DETROIT, July 8 (UPI) -- Goaltender Dominik Hasek, known as "The Dominator," announced Tuesday that he is returning to the National Hockey League.
Hasek, who retired after leading Detroit to the Stanley Cup title in June 2002, said he has an itch to play again.
"The motivation factor is to get back in the game and compete again," Hasek said in a conference call from his native Czech Republic. "When I retired, I felt like I wasn't hungry. In the playoffs, I felt like my fire was back."
Hasek had been playing forward in the Czech Inline Hockey League this year. In the NHL, he won six Vezina Trophies as the league's best goalie and two Hart Trophies as its MVP.
If he comes back to Detroit, it likely will end the career of Curtis Joseph as a Red Wing.
Joseph has a no-trade clause in his contract and makes $8 million a season. He went 34-19-6 with a 2.49 GAA and .912 save percentage last season.
