Czech hockey player Frk arrives in St. Petersburg to play for KHL's Shanghai-based club in exchange for a 15-million-koruna contract

Czech forward Martin Frk has landed in St. Petersburg, home base of KHL club Shanghai Dragons. According to Russian media reports, his contract will earn him around 55 million rubles net per year (nearly 15 million koruna), plus performance bonuses.

"I'm really glad to be here. I've had two long days of travel behind me, but I'm happy I finally made it," Frk said upon arrival at St. Petersburg airport. Of the last 16 years of his career, the forward spent 15 seasons in North America — mostly in the AHL farm league, where he played nearly 600 games, along with 125 NHL appearances.

The Czech player, who has suited up for the national team three times, chose not to comment on the financial details of the deal upon arrival. Nor did he mention that he is moving to a country that has been waging war against Ukraine for nearly four and a half years.

Instead, Frk spoke enthusiastically about St. Petersburg itself. "I'm really looking forward to getting to know the city. I've heard it's beautiful, so I can't wait to explore it a bit in my free time. Once my family arrives, we'll discover it together," the hockey player shared.

At Shanghai Dragons, Frk will play alongside another Czech import, Dmitrij Jaškin, who joined the club a week later after his contract with Kazan's Ak Bars expired. The Shanghai Dragons replaced Beijing's Kunlun Red Star in the KHL last season but failed to reach the playoffs in their debut campaign. The team plays its home games in St. Petersburg, since China's most populous city has yet to build a suitable arena.

"It's definitely going to be a different experience compared to playing in Canada or the US, so I'm curious what awaits me. But I'm excited about the new challenge and new experience. I got lucky — I've already played with a few guys who are on the team this season, so hopefully that will make the adjustment easier. I'm really looking forward to the start of the season," Frk concluded.

Around Prague, based on reporting by sport.cz