During the last lockout, likely Hall of Fame Devil Patrik Elias tried the Russian league, and he nearly died.
Elias said Friday he isn’t going to be playing European hockey for at least a while, yet, and that his 2005 nightmare with hepatitis is part of that decision.
“Yes, It was a bad experience,” Elias told The Post from the Czech Republic. “You don’t decide just from that. But you do make your decision from your experience.
“With us playing so long [reaching the Stanley Cup final], I don’t feel like I need to play or push myself right now,”
Elias’ case is a cautionary one for those in their first lockout that things can happen, and life might not be NHL plush overseas.
Elias, 36, was playing for Magnitogorsk after starting the lockout in the Czech league. He played just 17 games for the Russian team before contracting hepatitis-A in March, 2005, and its cause still is a mystery.
He was in dire condition, with a high fever and dehydration, with a compromised immune system from the liver ailment. Intensive care included intravenous treatment, and he wasn’t close to ready for training camp when the lockout ended.
He didn’t play again until Jan. 3, 2006, and his 45 points in the Devils’ 38 games led them back to a playoff berth when general manager Lou Lamoriello was a coach.
Elias spent a week in Italy this summer and plans a visit to the Greek islands next week. Perhaps then, he will have a better idea how long he will be waiting for this, the last year on his $42 million contract.
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No verdict was delivered yesterday after the union asked the labor board in Alberta to prohibit NHL’s lockout. In addition, a hearing is scheduled next month ne in Quebec. Players Association said the law disallows lockouts when the union is not certified.
mark.everson@nypost.com