WJC: Czech Republic 2020 Roster Talk

[Wooren]

Undrafted becomes an argument because generally the best players in an age group are drafted within 7 rounds even if teams are unsure of their overall potential. Malik posted below average numbers in the OHL last season, while Parik had good numbers in the WHL. Parik is a year older and LA felt he was good enough to be taken in the top 90 players selected.

It doesn't make much sense as to why Malik would be given the reigns over Parik before the tournament started. He's a below average goalie and his numbers, as well as his status with NHL teams, confirm that.

Malik wasn't bad after the first period, but had Parik started would he have made 1 or 2 of those saves that Malik didn't? Would that have shifted the flow of the game? We'll never know, but the question persists because the believed BPA wasn't playing.

Malik's OHL numbers were still the best on his team. Prior to that, he was having a good season in the Chance league (2nd tier league below Extraliga), better stats than Jan Bednar actually.

I agree he shouldn't have been named the starter so prematurely, I would have too started Parik in the quaterfinals and I would have also preferred Bednar to Malik. But making him the scapegoat of the team that got shutout is not fair. He is a decent goalie who almost certainly still is on some NHL teams' radar.

According to a highly regarded scout (recently hired by Carolina), Hamara is the next best prospect after Lambert currently playing in Finland. I’ve also never seen him live. Just highlights.
More of an offensive defender. Has that extra swagger that Svozil and Jiricek have.

Hamara is a very impressive prospect, the 2022 draft could be fun from Czech point of view after some weaker years.

Hey man I love the debate!
Honestly I think Czech hockey just had more to overcome. Again, it was always going to be a slower process.
But I will agree that it’s been too slow and by this time they should have a solid plan in place. Unfortunately that’s not the case and it’s frustrating for sure. What’s the answer? Do we minimize the amount of teams? Concentrate the talent to a smaller league?

I think team reduction is universally accepted by most as an at least step in the right direction, I still hope Pesan will do so once this Covid hell is over, but it feels like the reduction of teams has been talked about for years and still no change, so who knows.

 

[czechcanadian]

Interesting article/interview. Really like Bukac and his takes.
Top pětka nám odskakuje. Žijeme v klamu, i Rakušané pracují víc, soudí Bukač mladší | Aktuálně.cz

 

[Czechboy]

Interesting article/interview. Really like Bukac and his takes.
Top pětka nám odskakuje. Žijeme v klamu, i Rakušané pracují víc, soudí Bukač mladší | Aktuálně.cz

My fav was when he talked about skating and how that can be taught but no one is teaching it.lol

 

[czechcanadian]

My fav was when he talked about skating and how that can be taught but no one is teaching it.lol

Lol I know right. He runs a hockey school though. Gotta send the kids there I guess!
Might think about signing my son up when we go visit family in Czech sometime haha

 

[Czechboy]

Lol I know right. He runs a hockey school though. Gotta send the kids there I guess!
Might think about signing my son up when we go visit family in Czech sometime haha

One of my dream trips, aside from doing a World Championships one April in Prague (and hopefully a new arena in Brno), would be to get my son in tennis camp in Brno and attend (eg. I drink beer all day and cheer him on).lol

 

[Czechboy]

Looks like Krutil and Teply are off to blackhawks camp!
Mysak is off to Hamilton.
Bednar is off to Quebec
So is Raska

Not sure about Pytlik, Novak or a few others.

Not sure if Svozil is heading to Regina or not for instance.

 

[czechcanadian]

Looks like Krutil and Teply are off to blackhawks camp!
Mysak is off to Hamilton.
Bednar is off to Quebec
So is Raska

Not sure about Pytlik, Novak or a few others.

Not sure if Svozil is heading to Regina or not for instance.

I wonder if Jiricek will go to Spokane. He was drafted by them.

 

[Czechboy]

I wonder if Jiricek will go to Spokane. He was drafted by them.

Honestly, it's for the best.. get our best D into Sweden2 or CHL so they get drafted high! also to play in all situations and over 20 minutes a night.

If I was Swedish, Russian or Finn I'd be against this. However, I have no faith in Czechs in developing players in Czech2 and Extraliga to make the jump to NHL. It just doesn't happen.

I updated the camps in the Czechs in NHL section (under Central Europe).. Kral also didn't get an invite.

 

[czechcanadian]

Honestly, it's for the best.. get our best D into Sweden2 or CHL so they get drafted high! also to play in all situations and over 20 minutes a night.

If I was Swedish, Russian or Finn I'd be against this. However, I have no faith in Czechs in developing players in Czech2 and Extraliga to make the jump to NHL. It just doesn't happen.

I updated the camps in the Czechs in NHL section (under Central Europe).. Kral also didn't get an invite.

