NJDevs26
Once upon a time...
- Mar 21, 2007
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So a big player who can score and has zip to his game but he is only ranked as the 100th best player among European draft eligibles so maybe that puts him in the 225-250 range overall? Is he a terrible skater? Is he illiterate? Does he have a peg leg? Something doesn’t add up about either the scouting or the ranking. I don’t doubt NJ found him by watching Malek or maybe the same scout found him so he’s got some pull with the team.
Fair enough. Small sample size but he did score in his couple of Second Division playoff games. I'll trust the scout who found Malek saw something he liked in him, enough that they grabbed him in the fifth instead of the seventh.He played in Czech junior, that's a big strike against him - you'd want someone his age, old for his draft year, playing in a men's league. He was loaned to a team in the second division but did not do well - I have to imagine part of that was that he didn't get any ice time.
So yeah, he beat up on that league, and it looks like his team was absurdly dominant, but yeah the guys that go to the NHL from countries like this are usually playing against men.
Thanks for sharingHere...scroll down to picks 169 through 174. There are 3 Devils picks highlighted here:
Gavin Chiasson’s 2022 NHL Draft Guide Part 2: Rankings 97-224
I don't hate the pick, but I don't really expect him to be an NHLer either. In all fairness I think the odds are against almost everyone taken after the 2nd round. I'll be honest I didn't realize he had an early birthday, he's only 10 days younger than Luke. I like the size and his junior production is pretty good for 5th round pick, but it would be a lot more impressive if he was younger. But the Czech U20 league is not as bad as some make it seem though, it's mostly dominated by 19 and (soon to be) 20 year olds and even has promising prospects like Eduard Sale ('23 draft). I'mexpectinghoping Hauser to make the Czech U20 WJC team, so we should get a better view if there's anything here.
Zacha was putting up a point a game in the Czech U20 league at 15, now I know he is a special talent, but you are right that it's dominated by 19 and 20 year olds... who don't come anywhere close to having NHL careers. For instance, the leading scorer on Zacha's 2012-13 U20 team split his season as a 1st line player between Slovakia and the German 2nd division last year, and the 3rd leading scorer has spent his career in the Czech 2nd division. These are the things I expect to see. It would not surprise me if teams barely scout the Czech U20s, and it appears none of Czechia's WJC team spent any significant time there this year. I would not be surprised if he does not make the WJC team in 2023.
I would expect Eduard Sale to be playing in the men's top division next year, and given that he put up over 2 points a game in the U20 league this year, I suspect he shouldn't've been there this year,
Hauser is below average in his skating in my opinion. This will have to be improved greatly for Hauser to make the NHL. In the 5th round, I don't think it's a terrible thing to go for a clear area of organizational need (interior forwards) and have to cross your fingers for such an eventuality.So a big player who can score and has zip to his game but he is only ranked as the 100th best player among European draft eligibles so maybe that puts him in the 225-250 range overall? Is he a terrible skater? Is he illiterate? Does he have a peg leg? Something doesn’t add up about either the scouting or the ranking. I don’t doubt NJ found him by watching Malek or maybe the same scout found him so he’s got some pull with the team.
Change his last name to Howitzer and he'd sound badass.I like his name. Sounds elite
Good for him.
Good for him.
Why isn't Malek in the team? Too old?
Well I'm sure Finnland and other nations have players that play in their top leagues and are going to play at WJC.The Finnish league's preseason begins in a week, and he's almost certainly already with his professional team now.
Well I'm sure Finnland and other nations have players that play in their top leagues and are going to play at WJC.
Well I'm sure Finnland and other nations have players that play in their top leagues and are going to play at WJC.
Why isn't Malek in the team? Too old?
Not to take this thread off-topic but Czechia chose all three goalies from the players already playing in North America. I'd imagine Suchanek is number three with the intention of being ready for the 2023 tournament.
At this point Malek may also be behind Nick Malik - who had a strong season in the Finnish men's league - among the 2002 goalies for Czechia.