WC: 2025 Czech Team

[martygod12]

Czechs will pobably win against my Sweden. We struggle against that system. Even if we would get more chances we are not sharp enough.

It will be a close game but I fear you will win … our D is not good enough to keep up with the top teams … Kempny, Rutta and especially Gudas are missing very much from last year tournament

 

[BigBadBoar]

Seedings and rankings are designed to favor the better players or teams. So I agree a winner mentality is to beat everyone. But I don't think a winner mentality is to finish third or fourth in your pool and have three hard opponents for gold.

I'll use tennis... I've never heard Djokovic say I'd like to play the second ranked player in the round of 64 at a grand slam.

I think Canada hickey has an unbelievable winners mentality and I seriously doubt anyone in hockey cabada is upset about playing Denmark in round one. I'd say that is mission accomplished. Win the pool and hope for an easier draw. Save energy for semis and medal round.

Preferring a higher ranking from playing well and being rewarded with a potentially easier draw, to me, is a winner mentality.

Of course You wanna win every game. What I don't like is the "Oh, we are playing Sweden, it is over" mentality of some fans. Sweden has a fantastic team which only means the Czech team needs to play even better. I believe it is going to be a great battle.

 

[Czechboy]

Of course You wanna win every game. What I don't like is the "Oh, we are playing Sweden, it is over" mentality of some fans. Sweden has a fantastic team which only means the Czech team needs to play even better. I believe it is going to be a great battle.

The only silver lining I see is that I seriously didn't see us going undefeated and winning a Gold. That is not the Czech way. We need adversity. Now we have a lot of it.lol We have played very well (I think we led tourney in scoring after round robin) and I'd say have played better than our roster. Rulik seems to have a gift.

But, I am very nervous about tomorrow.

 

[BigBadBoar]

The only silver lining I see is that I seriously didn't see us going undefeated and winning a Gold. That is not the Czech way. We need adversity. Now we have a lot of it.lol We have played very well (I think we led tourney in scoring after round robin) and I'd say have played better than our roster. Rulik seems to have a gift.

But, I am very nervous about tomorrow.

I am looking forward to the game and believe so are the players. The stronger opponent = the more glorious victory you can achieve! That's the right mindset.

 

[tade]

taken from SWE roster discussion thread (yes Nylander is confirmed now):

Forsberg - Zibanejad - Nylander
Carlsson - Backlund - Lindholm
Johansson - Karlsson - Raymond
Lundeström - Wennberg - Friberg
Heineman

Brodin - Larsson
Pettersson - Andersson
Sandin - Edvinsson
Gustafsson

Markström
Ersson

good luck to us, I guess

 

[ZEBROA]

It will be a close game but I fear you will win … our D is not good enough to keep up with the top teams … Kempny, Rutta and especially Gudas are missing very much from last year tournament

It could be close but i fear your system, no matter wich players you got.

 

[Czechboy]

taken from SWE roster discussion thread (yes Nylander is confirmed now):

Forsberg - Zibanejad - Nylander
Carlsson - Backlund - Lindholm
Johansson - Karlsson - Raymond
Lundeström - Wennberg - Friberg
Heineman

Brodin - Larsson
Pettersson - Andersson
Sandin - Edvinsson
Gustafsson

Markström
Ersson

good luck to us, I guess

Brining in a ringer for QF doesn't always work. Curious if it pays off. Raymond not in Top 6.. holy shit!

 

[Czechboy]

Another good omen.. Pasta has a bronze and gold in his last 2 Skoda's. He's doing quite well here!

We also led round robin with 35 goals... at 34 goals was Canada, Sweden and Switzerland.

 

[Eye of Ra]

Congratulations to the spot in the semifinal.

 

[ZEBROA]

I hate it when Sweden lose. But more against Rus, Can, Fin, Us. The Czechs not as much.
I expect Sweden to blow this.

 

[Czechboy]

I hate it when Sweden lose. But more against Rus, Can, Fin, Us. The Czechs not as much.
I expect Sweden to blow this.

The only bad thing I can say about Swedish hockey is that they can get nervous in important games and lose games they should win. Do I think tomorrow is that day? Not really. Sweden is a GOLD contender. But I will be cheering to the end. I've got it 70-30 Sweden but I did pick the Czechs because I like everything about this team from coach to players and really have no complaints.

 

[Fil]

I hate it when Sweden lose. But more against Rus, Can, Fin, Us. The Czechs not as much.
I expect Sweden to blow this.

don't get my hopes up lol. not saying we can't win. it will just be hard

 

[Goodman68]

I'll write my tip for tomorrow's match. It's definitely nothing against the Czech team, which actually played very well with this composition (except for the match against the USA). I think Sweden will score a goal early in the match and calmly lead it to a victorious end. Sweden has looked extremely strong throughout the tournament and one match against Canada can't change that. And the quality of the team seems to be much higher than the quality of the Czech team this year. It's just my subjective view. I apologize in advance if I touched anyone emotionally

 

[Swipes]

I'll write my tip for tomorrow's match. It's definitely nothing against the Czech team, which actually played very well with this composition (except for the match against the USA). I think Sweden will score a goal early in the match and calmly lead it to a victorious end. Sweden has looked extremely strong throughout the tournament and one match against Canada can't change that. And the quality of the team seems to be much higher than the quality of the Czech team this year. It's just my subjective view. I apologize in advance if I touched anyone emotionally

I think that's a reasonable assessment. Our QF record against Sweden is also not very good, so I don't feel that confident either. Having said that, it's only 1 game, and so anything can happen. Fingers crossed for a good outcome!

