Czechia WCH U18 Roster Talk

[Czechboy]

I know we discussed this in another thread. That after the injury, Galvas would only play for the U17 and I believed that he would get a chance in the U18 next time. I'm glad that it really is, of course I'm glad that Jiříček is there. Badinka and Dvořák, it was a certainty that they would be nominated. As it was written recently, so that we don't end up having problems soon especially with forwards, many in the NHL are not doing as well as we thought and it doesn't look like there will be any significant change in the future either, one or two forwards in the draft in the first two rounds is nothing power..

Benak and Jecho will save us! Along with Blumel, Kulich and Sale. All will be 100 point NHL players very soon.haha

 

[Czechboy]

I know we discussed this in another thread. That after the injury, Galvas would only play for the U17 and I believed that he would get a chance in the U18 next time. I'm glad that it really is, of course I'm glad that Jiříček is there. Badinka and Dvořák, it was a certainty that they would be nominated. As it was written recently, so that we don't end up having problems soon especially with forwards, many in the NHL are not doing as well as we thought and it doesn't look like there will be any significant change in the future either, one or two forwards in the draft in the first two rounds is nothing power..

and your favs Zadina and Kaut will soon be like Necas and Chytil

 

[Goodman68]

and your favs Zadina and Kaut will soon be like Necas and Chytil

I would really like that. Unfortunately, I don't trust any of them very much anymore. Actually, not at all.. I'm almost ashamed, but I told myself that it's not worth lying to myself

 

[Czechboy]

I would really like that. Unfortunately, I don't trust any of them very much anymore. Actually, not at all.. I'm almost ashamed, but I told myself that it's not worth lying to myself

Czech fans have been lying to ourselves for years.. I thought Mrazek was the next Hasek! Kaut was my fav of the 4 (Necas/Zadina/Chytil/Kaut) and Zadina was second. Hajek and Zboril would be top pair by now.

The years have not been kind.haha

 

[martygod12]

Love that D! Some real nice forward pieces too. Dybal too.

Suprised to see Štancl here, I thought he is injured, So this Is really good! Add Sprynar and Hrabal from America to this lineup for the WCH and we have a really solid looking team.

Czech fans have been lying to ourselves for years.. I thought Mrazek was the next Hasek! Kaut was my fav of the 4 (Necas/Zadina/Chytil/Kaut) and Zadina was second. Hajek and Zboril would be top pair by now.

The years have not been kind.haha

At least Nečas and Chytil are starting to look solid

 

[Czechboy]

Suprised to see Štancl here, I thought he is injured, So this Is really good! Add Sprynar and Hrabal from America to this lineup for the WCH and we have a really solid looking team.


At least Nečas and Chytil are starting to look solid

1. I really like the looks of our U18 team.. I'm not saying we're gold but the quarters and a final 4 seem reasonable. That D is beautiful, again, and we have 2 solid goalies and Sale should really stand out along with the others. Plus my irrational love of Petr who will heal just in time to tear it up and get back into first 2 rounds draft talk!

2. Sometimes a change of scenery does a world of good.. I think Kaut will do well in SJ. I think Zadina will too once he gets traded. BUT, I've been wrong about EVERYTHING with those two so I may be the most biased fan in the world.lol

 

[Goodman68]

1. I really like the looks of our U18 team.. I'm not saying we're gold but the quarters and a final 4 seem reasonable. That D is beautiful, again, and we have 2 solid goalies and Sale should really stand out along with the others. Plus my irrational love of Petr who will heal just in time to tear it up and get back into first 2 rounds draft talk!

2. Sometimes a change of scenery does a world of good.. I think Kaut will do well in SJ. I think Zadina will too once he gets traded. BUT, I've been wrong about EVERYTHING with those two so I may be the most biased fan in the world.lol

I agree, you are biased.
Just like me

---

 

[Czechboy]

I agree, you are biased.
Just like me

---

I thought Musil was a LOCK for the NHL.. same with Masin.lol

So many mistakes.haha

 

[Goodman68]

I thought Musil was a LOCK for the NHL.. same with Masin.lol

So many mistakes.haha

I noticed

 

[martygod12]

1. I really like the looks of our U18 team.. I'm not saying we're gold but the quarters and a final 4 seem reasonable. That D is beautiful, again, and we have 2 solid goalies and Sale should really stand out along with the others. Plus my irrational love of Petr who will heal just in time to tear it up and get back into first 2 rounds draft talk!

2. Sometimes a change of scenery does a world of good.. I think Kaut will do well in SJ. I think Zadina will too once he gets traded. BUT, I've been wrong about EVERYTHING with those two so I may be the most biased fan in the world.lol

Hope you are right this time I also still believe, that Zadina can become a solid NHLer, as for Kaut dont know, maybe a stable 3-4th liner who puts 15-30points per season, but thats it.

But overall I dont think its that bad with offense in the NHL and for the future. Most of ours top forwards in the NHL are 30-31 years old tops (majority under 30), so I think all of them except for Krejci and Voras, will be playing in the NHL for at least another 5-6 years, and in that time new guys will come.

There is of course Kulich, Sale, Benak as absolute top prospects. But also other guys like Sapo, Brabenec, Jecho, Pavlik, Stancl, Sprynar and so on which could be potential NHL quality. Not to mention older guys already in the AHL like Rousek or Blumel, which I think both can play NHL one day. And of course there are always new guys every year which are "discovered" so we really cant know yet if we dont have some top forwards hidden somewhere for 2025 and beyond drafts. Its still too far away.

I think we will be fine in the offense, but whats important is that defense is going up, our biggest weakness

 

[Czechboy]

Hope you are right this time I also still believe, that Zadina can become a solid NHLer, as for Kaut dont know, maybe a stable 3-4th liner who puts 15-30points per season, but thats it.

