WC: 2024 Czech team in Prague!

[Goodman68]

1000
Thx

 

[czechmate]

I will be cheering like crazy tomorrow and to be honest, I don't really care about our performance record against the US. Everything starts 0:0 and who knows, maybe we catch a magical day. There is nothing we can do about our shaky defence, we cannot magically turn ELH defenders into NHL regulars in one night. Therefore, and as long as the Czechs play their hearts out tomorrow, that is fine by me. The atmosphere in the O2 is going to be absolutely terrific - lets try to enjoy and take some souls tomorrow! Češi, do toho!

 

[Czechboy]

Yeah hopefully .. bookies see it similarly with 2.22 for USA and 2.79 for Czechs right now ... so expected close game

I was just angry and dissapointed yesterday, that we got the absolute f***in worst opponent for the QF eventhough we had good group. One stupid point against Swiss damn, but thats just sport, especially on those short tournaments every point is crucial, and Swiss got the most crucial one.

Today I am a bit more confident about the game, but still see it as a 60:40 for the US. Offensive D can sadly be the tiebraker here. We need dostal to pull of some Hasek, Vokoun performance out there and as you said earlier, our forwards need to outscore our D lol, which will definitely make a lot of mistakes again.

And of course is time to finally beat some tough opponent in the QF lol. In the last 7 years (2016 onwards) we only made SF twice and both were after the QF with Germany lol.

Agree with all of it...

US are the favs for sure
Dostal can pull a Vokoun IMO.. heś been excellent and I believe in him a lot
We did avoid Sweden and Canada but still got US.lol
Poor Slovaks got Canada. Might be a rough Thursday for our people.
Agree with McLean too... Necas looked much better in game 2. I imagine Pasta and Zacha will too.
Kubalik now has 3 goals in last 4 games
Our PP was very good yesterday
So I do see a lot of positives but if we want GOLD than we have to beat USA, Sweden and Canada.lol

The Quarters are always my gold medal game as a Czech fan.. hopefully we can pull it out. I don´t see them putting 8 up on us or anything like that. I do think we can outscore our D to be honest. Need about 4 goals to win and that is a great NHL d core but not a great NHL G in net. Vejmelka would be their starter IMO. Obviously, Augustine has a tremendous future but Ned is a journeyman at this point.

And we have the crowd.

Having said all that... my brain says US 4 - Cesko 3. Hope I´ḿ wrong. We do have more going for us than usual and losing with Pasta and Necas would be a real shame. Plus peak Hronek, Kampf playing excellent, Palat is doing great. We have our last 2 Zlata Hokejka winners on the roster! It would be a shame to lose.

 

[Czechboy]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1793221148647231521

This is close to what I'd want... Necas on PP2 and line 3 is a bit puzzling though. He's our 2nd best forward. I'll assume he still ends up with about 20 minutes of toi.

Yesterday Krejcik led team in minutes.. not sure that is a great idea either. He's played well but he doesn't have the game for the.big NHL boys.

 

[AmericanDream]

You guys busing anyone else in for tomorrow??? Jagr maybe?? LOL....

 

[Czechboy]

You guys busing anyone else in for tomorrow??? Jagr maybe?? LOL....

He is in the pressbox! Plekanec on the bench as a coach. Pavelec on the bench as well. We have a Spacek on the ice too.lol

Who knows though, maybe Filip Hronek shows up!

Ironically, watching at home and available will be Vrana, Kulich, Zadina and new Penguin Hopeful Kral.

 

[martygod12]

You guys busing anyone else in for tomorrow??? Jagr maybe?? LOL....

He is in the arena every game, ready to hop in if needed lol

https://x.com/i/web/status/1793221148647231521

This is close to what I'd want... Necas on PP2 and line 3 is a bit puzzling though. He's our 2nd best forward. I'll assume he still ends up with about 20 minutes of toi.

Yesterday Krejcik led team in minutes.. not sure that is a great idea either. He's played well but he doesn't have the game for the.big NHL boys.

This is how I want the lines it will be great like this.

Krejcik didn't play well imo yesterday. He was completely lost out there and outplayed, it's scary this is our most used D lol.

As you say, I think it's gonna be close game, but US will win probably. I can already see some OT loss again and we will all be pissed like crazy lol

 

[RBbandit]

He is in the arena every game, ready to hop in if needed lol


This is how I want the lines it will be great like this.

Krejcik didn't play well imo yesterday. He was completely lost out there and outplayed, it's scary this is our most used D lol.

As you say, I think it's gonna be close game, but US will win probably. I can already see some OT loss again and we will all be pissed like crazy lol

Krejčík and to a large degree Kempný looked overwhelmed when confronted with NHL forwards. Can't imagine Král or Ticháček won't be at least on a similar level.

