Olympics: Czech Republic Roster Discussion (Roster in post 1)
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I wont comment till the end of olympics. Just not to be general after the battle I am predicting we will not succeed both in U20 and Olympics.
Well hopefully but I am afraid it would be disservice to czech hockey. Having said that this U20 squat would deserve it and I would be very happy for them if they grab some medal. In regards to A team I remember 99 or 2000 when russians beat us in some Izvestia cup match and one of their officials was bouncing his chest how they won when all czech players knew it was a meanningless game. And we following same path. Maybe its just me but I consider entire atmosphere around A team from TV coverage, team, coaches to managers as wrong and showing fake picture of state of hockey in Czech Republic. We accepted such a low standart without any explanation that its beyond my understanding. But I know I am repeating myself here so its better to take a break from itWell I hope we meet in two months with 2 gold medal at our side then.
Well I guess when you don't have so much succed in last years, people are glad to have at least some. So they maybe overrate. Don't think the team overrate it though. For me personally I am more interested in these tournament now, because these players will play also at Olympic, with NHL no participate. In U20 I think their peak is next year with Necas, Chytil, Zadina more grown. This is year I hope for SF, which I think we capable to reach. But we will see.Well hopefully but I am afraid it would be disservice to czech hockey. Having said that this U20 squat would deserve it and I would be very happy for them if they grab some medal. In regards to A team I remember 99 or 2000 when russians beat us in some Izvestia cup match and one of their officials was bouncing his chest how they won when all czech players knew it was a meanningless game. And we following same path. Maybe its just me but I consider entire atmosphere around A team from TV coverage, team, coaches to managers as wrong and showing fake picture of state of hockey in Czech Republic. We accepted such a low standart without any explanation that its beyond my understanding. But I know I am repeating myself here so its better to take a break from it
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On TV it was commented like Stanley cup or WHC final. People also reacted like this because half of them look they take it as an entertainment and part of them is still probably able to say we are one of best in the world. I still have a lot of pride in hockey so I am shaking my head. I hope I am wrong and we finnally going to at least 15 draftees every year.
But look what finns here saying about this match - nothing. Same goes for guys like Chytil, Necas,Zadina. Dont know if anybody noticed that finns had 12 guys in first two rounds in 2017 draft. So I am not sure if our perception of our guys and their possible success also reflects other nations. I just dont understand that silence around it. Not even from czech TV, whose role is terrible in it imo, but from former players, coaches etc. I might be too suspicious, but then agents, scouts ussually say the same.
Finns are ahead of us in junior programs. But I think the 3 you mentioned are percepted rightly. Also the draft this year seem strong. Why here is small talk about them, is because there is small fanbase of Czechs. And in Czech people don't care much for juniors. TV and journalist watch audience and there isn't much, so they rather do something more beneficial.
Somewhere the perception is wrong though, I agree too. Realistic we are the 6/5th in the world right now. Better then Switzerland, but worse then Russia and others.
For the Euro Hockey Tour I think it's like you said, it's not taken as important. Olympic is something else. And if you meant Robert Zaruba, he is like this all the time with national team. It was good game, with good ending for us, so he enjoy it too. I don't think it mean he take it as big success. After all we play terribly the first two period.
Realistically we are 6th nation, but I am more interested in that gap between us and 5th nation. We will see in next draft. Those three guys are definetely perceived accurately, but considering draft dead rate, I am concern how much we pointing out on individuals.Having like 9-10 players on draft including 3 goalies is very low number imo to have a chance to built team with medal aspiration. I mean we speaking about three guys and that should show our progress but I missing point here what is the goal. Like to defend 6th position or to chase top 5?
In regards to TV, media and general atmosphere. I understand that they should get time for work but realistically, in my opinion, the time frame should be 2018 or 2019 as latest. 7 or 8 seasons are quite a long time and results should appear.
But what I dont really understand is how come that with such high hockey popularity in the country no one really talk about it. There are no open TV discussions with more guests, newspapers are limited to individual articles describing each specific issue, but somehow it all looks like isolated effort. WE just commenting matches avoiding the basis. Not even talking about coaches and experts. There is no such initiative even from that side. I mean they just letting czech hockey, if not falling, then stagnating, and I dont see the gap closing. So will they ever evaluate this program or I am just curious what they will do next? They dont say " yeh, there are weak generations on peak right now but it will change in three years". They say "there is a weak generation now and we dont know how the next one will look like".
I mean you can always say "bless Lener". But this would be just because the next leaders wont put enough effort. All I hear is that no one knows, journalists dont really care that much and experts or coaches dont look they want to do something with it together. What shocks me most, that there is no organized opposition against the present approach, meaning on theoretical expert level. So is that mean that everybody agrees with it....? I mean it does not mean war when you have diff. opinion. In the end of the day they have same goal, or should have.
