WC: 2017 Team Czech Republic

[joey16]

In France I'd like to see

Kempny - Kundratek
Simek - Gudas
Krejcik - Rutta
Kindl

+ Sulak as 8th (will be signed on the roster during tournament)

That's what I want to see as well but with Jerabek (he should play tomorrow so we'll see).
I wouldn't even mind Kolar that much.

 

[joey16]

Also, I'm with you.. Holik to the WHC

 

[Vidy]

Great game against Sweden, but sloppy defensively. Sulak and Kindl made some terrible mistakes. Sulak is a big defenseman who skates very well so he's intriguing, as it is very good combination for defenseman, but he doesn't belong on this level, at least not yet, he's still quite young though. Needs to be better defensively.

I hope Holik makes it. They could keep the line together and put Plekanec with Pastrnak just like last year. I am pulling for Holik.

Cervenka-Holik-Voracek
x-Plekanec-Pastrnak

Who would be ideal player to play with Pleky and Pasta? Birner? Repik?

Birner-Plekanec-Pastrnak
Cervenka-Holik-Voracek
Sekac-Kovar-Repik/Radil*
xxx-Hanzl-Kaspar
Repik/Radil*

Krejcik-Gudas
Jerabek-Simek/Rutta*
Kempny-Kundratek
Simek/Rutta*



... so great, we'll take some medal 6 days and the medal hunt begins

 

[tade]

Jordan is out of the roster. Sekac is questionable (injury).

Krejci is still opened! His addition is not ruled out and still possible.

Jerabek will return to the line-up against Russia tomorrow.

 

[czechmate]

Jordan is out of the roster. Sekac is questionable (injury).

Krejci is still opened! His addition is not ruled out and still possible.

Jerabek will return to the line-up against Russia tomorrow.

Obviously Jordans absence is unfortunate, but I really hope Sekac will be healthy by the start of the WC. He is one of those rare guys that can bring a lot of speed and mobility into the offensive zone, different to all others...

 

[Wooren]

Obviously Jordans absence is unfortunate, but I really hope Sekac will be healthy by the start of the WC. He is one of those rare guys that can bring a lot of speed and mobility into the offensive zone, different to all others...

Never been a fan of Jordan personally, don't think he is that much of a loss.
Hopefully Sekac is ok, he looked great in the games I saw. Made me wonder how he didn't make it in the NHL.

 

[jj cale]

Advancing from QF.

... then it is one game and you can be in GMG. Anything can happen. This team looks good even though you probably don't think so when you look at the whole roster.

Thanks.

Quite a few of the players I don't even know.

 

[Jablkon]

Never been a fan of Jordan personally, don't think he is that much of a loss.
Hopefully Sekac is ok, he looked great in the games I saw. Made me wonder how he didn't make it in the NHL.

He was flashy but uneffective imo.Hopefully Kase will not follow his path.Not sure if he also adapted his personality into it...

 

[tade]

Line-up against Russia today:

Radil-Jan Kovar-P.Vrana
Birner-Holik-Repik
T.Zohorna-Horak-Hyka
Kaspar-Hanzl-Lev

Krejcik-Jerabek
Sulak-Kindl
Kolar-Rutta
Sklenicka-Doudera

Mrazek

Last battle for the nomination begins. Cervenka, Voracek, Gudas, Kempny, Simek and Kundratek are resting.

 

[czechmate]

Hope the roster will look like this

Cervenka - Holik - Voracek
Zohorna - *Krejci/Plekanec - Pastrnak
Sekac - J. Kovar - XXXXX
Kaspar - Hanzl - Repik

Kundratek - Kempny
Gudas - Krejcik
Rutta - Jerabek
XXXX - Simek

Mrazek

 

[Voodoozz]

To be honest i wasn't very impressed with Krejcik, he didn't do anything stupid but he didn't stand out either. If Jerabek is good to go then i think they should give the last top 6 spot to Kolář.

Jerabek-Gudas
Kempny-Kundratek
Simek-Kolar

 

[czechmate]

To be honest i wasn't very impressed with Krejcik, he didn't do anything stupid but he didn't stand out either. If Jerabek is good to go then i think they should give the last top 6 spot to Kolář.

Jerabek-Gudas
Kempny-Kundratek
Simek-Kolar

I would still like to see Krejcik. I mean, Kolar is 30, this may be his last WC if our defenders start improving (Kempny, Simek, Jerabek, etc.). Why not build on something that lasts, Krejcik is only 25...

 

[Voodoozz]

'Final' roster

They're still waiting for Krejci. Krejci said that the injury isn't very serious and he really wants to play in Paris.

 

[Vidy]

It's official.

G: Furch, Mrázek, Francouz
D: Gudas, Jeřábek, Kempný, Rutta, Kolář, Krejčík, Å imek, Kundrátek, Å ulák
F: Červenka, Plekanec, Birner, Vrána, Lev, Kovář, Horák, Řepík, Radil, Hyka, Hanzl, Zohorna, Holík, Pastrňák, Voráček.

+ Krejci can still join this team and Holik is questionable due to injury from today's match against Russia.

Big decision to not take Kaspar. I'm sorry about Sekac, sad.

 

[joey16]

Holik is questionable due to injury he suffered in the third period in todays match. Wouldn't be that much of a big loss if Krejci goes eventually...
Sekac was cut due to injury (feel bad for him, last year it was exactly the same).
And I'm glad they had balls to cut Kindl, he didn't look very good..

 

[czechmate]

Roster looks good!