 

[martygod12]

Krejčík and to a large degree Kempný looked overwhelmed when confronted with NHL forwards. Can't imagine Král or Ticháček won't be at least on a similar level.

I am still convinced they would look better there, maybe even Galvas. They are from a different generation of our Ds, which are more confident, creative and calm imo. Spacek was a nice example, not only he got 2assist, but ho looked much more solid against NHL stars, then Krejcik, Kempny, Hajek

 

[Old Man Jags]

Kempny and Krejcik are our worst Dmen by far. Every time they are on the ice you pray that they wont do any stupid foul or mistake and yet they are basically only ones playing in overtime. Can anybody explain this to me?

Krejcik especially yesterday.

 

[Czechboy]

He is in the arena every game, ready to hop in if needed lol


This is how I want the lines it will be great like this.

Krejcik didn't play well imo yesterday. He was completely lost out there and outplayed, it's scary this is our most used D lol.

As you say, I think it's gonna be close game, but US will win probably. I can already see some OT loss again and we will all be pissed like crazy lol

The only ELH guys that will look comfortable are Kase (who is an NHLer) and Sedlak (who is also an NHLer). Career guys have no chance against NHL players.

I do respect the D core.. they have done a good job and have worked hard. I have no doubt they are giving their maximum. It's just that their maximum is 3 leagues below the NHL. Eg. Kundratek, Hajek and Kempny fought like hell to stay in NHL. DIdn't work because they couldn't do it for whatever reason.

 

[Czechboy]

Krejčík and to a large degree Kempný looked overwhelmed when confronted with NHL forwards. Can't imagine Král or Ticháček won't be at least on a similar level.

I think Kral would'v ebeen just fine. He has okay size, off a great season and he's been in AHL and playing guys like this for 5 years. Tichachek would've been in rough for sure. Krejcik has no chance. Kempny has the experience but, let's face it, he was done in the NHL.

Bojovniks!

 

[RBbandit]

Krejcik especially yesterday.

He was great against Třinec, the best D from Sparta. Unfortunately, he is not playing Martin Růžička or Petr Vrána here and it shows. Can't remember Kundratek from yesterday but all extraliga's Ds are not good enough on this level of competition. Hájek didn't look that good even against Třinec in the final.

 

[Old Man Jags]

He was great against Třinec, the best D from Sparta. Unfortunately, he is not playing Martin Růžička or Petr Vrána here and it shows. Can't remember Kundratek from yesterday but all extraliga's Ds are not good enough on this level of competition. Hájek didn't look that good even against Třinec in the final.

We always said that though here, did we not? Literally all Czech fans predicted what would happen with Extraliga Ds. So how did Rulik not see it?

 

[Czechboy]

We always said that though here, did we not? Literally all Czech fans predicted what would happen with Extraliga Ds. So how did Rulik not see it?

Every year I ask the same question.. who are the Top scorers from Extralia at the World's. Same answer every year.. not too many.

In fariness, Kase and Sedlak are doing very well but they are both NHL quality players that left for 2 different reasons. Sedlak was doing well in Philly (after colorado) and left. Kase returned because of health issues.

Technically Krejcik with 4 points but he's not at this level at all. The fact we have Spacek on PP1 is very telling. Our third best defender from that glorious U20 team is good enough for PP1 with Pasta. I love it but it is telling. Eg. there is no guarantee Spacek is in the NHL next year.. or ever. I love him but he's not a sure thing.

 

[martygod12]

I think Kral would'v ebeen just fine. He has okay size, off a great season and he's been in AHL and playing guys like this for 5 years. Tichachek would've been in rough for sure. Krejcik has no chance. Kempny has the experience but, let's face it, he was done in the NHL.

Bojovniks!

I think Tichacek would do a lot better there, he showed already he is capable of playing against top NA players at WJC. More importantly I believe, he would create much better plays for our attackers. You saw it clearly with Krejcik, Kempny, Hajek yestreday.

They are so slow and uncreative. It take them atrocious amount of time to look up, look where their teammates our and decide what the want to do. By that time a canadian player was already on them pushing them and the had no chance then to only slap the puck on the glass, where we either lost it or it was icing. And that was the better outcome, in the other outcomes they lost the puck which lead to a Canadian chance.