There’s a few who have. I mean the most recent would be Necas and Chytil. Those are 2 really incredible prospects. It can’t be THAT bad. As long as they’re good enough they seem to get a chance to play.
They gotta figure out how to improve Czech2. Sweden2 is such a great league and develops a ton of great players

 

[Czechboy]

There’s a few who have. I mean the most recent would be Necas and Chytil. Those are 2 really incredible prospects. It can’t be THAT bad. As long as they’re good enough they seem to get a chance to play.
They gotta figure out how to improve Czech2. Sweden2 is such a great league and develops a ton of great players

I actually meant D.. my bad. However!

Both went to AHL after being drafted (or back and forth).

I agree they are awesome... I am hoping they both have breakout seasons.

Only guy I can think of that went Extraliga to NHL in last decade was Hertl.

 

[czechcanadian]

I actually meant D.. my bad. However!

Both went to AHL after being drafted (or back and forth).

I agree they are awesome... I am hoping they both have breakout seasons.

Only guy I can think of that went Extraliga to NHL in last decade was Hertl.

Oh haha then yes.
Yeah Hertl is the only guy I think

 

[Czechboy]

Oh haha then yes.
Yeah Hertl is the only guy I think

Mazanec did it believe it or not as well.. went to NHL from Extraliga.. then just faded away and back to Extraliga. Shame.. guy did everything.. signed 2 way contracts and fought hard to stay in NHL.

 

[pgfan66]

I wonder if Jiricek will go to Spokane. He was drafted by them.

My guess is the WHL season will be cancelled soon.

 

[Czechboy]

 

[dryz]

Wouldn't WHL be a step back for Jiricek? He is 17 and already plays 15 minutes per game against men. And Plzeň is a great organization with competent front office.

Anyway looks like Teply was almost cut from the team for his poor work ethic.

 

[Voodoozz]

Provided that Jiricek keeps playing 15+ minutes in Extraliga, including PK/PP, I think it's better for his development than the WHL, even though he might be drafted a little lower.

He's looked real great in all the games I've seen him play so far, he's done quite a lot of PK and after his WJC performance his IT will go up rather than down. Having Spacek as a D coach should help.

 

[FinPanda]

I'm so confused why 2021 Czech team was talked about in 2020 tournament thread.. I hope you'll have a thread for 2022.

 

[vil]

Anyway looks like Teply was almost cut from the team for his poor work ethic.

Maybe Pešán just doesnt like Teplý. Pešán is sure good at blaming others for his own inability to change the literal status quo in Czech Hockey. Teplý has had a worse tournament than expected, lets blame it all on the kid.

Almost spilled my coffee when they asked Pešán, after he boasted about the "best possible national team program, and all the levels of national teams having the same playbook supplied by his office" the interviewer asked him "So the 5-man defense only tactic was your work?"

Anyway Pešán is putting out the message that the national federation is doing a great job, the horrible national competitions are the clubs fault and the bad U20 results are the players bad work ethic. That tells me he is unable to do anything substantial so just spews hot air to make himself keep his chair.

These same players apparently had a better work ethic at U16 age, what could we be doing wrong from U16 to U20, dear Pešán?

 

[Czechboy]

I'm so confused why 2021 Czech team was talked about in 2020 tournament thread.. I hope you'll have a thread for 2022.

We just didn't want 2020 to end!lol

 

[Czechboy]

Maybe Pešán just doesnt like Teplý. Pešán is sure good at blaming others for his own inability to change the literal status quo in Czech Hockey. Teplý has had a worse tournament than expected, lets blame it all on the kid.

Almost spilled my coffee when they asked Pešán, after he boasted about the "best possible national team program, and all the levels of national teams having the same playbook supplied by his office" the interviewer asked him "So the 5-man defense only tactic was your work?"

Anyway Pešán is putting out the message that the national federation is doing a great job, the horrible national competitions are the clubs fault and the bad U20 results are the players bad work ethic. That tells me he is unable to do anything substantial so just spews hot air to make himself keep his chair.

These same players apparently had a better work ethic at U16 age, what could we be doing wrong from U16 to U20, dear Pešán?

What was his issue with Teply? Sounds like Teply showed up out of shape?

I feel like Czechs do a good job till 16... just not sure after that thought. I agree the clubs are an issue at this point and I agree that the kids need to work hard if they want to stay competitive.

However, those are complaints that I can make from my keyboard. I'd think Pesan might actually try to do something about that? A lot of our missing skills might not just be intangibles like natural ability and athleticism. Diet, a good dryland program and skating can be taught for instance. I'd think that'd be on Pesan to get going at lower level. Seems like all the Top 5 Nations, to my eye, as a whole team skate better.