Defense:
- Sulak is quite the gamble due to his lack of experience, maybe he is going to serve as backup (7th)
- Takes guts to pick Sulak and Rutta over Kindl, but somehow I agree

Offense:
- Agree with most of the guys, however few questions remain:
> Lev: Did his physical game get him the ticket to Paris?
> Vrana: Was he taken because of his chemistry with Repik?
- I somehow miss Kaspar, he is one of those "old guns" that can deliver...

 

[Jablkon]

It's official.

G: Furch, Mrázek, Francouz
D: Gudas, Jeřábek, Kempný, Rutta, Kolář, Krejčík, Šimek, Kundrátek, Šulák
F: Červenka, Plekanec, Birner, Vrána, Lev, Kovář, Horák, Řepík, Radil, Hyka, Hanzl, Zohorna, Holík, Pastrňák, Voráček.

+ Krejci can still join this team and Holik is questionable due to injury from today's match against Russia.

Big decision to not take Kaspar. I'm sorry about Sekac, sad.

Is Sekac injured? Kaspar didnt prove it despite he might show up in big games. Still very fair decision for all other players. So as with Kindl. Better to take Sulak As backup than him. To be honest I am concerned about Jan Kovar, especially in high speed games...Luckilly there are options in Holik and Hanzl making team..

 

[Vidy]

Roster looks good!

Defense:
- Sulak is quite the gamble due to his lack of experience, maybe he is going to serve as backup (7th)
- Takes guts to pick Sulak and Rutta over Kindl, but somehow I agree

Offense:
- Agree with most of the guys, however few questions remain:
> Lev: Did his physical game get him the ticket to Paris?
> Vrana: Was he taken because of his chemistry with Repik?
- I somehow miss Kaspar, he is one of those "old guns" that can deliver...

Vrana had a good season so far. 47 points in 50 games in ELH, 8 points in 13 games in CHL. I think chemistry with Repik also helped him to make the final roster. He looked good today.

 

[Voodoozz]

Voracek's gonna get the C.

And about Kovar his figure skating ... i think he's fine. He's not a fast train but he's smart enough to always be in right place at right time, especially if he has some speedy wingers next to him.

 

[Vidy]

Is Sekac injured? Kaspar didnt prove it despite he might show up in big games. Still very fair decision for all other players. So as with Kindl. Better to take Sulak As backup than him. To be honest I am concerned about Jan Kovar, especially in high speed games...Luckilly there are options in Holik and Hanzl making team..

Yes, he is definitely out as last year right before the start of WC. In my opinion, Kaspar may be a difference player, even though he plays the 4th line. He is also a guy who can give the team calm, fun and get rid of pressure outside the ice.

 

[tade]

I am happy about the final roster... kinda surprised that they did not take Kaspar. But it's okay, we have a lot of role players for bottom 6, no worries. Kindl was bad, he deserved to be cut.

Good for Holik, Hanzl...

 

[tade]

Thanks.

Quite a few of the players I don't even know.

That's not surprising if you are not following Euro leagues. You will have opportunity to get to know those players this Friday. Hopefully, we'll be great opponent for Team Canada. I can't wait for this game...

I will briefly introduce you most of the players on the Czech team.

Petr Mrazek - I guess nothing needs to be said here.
Dominik Furch and Pavel Francouz are among the best goalies in KHL, both are very solid.

Radko Gudas - top 4 defenseman on the NHL team
Michal Kempny - bottom pairing defenseman on a very good NHL team
Jakub Jerabek - one of the best KHL defensemen this season, just signed 1 year deal with Montreal. He's talented enough to stick in the NHL, imo.
Radim Simek - likely the best defenseman in Czech Extraliga, he's also linked to some NHL team, he's already agreed to contract, but it is not yet official.
Tomas Kundratek - has NHL experience, one of the better KHL defenseman
Jan Kolar - solid KHL defenseman, defensively oriented, logs minutes on PK

David Pastrnak, Jake Voracek, Tomas Plekanec - I guess nothing needs to be said here.
Roman Cervenka - has NHL experience, he's one of the best forward in Europe, played in World Cup
Jan Kovar - one of the best forward in KHL
Michal Birner - played in World Cup, he's kind of 'power forward' with good scoring touch, PPG player in NLA this season, former St. Louis pick, has experience from AHL
Michal Repik - has NHL experience from Florida, former 2nd round pick, skilled, fast, and offensively oriented player
Roman Horak - has NHL experience, playing in KHL, oriented for bottom 6 on this team
Lukas Radil - he's a big winger, a very good forward in KHL
Jakub Lev, Robin Hanzl - energy, physical players from Czech Extraliga, who will be either on 4th line or as an extra forwards
Petr Holik - very small but skilled forward, who's going to play in KHL next season

There's still possibility that David Krejci will join the team.

 

[czechmate]

I dont want to be too ambitious, but I think we have got the roster to win this thing. I just dont want to see a loss in QF again ...Fingers crossed that Krejci joins the roster!

 

[joey16]

I dont want to be too ambitious, but I think we have got the roster to win this thing. I just dont want to see a loss in QF again ...Fingers crossed that Krejci joins the roster!

Our chances aren't so slim but still I wouldn't make a big deal out of it. Every team from the BIG6 is comparable on paper and the optimism of the fans and the media seems to me a bit too high. We've seen this before.
I just want this team to work hard, be fun to watch, modest, sympatic on and off the ice and play some enjoyable matches. And if some medal comes along, then even better

 

[czechmate]

Our chances aren't so slim but still I wouldn't make a big deal out of it. Every team from the BIG6 is comparable on paper and the optimism of the fans and the media seems to me a bit too high. We've seen this before.
I just want this team to work hard, be fun to watch, modest, sympatic on and off the ice and play some enjoyable matches. And if some medal comes along, then even better

I completely agree. If the payers go in with the attitude of winning the tournament that is enough for me ;-). They will give their best and we will see how far they come