Former Lakehead defenceman Kalvin Sagert competed for team Hungary at the 2016 IIHF World Hockey Championships in Russia earlier this month.
With a 1-6 record in the preliminary round, Hungary did not advance to the playoffs but Sagert had a tremendous experience nonetheless.
The Abbotsford, B.C. native played pro hockey in Miskolc, Hungary for the past two seasons which made him eligible for Hungarian citizenship. After a month-long training camp in Budapest, Sagert made the national team and travelled to Saint Petersburg, Russiaat the beginning ofMay.
It was intense playing against some great teams but it was an amazing experience, Sagert said. The competition was much faster than what Ive seen before, but I thought we showed that we could compete at a high level. And the amount of fan support we received throughout the tournament was amazing. Win or lose, they cheered us on and it was great to get a win for them against Belarus.
Sagert played five seasons for the Thunderwolves from 2008 to 2013, recording 50 points in 192 games.
He will look to continue his professional career in Hungary again next season.