 

[Rexor]

I tend to side with Pešán here. It's a mystery to me why people keep putting all the blame on Král, Lener or Pešán (who's been merely a year and a half in his position) while clubs are totally getting a free pass. It's the clubs that are mainly responsible for players' development. It's their fault when young players are getting limited or no ice time, and it's the clubs that keep opposing changes that would make youth development in the Czech Republic more efficient (like reducing the number of teams in junior leagues or making it easier and less expensive for young players to change teams). It's the clubs that keep signing second rate players from abroad instead of giving a local kid a shot. Yet, no one in the media dares to criticize club owners, as though it were all about two or three most visible people at the top whose power to change things on the ground, on everyday basis, is actually limited and indirect. Very childish, if you ask me.

 

[vil]

What was his issue with Teply?

Apparently lack of respect, had to raise his voice to get Teplys attention, he claims. Practice intensity is generally a Czech problem.

Pešán should take responsibility for and push through a change in the youth competitions (against the clubs wishes) otherwise he is a useless pawn of the federation and the clubs.

If the kids have something to fight for every year, the intensity will pick up.

 

[czechcanadian]

I tend to side with Pešán here. It's a mystery to me why people keep putting all the blame on Král, Lener or Pešán (who's been merely a year and a half in his position) while clubs are totally getting a free pass. It's the clubs that are mainly responsible for players' development. It's their fault when young players are getting limited or no ice time, and it's the clubs that keep opposing changes that would make youth development in the Czech Republic more efficient (like reducing the number of teams in junior leagues or making it easier and less expensive for young players to change teams). It's the clubs that keep signing second rate players from abroad instead of giving a local kid a shot. Yet, no one in the media dares to criticize club owners, as though it were all about two or three most visible people at the top whose power to change things on the ground, on everyday basis, is actually limited and indirect. Very childish, if you ask me.

Very much agree

 

[Czechboy]

I tend to side with Pešán here. It's a mystery to me why people keep putting all the blame on Král, Lener or Pešán (who's been merely a year and a half in his position) while clubs are totally getting a free pass. It's the clubs that are mainly responsible for players' development. It's their fault when young players are getting limited or no ice time, and it's the clubs that keep opposing changes that would make youth development in the Czech Republic more efficient (like reducing the number of teams in junior leagues or making it easier and less expensive for young players to change teams). It's the clubs that keep signing second rate players from abroad instead of giving a local kid a shot. Yet, no one in the media dares to criticize club owners, as though it were all about two or three most visible people at the top whose power to change things on the ground, on everyday basis, is actually limited and indirect. Very childish, if you ask me.

Here's my question for everyone.. does Pesan have any control over the clubs in his current role?

To me, it looks like he's saying the coaches and federation are doing a great job but it's the clubs (which he doesn't control) is the problem?

FTR.. I'm a big Pesan fan and wish him nothing but success. I liked Lener too. Kral, not so much.. reminds me of the guy in charge of tennis.

 

[Pepsi91]

Next year the team should be better especially in goalkeepers and defenders.

G Jan Bednar (2002)
G Nick Malik (2002)
G Patrik Hamrla (2003)

D Michael Krutil (2002)
D Ondrej Balaz (2002)
D Stanislav Svozil (2003)
D David Jiricek (2003)
D Jiri Tichacek (2003)
D Tomas Hamara (2004)
D Ales Cech (2004)

W Jan Mysak (2002)
W Pavel Novak (2002)
W Jakub Konecny (2002)
W Tomas Urban (2002)
W Sebastian Malat (2002)
W Josef Kolacek (2002)
W Stanislav Vrhel (2002)
W Martin Risavy (2003)
W Simon Slavicek (2004)

C Michal Gut (2002)
C Tobias Handl (2002)
C Tomas Chlubna (2002)
C Ivan Ivan (2002)

I think it should look something like this

IMO, it should be battle between Suchánek and Hamrla for third GK spot. Even though we have some other good goalies who have some potential.
Honestly, I really doubt that there will be any other 04 defensemen beside Hamara. 02 guys like Kremláček, Talafa, Hrádek or even 03 guys like Machů are much more likely to participate.
For forwards, I like 04 group, but I still think that our only 04 forward in tournament will be Šapovaliv, he is the best of them and hopefully will get icetime for Kladno in Chance liga. 03 forward group is really weak, we will see what some of them will do in CHL (if it will start), but the other one who could be there is Brabenec. I don't think that guys like Koláček or Vrhel who play only in U-20 league will get the chance, even though Finnish U-20 has maybe more quality than Chance liga (but we will see how will they play next season).
Overall, next year team should have more offenive talent, primarly because more offensive d-core, but semifinals would probably be equal to miracle again.