WJC: 2023 Czech Team

[Czechboy]

Called it.

Might see you tomorrow! Good luck.

 

[Czechboy]

Outstanding clip

 

[Czechboy]

 

[Cowumbus]

One more monkey to go?

 

[Czechboy]

One more monkey to go?

Monkey 5 could very well be no golds since 2001. But, honestly, I never thought we'd win gold here again.

 

[Hockeyholic]

Will Czech will be favored over Canada?

 

[Karl Eriksson]

Will Czech will be favored over Canada?

“Outlook uncertain”

 

[Svedu]

Insanely fun that both Kulich and Sapovaliv can return next year. Two out of the 6-7 best players in this years tournament! Looking forward to it.
And Sale who can take big steps to next years tournament.
Yeah, you guys will miss a big crop and great D's but Hamara, Cech and Sapusek can join the forces from this team as well.

Perhaps Svozils younger brother. Jiriceks younger brother. Tomas Galvas. Ondrej Kos. Jecho.
Sprynar. Stancl! And probably som other interesting prospects.

Any goalies after Suchanek?

 

[Mehar]

Congratulations to the Czechs on your Silver Medal, and for winning a Medal after two decades. I am happy that Canada won back to back Gold Medals, but the result could have gone either way. This is a Game of Inches. You have a solid group returning next year. Be proud of your team.

 

[Swipes]

Congratulations to the Czechs on your Silver Medal, and for winning a Medal after two decades. I am happy that Canada won back to back Gold Medals, but the result could have gone either way. This is a Game of Inches. You have a solid group returning next year. Be proud of your team.

Thanks for the kind words. Yes, it could have gone either way. Congrats on your win. I'm not so familiar with the players that can come next year (beyond the obvious ones) but I think this team has shown a recipe for success: strong D and great goaltending. I hope we can continue to develop defensemen like the ones we had, because it was such a joy to watch. I look forward to seeing them rapidly incorporated into the national team, we're going to need them!

 

[Voodoozz]

What a team!

 

[SantosHalper]

Congrats Czechia, more than excelent tournament. No shame in silver and despite the silver, Czechia is still a winner.

6 players from this team could return next year, good start for next year's team core.

 

[FourQuarters]

What a tournament for them! Jiricek always has some bad luck on WJC, but he played very well on this tournament. Kulich have great stats, it's tough to see he cry. And Szturc is out of the shadows in the league, proves that he doesn't just rely on Cristall, he is a tremendous player, has great two-ways game!
Want to see boys be happy, but there is nothing to sorry about.

 

[Czechboy]

Insanely fun that both Kulich and Sapovaliv can return next year. Two out of the 6-7 best players in this years tournament! Looking forward to it.
And Sale who can take big steps to next years tournament.
Yeah, you guys will miss a big crop and great D's but Hamara, Cech and Sapusek can join the forces from this team as well.

Perhaps Svozils younger brother. Jiriceks younger brother. Tomas Galvas. Ondrej Kos. Jecho.
Sprynar. Stancl! And probably som other interesting prospects.

Any goalies after Suchanek?

Hrabal may go in round 1. Dybal looks to be in first 3 rounds. Hamrla is already drafted. We may have three drafted goalies. And I'm positive I missed one

 

[Ciao]

The Czechs played clean and hard, and they could have won. Excellent effort and an excellent tournament performance. Congratulations

 

[Voodoozz]

Heck of a game (and tournament) for Jiri Tichacek. He was absolutely stellar tonight, he was left to defend 1v1 rush like 6 times and always came on top, even against Bedard. He could be a great euro level player for us.

 

[NyQuil]

Well played Czechia, Canada certainly took notice of your stellar performance from the beginning to the end of the tournament.

3 on 3 in OT is always a coin flip - would have been no shame to lose to your team tonight.

 

[smitty10]

Hrabal may go in round 1. Dybal looks to be in first 3 rounds. Hamrla is already drafted. We may have three drafted goalies. And I'm positive I missed one

Hamrla isn't eligible next year, but Vondras is (Car 7th rounder)

 

[KurtSloan]

It was nice to watch the Czech team as if it were a powerhouse again after a long time.
I don't know much about junior hockey. Can you guys tell me if this year was exceptional or if Czech Rep. can build such competitive team again next year?

 

[Wooren]

What a ride this has been. Not sure when was the last time a Czech natonal team (of any age group) emerged as legitimate powerhouse, steamrolling 'lesser' opponents and going toe to toe with medal contenders. Silver stings because gold was so close, literally inches close, but nothing but respect for this group. I expected a rather clear win for Canada in the final, considering all the circumstances, so the Czech team surprised me one more time with an almost epic comeback.

Radim Rulik has shown the recipe for success and whether he's back next year or not, I hope the returning players maintain the course this has team has taken. Their accomplishment goes far beyond the shiny objects they just won.

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

View attachment 628988

Thought it'd be fun to look at our D core pre covid.

Kubicek is in the ECHL but does have a contract with AHL Moose
Zabransky is doing okay in Liiga and has made a NT appearance this season
Has (only drafted one) is in the ECHL
Klikorka is in Czech2
Kucerik is in Extraliga and also made a NT appearance this season
Dajcar played 7 games in Czech2 last season and hasn't played this season (injury? gave up?)

This current D core is nothing like this one. To be clear, our 3 undrafted fellas (Cech, Moravec and Tichachek) would've been part of our Top 4 in most tourneys. What a bumper crop of D.

Also, I think at least 2 goalies from this precovid team will see the NHL at some point. Dostal will be a starter in the NHL IMO. Malik might make it over too. Parik is excellent but in ECHL (which isn't damning, Vanecek went there too).

View attachment 628990

Interesting looking at that D corps.

Looks like Kucerik is once again playing full-time role in his second season with Brno and has improved both points and plus/minus.

With his size is there any potential for him coming to North America one day or is Extraliga pretty much the height of his career trajectory?

 

[Czechboy]

Interesting looking at that D corps.

Looks like Kucerik is once again playing full-time role in his second season with Brno and has improved both points and plus/minus.

With his size is there any potential for him coming to North America one day or is Extraliga pretty much the height of his career trajectory?

Radek Kučeřík | Hokej.cz - web českého hokeje

Hokej.cz | Oficiální web českého hokeje. Extraliga, 1. liga, 2. liga, mládež, reprezentace, mistrovství světa, NHL, Champions Hockey League, evropské ligy

www.hokej.cz

He's a big boy now! He really grew. 6'2 and 210. Some North American Experience too in the WHL.

He's playing over 20 a night as a 21 year old in Extraliga.. that is actually quite impressive.

Could be a late bloomer like Kempny, Rutta, Simek etc.

I'd say he leaves the Extraliga within a couple of years and plays as a very good Euro League guy or comes over and guts it out in AHL and maybe cracks an NHL roster a year after that. Unlikely but it's not unheard of. He does seem to be trending in the right direction!

 

[BigBadBoar]

Eduard Šalé scored his first pro hockey hat-trick today in Extraliga vs. Třinec.