We were all talking here like the team is close to the full strenght. But with those weak, slow and clunky Ds we are here at 50% strength max lol. Personally I would only take Gudas and Rutta to OG from this group we have on WCH right now, maybe Kundratek or Spacek (I like Spacek but lets be honest I would take Jiricek, Svozil and Tichacek over him probably, eventhough he is looking suprisingly good)

Would go with: Hronek, Jiricek, Gudas, Rutta, Svozil, Tichacek, Kral, Galvas/Spacek/Kundratek .... All people can bitch about how this is too young all the way lol, but this would be a confident, offensive, creative and modern D. With Gudas and Rutta as needed experience

 

[RBbandit]

We always said that though here, did we not? Literally all Czech fans predicted what would happen with Extraliga Ds. So how did Rulik not see it?

I can understand Kempný, ex-NHL, with a ton of experience but why Krejčík, or Hájek? Hope Rulík sees something others don't.

 

[Nexon]

I am still convinced they would look better there, maybe even Galvas. They are from a different generation of our Ds, which are more confident, creative and calm imo. Spacek was a nice example, not only he got 2assist, but ho looked much more solid against NHL stars, then Krejcik, Kempny, Hajek

He also makes quite a few mistakes though, I agree someone should be there instead of Krejcik and Kempny but these young guns are often defensive liability

 

[Czechboy]

I can understand Kempný, ex-NHL, with a ton of experience but why Krejčík, or Hájek? Hope Rulík sees something others don't.

I'm fine with Hajek as he was good enough to get drafted, has good size and skating. Has played North Americans. I'm not saying he's the second coming of Karel Rachunek but he has a certain proven (shitty) pedigree. Krejcik has nothing.lol

 

[Czechboy]

Gudas Jiricek
Rutta Kempny
Galvas Kral
Hajek Masin

Self quote.. this is page 1 of the thread from me.

I was close! I got Gudas, Rutta, Kempny and Hajek right.

They cut Masin
Jiricek was unavailable
I definitely didn't consider Spacek and he's been good
Still pissed about Galvas and Kral

I did not see Krejcik as our top D man at all. Didn't even consider Scotka.

Using who was available.. it still wouldn't be good. I think the problem is that our D are stuck in the middle right now. Not good enough for NHL, okay in Europe, not modern at all.

2 years from now and that may change.. Jiricek, Svozil, Hovorka, Kral, Hronek, Gudas, Dvorak, Jiricek 2, Badinka, Galvas, Tichachek, Fibigr, Spacek,

Maybe 6 of those guys are regulars by then (I'm assumign Rutta will be done by then).

 

[BigBadBoar]

Self quote.. this is page 1 of the thread from me.

I was close! I got Gudas, Rutta, Kempny and Hajek right.

They cut Masin
Jiricek was unavailable
I definitely didn't consider Spacek and he's been good
Still pissed about Galvas and Kral

I did not see Krejcik as our top D man at all. Didn't even consider Scotka.

Using who was available.. it still wouldn't be good. I think the problem is that our D are stuck in the middle right now. Not good enough for NHL, okay in Europe, not modern at all.

2 years from now and that may change.. Jiricek, Svozil, Hovorka, Kral, Hronek, Gudas, Dvorak, Jiricek 2, Badinka, Galvas, Tichachek, Fibigr, Spacek,

Maybe 6 of those guys are regulars by then (I'm assumign Rutta will be done by then).

I understand some people may like Král, I was watching him just a few times this year so it is hard for me to give any evaluation. But Galvas? Why him? I would say he is a worse player now than he used to be when he was leaving for the North America.

 

[RBbandit]

I'm fine with Hajek as he was good enough to get drafted, has good size and skating. Has played North Americans. I'm not saying he's the second coming of Karel Rachunek but he has a certain proven (shitty) pedigree. Krejcik has nothing.lol

I know, he was Ranger at some point, mainly a 7-8 guy (good for him, not a small thing for cz defender) but when I watched Extraliga final he wasn't something I would say "Wow this guy is clearly above everybody else" quite opposite.

 

[Czechboy]

I know, he was Ranger at some time even mainly a 7-8 guy (good for him, not a small thing for cz defender) but when I watched Extraliga final he wasn't something I would say "Wow this guy is clearly above everybody else" quite opposite.

I've been reading that a lot lately.lol I'm probably just dead wrong. I"m not a huge fan or anything. But when I look at our D even a guy like Jakub Zboril is probably top 10 for us. It's just a shitty group.

 

[RBbandit]

I've been reading that a lot lately.lol I'm probably just dead wrong. I"m not a huge fan or anything. But when I look at our D even a guy like Jakub Zboril is probably top 10 for us. It's just a shitty group.

I don't watch hockey that much, juniors, skoda cup and Extraliga playoff because Trinec is still winning, You're most likely right, just mu 2c.

 

[martygod12]

Flek won't play due to illness tonight.