But overall that lack of media confrontation, mostly from TV, is the biggest weakness imo. They should force them to speak and make them get use to such confrontation, so as they do it with politics. Instead of media teaching officers how to deal with it and communicate, officers teach media how to be silent, at least in hockey. We are just slowly getting use to have no open discussion about anything here, and this is clearly wrong imo.
Tortorella is US coach, does he get special treatment from journalists? No, in fact it is often opposite. This all look like some kind of weird normalization habit, dont know.
The gap is my concern too. When it seem we defend the 6th position from Swiss, Finland are moving away from us. Now it should be our plan to move up and catch the other top nations. And I think the 2020 when we host WJC will be the right time to show our progress.
Also agree with the draft. The depth is missing. When Sweden take at WHC 19 players from NHL and we 7, it's hard to think at gold. That should be part of the plan, of course.
And with the later who knows. We talk about it already. It just want to be more professional. I completely agree we should unite and work together. I don't think we stagnate, but go up slowly than necesarry, if everything will be working good. But people here are not used to cooperate, can you imagine GM choose team to coachs here like in Canada?
Exactly I can not imagine it. I can not imagine a lot of thinks doing like that in Canada. Thats why it bothers me a lot. Because these guys are trying to excuse it by different enviroment despite they built this enviroment. Well I guess we share thoughts on it. Its just not presented like that by association. To be honest, for me giving them time till 2020 seems too long. AS for cooperation, what is valid for all these guys like Ruzicka, Hamdczik, Jandac etc. they never doubt about themselfes. I guess thats where they should start because it looks like their ego was built in CZ, but its not enough for world stage. So they might sit together and say "hey we are bad, we might do it in wrong way, lets try to do best together and built something". Props to Hadamczik and Ruzicka because they at least counted with being critizised. This new wawe is horrible. Maybe I shouldnt talk about those three and rather become to know who is responsible for that youth program. Like how many people work on it, who brought it? Only think I am afraid, there is no will among responsible people to change the way thinking and approach towards this issue.Thats why its presented always in such a blury way. But it starts from these guys and coaches. Once you dont change that attitude you can never expect players to find it by themselfs. They might find it in NA once they leave and stay away from CZ but I thought that wasnt the original plan.
The enviroment is not bad only in hockey. You see it everywhere here. People should be nicer to themselves, easy in theory, but hard in practice it seems.
But from the coachs and everyone, I think biggest problem are clubs, there is where is cooperation needed. They care only about money and doesn't really care about future of Czech hockey. Many talents did not make it because they don't have a chance to make it. Such difference from Sweden or Finland.About the 2020, I meant it as the prime line, when it will be in our country and it should be demonstration of their 10 years of work. It takes time. And moreover there was some success already like 2014 silver, Ivan Hlinka. So I think they deserve the time.
And sorry if I'm repeating myself, it's quite possible.
Completely agree here. The way how people started to behave to each other here is horrible. Its generally just a negative and unpolite enviroment that it must have negative impact on all people, not just hockey players. Managers, it varies a lot and for sure lot of them dont see bigger picture. We obviously miss team work from these guys. One would say when you are 40 or 50 its automatic but obviously not.To more positive note I quite like from what I see on A challenge right now.The enviroment is not bad only in hockey. You see it everywhere here. People should be nicer to themselves, easy in theory, but hard in practice it seems.
About the 2020, I meant it as the prime line, when it will be in our country and it should be demonstration of their 10 years of work. It takes time. And moreover there was some success already like 2014 silver, Ivan Hlinka. So I think they deserve the time.
And sorry if I'm repeating myself, it's quite possible.
Yeah, they played good. Shame they didn't make it to final, the chance was there. But you can see it get better here too. Last 2 two years SF, when previously all around 5/6th position.
So pre-Olympic tournaments end. With that we can guess who have a chance be there. I will offer my opinion.
I think goalies are sure. There will be Furch, Francouz and Bartošák, with Furch as no.1.
From defense Nakládal, Kundrátek, Němec and Jordán seems as lock. Mozík ask for chance too in this tournament and with his good form in KHL, I think he gets her. Then there Šmíd with Kolář who are closest from the bunch of other playes(Michálek/Vitásek/Doudera/Polášek). I am not sure what chance have Michálek.
And from forwards I guess Kovář, Erat, Červenka, Sekáč, Birner and Radil are locks. Then there are players who play good in tournaments like Řepík, Růžička and Klepiš and probably will be there too. Also the old guys like Vondrka and Koukal are very close. That make 11 players and the rest (Filippi, Gulaš, Hanzl, Horák, Kubalík, Nestrašil and Zohorna) will join them. I think Kubalik, Horak and Zohorna/Gulaš have biggest chance.
