At least someone is benefitting from the NHL lockout.

Zbynek Vrkoc, who seven years ago began producing trading cards featuring top hockey players from the Czech Republic, had been struggling in recent years.

The Czech national team was not doing well internationally, and most of the country's top players had been skating in the U.S. and Canada.

Then came the lockout, and North America's loss became Europe's gain, even in the trading card business.

``Business was getting tougher and tougher,'' Vrkoc, the sole producer of cards for the Czech Republic's premier Extraliga hockey league, told the Prague Post.

``We were glad when yields from card sales covered production costs. And then the NHL lockout occurred and helped boost our sales.''

The return of NHL star Jaromir Jagr and other Czech and Slovak players to their hometown clubs during the lockout has sparked a renewed interest in the sport overseas.

The Lightning's Pavel Kubina, Martin Cibak and Vinny Prospal are among the NHL players competing in the Czech Republic.

One Czech trading card dealer said sales have jumped 40 percent since the start of the lockout, with Jagr the top seller.

Vrkoc normally releases 2,000 cards for each player. But the demand for Jagr has been so high, Vrkoc put out eight different versions of his card.

The 16,000 Jagr cards circulating in the Czech Republic have not diminished their value. While most individual cards fetch the American equivalent of 20 cents, Jagr cards have been sellingfor $1.50, according to the Post.

``The appearance of so many great players made hockey a top attraction in this country once again,'' Vrkoc noted.

Compare that with the U.S., where trading-card giant Topps canceled its 2004-05 NHL set because of the lockout.

Upper Deck launched an NHL Legends Hockey set this year featuring several Hall of Fame players. Company brand manager Josh Zusman said the set ``provides fans a great outlet to staycommitted to the game.''

But sales of hockey collectibles and merchandise in North America have slowed since the lockout. And with no NHL games in sight, the market figures to get worse before it gets better.

There are some exceptions.

At least one Web site is selling lockout-related T-shirts, one of which features a hockey net with a locked chain wrapped around it. Visit attitudearcade.com to check out some of the othersamplings.

And no matter how long the lockout lasts, apparently nothing can stop some Canadian fans from buying up hockey collectibles.

A former senior federal government employee from Barrie, Ontario, was charged with 11 counts of fraud Friday for allegedly using government credit cards to buy $150,000 (U.S.) worth ofhockey cards and trying to pass them off as office supplies.

``It's certainly different,'' Cpl. Howard Adams of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said of the charges against Donald Billing, a former director of Measurement Canada. ``I don't thinkthere have been many cases where government employees have been purchasing hockey cards.''

More news

Fred Chartrand / AP

Pens writing off Sens

PHT: The Penguins pushed the Senators to the brink of elimination on Wednesday night after six unanswered goals yielded a 7-3 Game 4 win.

NBC Sports

Highlights: Pens hang seven on Sens

  The Senators held a lead twice in the first period, but Pittsburgh's offensive fire power proved to be too much to handle. James Neal and Jarome Iginla each score two as the Penguins cruise to an impressive 7-3 victory in Game 4.

Headlines

• Label

PHT: Sharks take Game 4, pull even with Kings

Highlights: Sharks even series with Kings

Early whistle takes goal away from Kings

PHT: Bruins rally, put Rangers in 3-0 hole  |  Highlights

PHT: Roy's brother backtracks, unsure about Avs job

PHT: Red Wings take 2-1 series lead  |  Highlights

PHT: Toews calls 2-1 deficit 'slap in the face'

PHT: Quenneville chides Hawks' disallowed goal