Article content

If the surname was Smith or Johnson, it would be much easier to leave it at home.

Which is what Petr Klima wants for his 20-year-old twins Kevin and Kelly, who arrived in Edmonton Friday and will attend the Oilers development camp in Jasper.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Dan Barnes: Proud father Petr wants Klima twins to 'show their stuff' at Oilers development camp Back to video

“I want them to just go there as two players, not somebody whose dad played there, you know what I mean? Just show their stuff, how they play. Just leave the last name here in Michigan.”

There have been 65 Smiths and 26 Johnsons playing in the National Hockey League, but just one Klima. Petr, who retired in 2000 and is now 52, played 786 games for five NHL teams — Detroit, Edmonton, Tampa Bay, Los Angeles and Pittsburgh. He was a fifth-round pick, 86th overall in the 1983 entry draft, one of the Red Wings’ canny grabs. He ranks 14th overall in his draft class with 573 points and ninth overall with 313 goals.

His kids, however, have never been drafted.

“When they were 17, their draft year, they went to London Knights, who had a really good team. I knew in the back of my head they weren’t ready. They were on the smaller side then, not as big and strong as they are now. They had a bad year and didn’t get drafted.”