ˈæftɚ dʒˈɔɪnɪŋ ðə mˈɪlətˌɛɹi hiː pɑːɹtˈɪsᵻpˌeɪɾᵻd ɪnðə hˈɑːki kˈæmp ʌv dˈʌklə dʒɪhlˈɑːvə, bˌʌt kˈʌmɪŋ fɹʌm ɐn ˌɪnsɪɡnˈɪfɪkənt slˈɑːviə tˈiːm æt ðə tˈaɪm, hiː dɪdnˌɑːt mˌeɪk ɪt hˈaɪɚ ðɐn ðə nˈʌmbɚ θɹˈiː ɡˈoʊltɛndɚ ænd wʌz lˈoʊnd tʊ ˌeɪtʃsˈiː kˈɑːʃɪs ɪnðɪ ˈiːstɚn pˈɑːɹt ʌvðə kˈʌntɹi.
After joining the military he participated in the hockey camp of Dukla Jihlava, but coming from an insignificant Slávia team at the time, he did not make it higher than the number three goaltender and was loaned to HC Košice in the eastern part of the country.