Czech & Slovak Question
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Today we (slovaks) have not so much to offer to improve czech team because we regressed lot but in early 00´s the potential CS team would second best team on paper to Canada imo. Just add to czech olympics 02 and 06 teams and WC 04 team guys like Palffy, Demitra, Satan, Bondra, Stumpel Handzus, Hossa, Gaborik, Nagy, Chara, Visnovsky, Svehla and that teams would be scary in offence, pretty solid in defence an stellar in net. 8 players from former Czechoslovakia were in top 21 scoring leaders in 00/01. Insane
penepi
Registered User
It would be great experiment. If I remember clear there were ussually around 5-6 slovaks in team Czechoslovakia. Czech Republic alone struggle to put all best players into one team since 96 WC. Since then their key to success was "good company". Only slovaks didnt have many issues with sending all the best they had, if I am not mistaken. This team around lets say 2003 would be probably for the first time half and half because slovaks had more "star" players who must be there. Therefore there is probably no room for crucial guys of czech golden generation like Reichel and Dopita. They would pick that team from how many 100-110 NHL players? Considering how strong was just czech roster in 2002 OG, if czechs and slovaks got along with each other, it would be dominant force imo.
Anyway as I said before, even in 2016 WC all the slovaks from team Europe except Gaborik would be mega boost for us. We had such a weak defence and not enough firepower in offence...
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I think the most players at least with one game in NHL season from former Czechoslovakia was in 03/04. 74 czechs+ 38 slovaks is 112 " czechoslovakians". Mostly that offensive power would be brutal because that was peak for our offensive forwards. We were separated by then but I seriously think czechoslovak hockey was at his peak at early 00´s. Most players were grown in former Czechoslovakia. To put thinks in to prespective from offensive standpoint there were 2 Finns, 8 Russians, 8 Swedes, 11 Americans and 17 "Czechoslovaks" ( 11 Czechs+ 6 Slovaks) who made at least 50 points in that season. Only Canada had more players. 2 Finns, 5 Swedes, 6 Russians and 11 Americans scored at least 20 goals that season. And Slovaks and Czechs? 8 Czechs + 7 Slovaks. That offense talent these days was immense
Its not exactly topic of this thread but I was also always curious how would Czechoslovakia do in Canada cup 87 if they could add Stastny's line and who else was there? Pivonka, Svoboda, Musil?
zorz
Registered User
- Mar 8, 2010
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Seeing as there's drop off in talent for both czech and slovak team, is it that people lost interest in hockey or those early 2000 teams were result of some really strong years talent wise? Kinda like Usa having Eichel and Matthews after years of underwhelming talent at center position?
I don't really see a drop off in talent for Czech team, definitely not in recent years. As for us, we had one strong generation of players and almost nothing has been done to improve hockey infrastructure, our senior and junior league cannot be compared to the Europe's elite. I can't really see under the hood, but I would say our coaching methods are outdated, we simply don't produce elite players.
End of communism happend. Those players born in 70´s were grown in the socialism era. When it ends development programs were broke down in both countries. Well it hurts mostly Slovakia. Czechs dropped a bit though but they are improving recently. Slovak development program was never really fixed again and I am afraid it is not till nowdays
. Cause of problem could be that 70´s were richer for born children than 90´s for example. The level of slovak players did not regressed by one level, not two levels but at least three or four. For example 2003 wch team would blow current team out of the water. That team had 2 top ten scoring leaders from NHL and 9 forwards were from NHL which 7 of them had 50 or more points. Current team had players from Czech extraliga who are struggling to make 0,5 ppg. There is more injured players now than 2003 though.Its one part of the problem, in fact not a problem but a different situation to which hockey needs to adapt to. The strongest czechoslovak hockey generation came from 70's when there was massive baby boom in Czechoslovakia. Also range of sports was limited, nobody did floorball, only individuals did skateboarding etc. Hockey was also perceived as the opportunity to have good life. Thats the reason guys around Straka, Palfy was not even talented but super motivated to succeed compare to present generation.
Czech association recently did a lot to open hockey for masses again and make it cheaper. Still its timedemanding and hockey must battle with other sports.
I would disagree with other posters here. There is a massive drop off in talent in Czech Republic . That issue still relates to 90s where responsible people obviously stoped doing anything probably being charmed by success of senior team (communist development program was stoped despite its copies like US system work well, but thats the result of revolution)This is changing very slowly and we still more chasing top countries in development than challenge them, constantly being one or two steps behind.
There is no elite NHL talent comming from Czech Republic, except probably Pastrnak and that is really not enough. Despite CZ did a lot good changes and arrangements recently, still its more about "try it, we will see" than about systematic work with some target, which I doubt was even defined.
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End of communism happend. Those players born in 70´s were grown in the socialism era. When it ends development programs were broke down in both countries. Well it hurts mostly Slovakia. Czechs dropped a bit though but they are improving recently. Slovak development program was never really fixed again and I am afraid it is not till nowdays
People should be optimistic but this case with points makes me depressed. I remember times with more than ten 50 points players in NHL. Its around 4-5 right now. Hertl might still reach it. Still the biggest talents from lets say 13-14 struggle to even make team, like Jaskin, Frk etc. Its getting better in terms of depth, but on european level, not much in NHL. There are quite a a lot intersting guys battling for spots. Next NHL season will be some kind of moment of true imo. There will be Simon, Vrana, Nosek, Stransky, Jerabek, Frk, Nestrasil, Simek, Prybil maybe, Rittich,Mazanec, Kase, Kampf, Hrachovina, Kempny all battling for spots. This will say a lot. So far only two guys who went overseas from czech league made team- Hertl and Kase through AHL(he is not even lock)
I don't know how Hrachovina could battle for NHL spot when he's signed in Liiga for next season.
There's a reason even the best 89 - 95 struggle(d) to get NHL spots. And that reason is poor skating. Nosek, Stransky, Frk, Pribyl, Jaskin, Musil are all average skaters at best (most of them below average). I believe some of them would have deserved a better shot than what they have gotten so far, but it all comes down to skating and these guys probably wouldn't be able to keep up with the speed. I think (hope) the overall skating skill got better with the 96 - present players, you rarely see U17 or U18 getting outskated. And thus I think the younger players will translate to the NHL better.
Skating is obviously not the only reason Czech Rep. producued so little NHL talent, but in my opinion it's the biggest one.
Ok, I mixed Hrachovina with that huy from Pilsen going to Detroit. As to skating, I can not disagree. It went so far that even guys in junior national teams couldnt skate. Btw. I watched some Detroits game with Nosek and, to be honest, I can not imagine he will make it. I agree present juniors are good skaters and their skills are comparable to other top nations. Nevertheless, i mentioned it somewhere before, other juniors look more mature on that stage. What I realy miss is using of natural instinct...and in terms of being NHL star, I dont think we bring big personalities. Anyway, Kral mentioned it in some interview that they know we dont produce top talent, so I am curious what they gonna do with that..
