Filip Hronek has earned a reputation as a strong, offensive-minded defenceman during his tenure with the Vancouver Canucks so far. Off the ice, he’s also become known for getting out of media duties.
The right-handed defenceman rarely did interviews and gave extremely short answers when forced to do so. His aversion to the media became well-known around the team, and he managed to escape by doing less than the typical bare minimum.
Hronek explained recently why he doesn’t like talking to the press.
“I don’t know. Honestly, I just like to concentrate on myself. I don’t need to talk much; I’m not a big talker,” explained Hronek when asked why he avoided the Vancouver media last season on the Agent Provocateur podcast with his agent, Allan Walsh.
Hronek opened up and showed some of his personality during the podcast interview as he talked about his love for his dog, fishing back in Czechia during the summers, and his summer workout program.
He has shown a remarkable ability to avoid the media, but all reports suggest that Hronek is very well-liked by his teammates. He has an excellent relationship with captain and common defence partner Quinn Hughes, which helped the duo become one of the most effective in the NHL last season.
While the 26-year-old managed to avoid press duties for the vast majority of last season, he was forced to speak at the team’s year-end exit interviews.
The result was a tense moment when he shared an awkward back-and-forth with Rink Wide’s Jeff Paterson.
Filip Hronek being Pissy pic.twitter.com/6dS28xNusY
— 𝔾𝕞𝕒𝕟 ✨ (@NotoriousGman88) May 23, 2024
Hronek just re-signed with the Canucks for another eight years, so he’s going to be around for a long time. That large contract comes with certain responsibilities, and it’s likely he will be requested more often next season, although how willing he is to appear for those availabilities remains to be seen.