GLENDALE, Ariz. — Coyotes defenseman Zbynek Michalek and his wife, Helena, had dinner with Radim Vrbata and his wife, Petra, in Prague, a few days before the Michaleks returned to Phoenix this summer.

“It was some Asian place,” Michalek said. “I don’t know if it was a good sign or not, but we were the only people in the restaurant so probably not a good thing for a place in Prague.”

The Michaleks and Vrbatas probably should have opted for Czech cuisine one last time since there are no such offerings that Michalek has found in the Phoenix area. At least they can enjoy another comfort of home in the Valley. When Michalek and Martin Hanzal returned to Gila River Arena on Thursday after playing in the World Cup of Hockey, their once and future teammate, Vrbata, was waiting for them to celebrate a reunion of old Czech mates.

“I actually started my first year in the NHL here when Z and Vrby were here so it’s nice to have them all back,” Hanzal said. “It’s exciting for me and it’s exciting for my wife (Lenka) because they all know each other. Vrby’s wife and my wife are really good friends, and with Z’s wife, too.”

Hanzal is the only one of the trio who has served one continuous tour of duty with the Coyotes since his rookie season of 2007-08. Michalek signed a five-year, $20 million deal with Pittsburgh before the 2010-11 season. Pittsburgh traded him back to Phoenix in 2012, but former Coyotes GM Don Maloney dealt him to St. Louis at the 2015 trade deadline for prospect Max Letunov. Michalek re-signed with Arizona after that season as a free agent.

Vrbata signed a free-agent deal with Tampa Bay one year after Hanzal’s arrival, and then returned to play in the Czech Republic when the move to the Lightning didn’t pan out. In July 2009, Tampa traded him back to the Coyotes where he played through the 2013-14 season, before signing a two-year, $10 million deal with Vancouver. He resigned with the Coyotes this summer and was here for the first day of training camp on Sept 23.

“It was nice to be here last week, but it will only be better with those guys back now,” Vrbata said. “That’s something that I missed in Vancouver. All of my career, I was in situations where there were Czech guys. Even though we had a great group of guys in Vancouver, it’s a comfort thing.

“It’s not 100 percent necessary for you. We’re all veterans and we’ve all been in different situations, but talking about stuff that is going on in Czech — the Czech hockey league or the Czech soccer league or Czech players — it’s a nice thing to have. Ask Swedish guys, Russian guys or Finnish guys and they all will tell you if they have at least one guy on the team, it makes it better.”

Vrbata is right. Chicago’s Calder Trophy winner, Artemi Panarin, cited the presence of Russians Artem Anisimov and Viktor Tikhonov (his translator) as huge draws in him signing with the Blackhawks last season. So was one of Chicago’s many Russian families.

“It was just like old times as soon as we saw each other,” Michalek said. “I feel like nothing changed; we’re still the same guys.”

Coach Dave Tippett’s lines are far from determined, but Vrbata admitted to a similar, familiar feeling when he found himself playing on the left wing with Hanzal at center in a practice.

“As soon as I stepped on the ice with Marty it was like life was back to normal,” Vrbata, 35, said.

With families to see and other responsibilities, the three Czechs don’t spend as much time together in the Valley as they do when they are on the road, but Michalek, 33, said he is trying to soak in everything about this season because all three are entering the final years of their contracts so this season could serve as a last hurrah.

“Me and Vrby are up there in age and you see the direction the league is going with younger, faster and more agile players so we know it might be the end for us — or that it is near,” he said. “You talk to guys who aren’t playing anymore and they tell you that’s what you miss, just being with the guys and hanging out in the locker room so we just want to enjoy it while it lasts.”

Hanzal agreed.

“It could be our last year together and our last year in the NHL — not for me, but for those guys because they’re old,” Hanzal, 29, said, laughing. “It’s really special to play with them. I’m so glad they’re back.”

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