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Calgary Flames defence prospect Jakub Nakladal excited at opportunity for spot in NHL

Annually, you’ll hear of NHLers insisting their summer was too long.

The reasoning is simple: They didn’t win the Stanley Cup.

Jakub Nakladal didn’t mind extra time between seasons.

“It was my longest summer ever,” the 27-year-old defenceman said Sunday. “Normally in Europe you have one month off, so it was great for me. I spent a lot of time with my family, my wife and kids. It was great.”

European leagues are already in regular-season action, to give a perspective of the timing to compared to things in North America. However, the late-blooming blueliner from Czech Republic is attending his first NHL training camp.