That's why I think it is, it can be wrong of course. But anyway it will be, I think we will have solid chance at medal. It was only preparation, tounaments will be completely different, of course. But still, the teams seems all very close. Only Russia is exception, but the gap is not like with NHL Canada.
That's my two cents.
I think goalies are sure. There will be Furch, Francouz and Bartošák, with Furch as no.1.
From defense Nakládal, Kundrátek, Němec and Jordán seems as lock. Mozík ask for chance too in this tournament and with his good form in KHL, I think he gets her. Then there Šmíd with Kolář who are closest from the bunch of other playes(Michálek/Vitásek/Doudera/Polášek). I am not sure what chance have Michálek.
And from forwards I guess Kovář, Erat, Červenka, Sekáč, Birner and Radil are locks. Then there are players who play good in tournaments like Řepík, Růžička and Klepiš and probably will be there too. Also the old guys like Vondrka and Koukal are very close. That make 11 players and the rest (Filippi, Gulaš, Hanzl, Horák, Kubalík, Nestrašil and Zohorna) will join them. I think Kubalik, Horak and Zohorna/Gulaš have biggest chance.
That's why I think it is, it can be wrong of course. But anyway it will be, I think we will have solid chance at medal. It was only preparation, tounaments will be completely different, of course. But still, the teams seems all very close. Only Russia is exception, but the gap is not like with NHL Canada.
That's my two cents.
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So the nomination is coming closer, names will be known in January 15, 16:00(4pm) CET. I read some people want Martin Nečas in this team, but Jaroslav Špaček say he have more chances at WCH, not now. More experienced roster in expected.
He catch good form lately, but unfortunately for him and others Furch and Francouz don't let anyone else be in the net, they're just that good. It's nice we can pick though, outside of these 3 there is Hrachovina(Top 5 in Liiga), Kovář, Svoboda and others(Salák, Štěpánek, Hrubec, Kašík). Our goalies should be our strength there.
HasbeenHallzy
Registered User
Captain of this team was named Martin Erat. Alternate players in case of injury are (from what I understand) Zbyněk Michálek, Ladislav Šmíd and Milan Doudera from D and Martin Růžička, Jakub Klepiš, Robin Hanzl and Martin Nečas from F.
Interesting facts:
Average age is 28,92 (Goalies 26, Defensmen 28 and Forwards 29)
15 players are from KHL, 7 from Extraliga and 3 from NLA.
6 players will debute at top tournament (Bartošák, Mozík, Polášek, Gulaš, Kubalík and Mertl).
Also 6 players have experience in best-on-best tournament like World Cup or Olympic (Jordán, Kundrátek, Nakládal, Birner, Červenka and Erat).
11 players are 30 years and more old.
Oldest Player is Martin Erat(36), youngest Dominik Kubalík(22).
Martin Erat will go at his 4th olympic and tie in starts names like Tomáš Kaberle and Patrik Eliáš.
Interesting facts:
Average age is 28,92 (Goalies 26, Defensmen 28 and Forwards 29)
15 players are from KHL, 7 from Extraliga and 3 from NLA.
6 players will debute at top tournament (Bartošák, Mozík, Polášek, Gulaš, Kubalík and Mertl).
Also 6 players have experience in best-on-best tournament like World Cup or Olympic (Jordán, Kundrátek, Nakládal, Birner, Červenka and Erat).
11 players are 30 years and more old.
Oldest Player is Martin Erat(36), youngest Dominik Kubalík(22).
Martin Erat will go at his 4th olympic and tie in starts names like Tomáš Kaberle and Patrik Eliáš.
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SoundAndFury
Registered User
- May 28, 2012
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Untimely injury, pretty big loss. Polasek is a bit of surprise for me, really not shining this season. Also no Hanzl is pretty weird, by the time Olympics come he will be in full strength again.
Pandaman11
Registered User
- Dec 3, 2009
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One day, this team needs a line with Hertl and Mertl on it, and another one with Hanzal and Hanzl. Just to troll the commentators.
Otherwise, pretty old and KHL-heavy, while the second one is not a bad thing. I wonder if e.g. Necas or Zadina would've deserved a chance as a 14th F wildcard.
Otherwise, pretty old and KHL-heavy, while the second one is not a bad thing. I wonder if e.g. Necas or Zadina would've deserved a chance as a 14th F wildcard.
Pandaman11
Registered User
- Dec 3, 2009
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What's the difference between "big" and "best-on-best", and why does it add up only to 12?
My bad English
. Best-on-best(World cup and Olympic with NHL) Erat played at Olympic, Červenka at both and rest at World Cup. And by big I meant no experience with any tournament other then EHT(World Championship, Olympic, World Cup). It's just some info about the team, the rest have some experience there or there. Of course all players except Červenka and Erat will debute at olympic because no NHL, so I didn't even write it.
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