really had the chance to go. It's in Prague, so for us back home, it's a big deal. I'm looking forward to it.

"It would mean a lot (to play), to be honest. Never played in Worlds and especially in Prague, it would be awesome," he continued with a shy smile. "My friends and family can see me playing after ten years almost, so it's nice."

Along with Ondrej Palat , Nosek attended the Czechia National Team Selection Camp.

On May 2, Czechia played Finland in the Betano Hockey Games tournament. Nosek centered the third line with Palat and Dominik Kubalík. The line scored their team's lone goal in their eventual 4-1 loss.

They announced their final roster three days later, which did not include Nosek.

Only eight NHLers made their final roster, including Lukas Dostal, Petr Mrazek, Karel Vejmelka, Radko Gudas, Jan Rutta, David Kampf, Kubalik, and Palat.

The IIHF Men's World Championship will take place in Prague and Ostrava. The first games of the group stage will start on May 10, and the tournament will conclude with the medal round on May 26 in Prague.