 

[ZEBROA]

The only bad thing I can say about Swedish hockey is that they can get nervous in important games and lose games they should win. Do I think tomorrow is that day? Not really. Sweden is a GOLD contender. But I will be cheering to the end. I've got it 70-30 Sweden but I did pick the Czechs because I like everything about this team from coach to players and really have no complaints.

Sweden play better then they should many times, end up in medal games and lose. And then are called worst when it counts. Yeah we lost against Belarus that one time. That sucked. But most of the times we lose we aint the best team on papper. In the system we play , we need to be as good on papper as the other team to have a good chance to win. Sometimes i wich we had the guts to change to the finish D system or Czechs counter system. Depending on who we meet(against Canada etc).

I still think 70-30 Czechs as Swedens system sucks against yours.

 

[Czechboy]

Sweden play better then they should many times, end up in medal games and lose. And then are called worst when it counts. Yeah we lost against Belarus that one time. That sucked. But most of the times we lose we aint the best team on papper. In the system we play , we need to be as good on papper as the other team to have a good chance to win. Sometimes i wich we had the guts to change to the finish D system or Czechs counter system. Depending on who we meet(against Canada etc).

I still think 70-30 Czechs as Swedens system sucks against yours.

Well, we.noth agree it is 70-30. We just don't agree for.who.lol

 

[martygod12]

I'll write my tip for tomorrow's match. It's definitely nothing against the Czech team, which actually played very well with this composition (except for the match against the USA). I think Sweden will score a goal early in the match and calmly lead it to a victorious end. Sweden has looked extremely strong throughout the tournament and one match against Canada can't change that. And the quality of the team seems to be much higher than the quality of the Czech team this year. It's just my subjective view. I apologize in advance if I touched anyone emotionally

Sadly I have the same feeling about this lol. But then again, I had the same feeling about last year QF too and we all know how that ended lol.

Sweden is better on paper, and they play at home. But still we are not a second grade team who just somehow squeezed into the QF also, we have also very good team (with obvious weakness at D of course) who lost only one game so far. And after all its just one game and anything can happen.

But Yeah I am also leaning towards Sweden, but who knows maybe Rulik will cook it again lol

 

[Goodman68]

Sadly I have the same feeling about this lol. But then again, I had the same feeling about last year QF too and we all know how that ended lol.

Sweden is better on paper, and they play at home. But still we are not a second grade team who just somehow squeezed into the QF also, we have also very good team (with obvious weakness at D of course) who lost only one game so far. And after all its just one game and anything can happen.

But Yeah I am also leaning towards Sweden, but who knows maybe Rulik will cook it again lol

If I compare both teams, we are clearly lagging behind not only in defense, but also in terms of forwards. The first line is of course great, but then there is a big gap. We have to hope that the cooperation between Kampf and Nečas will work the same as in Prague. Although Kampf has not played much recently. But it is only one match and, of course, anything can happen under certain circumstances.

 

[BigBadBoar]

Sweden is obviously the favourite here. They have tons of individual skill, both goalies in a great shape and are playing on home ice. But still, Czechia is a team with a lot of experience, mature in terms of strategy, with smart coaches capable of bringing forth an effective gameplan. Expect Czechia to focus on defending in the neutral zone, aiming to prevent Sweden from creating any attacking zone lock and carousel. And relying on quick counterattacks which have always been kind of Czech trademark anyways.

 

[Zine]

It will be a close game but I fear you will win … our D is not good enough to keep up with the top teams … Kempny, Rutta and especially Gudas are missing very much from last year tournament

Is Kempny even WC quality anymore? His stats fell off a cliff this year. I assumed, after getting his gold, he’s lightly playing out the end of his career.
From what I’ve seen of them, Sklenicka and Sulak (yes I know Sulak is KHL) are also big omissions.

 

[BigBadBoar]

Is Kempny even WC quality anymore? His stats fell off a cliff this year. I assumed, after getting his gold, he’s lightly playing out the end of his career.
From what I’ve seen of them, Sklenicka and Sulak (yes I know Sulak is KHL) are also big omissions.

Šulák is no omission. Sklenička - maybe. Kempný is still kind of good, although, understandably, becoming slower with each season.

 

[martygod12]

Is Kempny even WC quality anymore? His stats fell off a cliff this year. I assumed, after getting his gold, he’s lightly playing out the end of his career.
From what I’ve seen of them, Sklenicka and Sulak (yes I know Sulak is KHL) are also big omissions.

Sklenicka and Klok both had good seasons and I think the political situation being different then it is now, they would both be there. But Its completely logical why they werent invited, same of course aplies even for Sulak and Jaskin.

Kempny is getting older of course, but I still think he would have been good, he is experienced and we kinda lack experience in D. But sure he is not Werenski or Karlsson, not even Gudas or Siegentaler for example

I wrote it earlier and stand by it: if we dont convert at least some of those young promising D prospects we have now, we are in serious trouble in the future. Even on this tournaments (not even counting OG best on best) you need to have at least 7-8 stable NHL Ds so you can regularly bring at least 3-4 to WCH if you want to regularly play for gold.