But overall I dont think its that bad with offense in the NHL and for the future. Most of ours top forwards in the NHL are 30-31 years old tops (majority under 30), so I think all of them except for Krejci and Voras, will be playing in the NHL for at least another 5-6 years, and in that time new guys will come.

There is of course Kulich, Sale, Benak as absolute top prospects. But also other guys like Sapo, Brabenec, Jecho, Pavlik, Stancl, Sprynar and so on which could be potential NHL quality. Not to mention older guys already in the AHL like Rousek or Blumel, which I think both can play NHL one day. And of course there are always new guys every year which are "discovered" so we really cant know yet if we dont have some top forwards hidden somewhere for 2025 and beyond drafts. Its still too far away.

I think we will be fine in the offense, but whats important is that defense is going up, our biggest weakness

Agree with all of it BUT

Kaut is a future 80 point NHL player! .. maybe not but hope dies last.

AHL guys include blumel, zohorna, lauko, jenik, klapka, raska, mysak etc. I'm not saying they will be all stars but I think they crack the NHL and stay awhile. The cupboards aren't empty and I still think Chlapik makes it back.

 

[martygod12]

Agree with all of it BUT

Kaut is a future 80 point NHL player! .. maybe not but hope dies last.

AHL guys include blumel, zohorna, lauko, jenik, klapka, raska, mysak etc. I'm not saying they will be all stars but I think they crack the NHL and stay awhile. The cupboards aren't empty and I still think Chlapik makes it back.

You are an optimist and I like it, and I hope or kinda wish you are right

I also try being optimistic, but its kinda hard being and optimist in Czech hockey for the past 15 years

I just never thought Kaut was a top six NHL player. I always seen him more like a 3-4 line guy, and think that is his maximum he can play.

And the AHL guys, I can see Rousek and Blumel in the NHL as I said before. As for Lauko and Jenik I am kinda losing hope, I always thought they are NHL ready, but I just dont see any progress in neither of them for the past three years so I kinda dont see them as NHL players anymore. Zohorna maybe like 20% chance, Raska, Reichel, Klapka, Kondelik etc. no chance, they are sadly not good enough. Mysak is still young, so he can still come around and make the NHL one day.

From Europe, sure Chlapik, Spacek, Jasek, Smejkal etc. very good players, which can get NHL contracts, but if they make it to be a stable NHL players, thats hard to say. The gap between NHL and the rest of the hockey world is just so big, that being a top player in Europe just doesnt mean a stable NHL potential.

So yeah, I have a bit of a pesimistic look at our guys, but hope that I am wrong and your predictions will be right

On the other hand I am quite optimisic on our youth player, I really think that its going up again, and our U18 players and younger can again lift up our hockey and lot of them being NHL stars in the future.

 

[Czechboy]

You are an optimist and I like it, and I hope or kinda wish you are right

I also try being optimistic, but its kinda hard being and optimist in Czech hockey for the past 15 years

I just never thought Kaut was a top six NHL player. I always seen him more like a 3-4 line guy, and think that is his maximum he can play.

And the AHL guys, I can see Rousek and Blumel in the NHL as I said before. As for Lauko and Jenik I am kinda losing hope, I always thought they are NHL ready, but I just dont see any progress in neither of them for the past three years so I kinda dont see them as NHL players anymore. Zohorna maybe like 20% chance, Raska, Reichel, Klapka, Kondelik etc. no chance, they are sadly not good enough. Mysak is still young, so he can still come around and make the NHL one day.

From Europe, sure Chlapik, Spacek, Jasek, Smejkal etc. very good players, which can get NHL contracts, but if they make it to be a stable NHL players, thats hard to say. The gap between NHL and the rest of the hockey world is just so big, that being a top player in Europe just doesnt mean a stable NHL potential.

So yeah, I have a bit of a pesimistic look at our guys, but hope that I am wrong and your predictions will be right

On the other hand I am quite optimisic on our youth player, I really think that its going up again, and our U18 players and younger can again lift up our hockey and lot of them being NHL stars in the future.

I'm also an Oilers fan so my last 15 years of hockey have been 'fun' as both my teams lose all the time. BUT both are doing better now.

I was positive Lauko and Jenik would be NHLers now too.. especially Jenik in Arizona. Huge fan of his game. But you're right, starting to look bad.

I love Klapka!

Of the Euro's... I'm a huge Spacek fan but don't see him ever coming back. Chlapik I think will. Smejkal, like you said, would be a great bottom 6 NHL player but I doubt he leaves unless it is a 1 way contract.

So I get the pessimism! trust me.

 

[Wooren]

Can't say I understand the optimism regarding our U18 squad, too many players haven't taken the expected step forward, some even regressed compared to last season.
Goalie tandem of Hrabal-Dybal is certainly strong, and I too like the D core, even though as underagers, it's hard to expect big things from Galvas and Jiricek. But the forward core is really underwhelming, and Sprynar with Zidlicky are the only solid forwards missing. Who is going to score besides Sale?

 

[Goodman68]

Can't say I understand the optimism regarding our U18 squad, too many players haven't taken the expected step forward, some even regressed compared to last season.
Goalie tandem of Hrabal-Dybal is certainly strong, and I too like the D core, even though as underagers, it's hard to expect big things from Galvas and Jiricek. But the forward core is really underwhelming, and Sprynar with Zidlicky are the only solid forwards missing. Who is going to score besides Sale?

As I wrote, while watching HGC, I gradually came to believe that the third and fourth lines are actually really weak, and I was extremely frustrated by what was happening on the ice. The inability to create a good opportunity due to poor hockey IQ and individual quality was glaring. So I don't have high expectations either. I didn't even have that at the last two WJCH, where I didn't trust our attack too much and I was wrong, but I'm afraid that Petr is nowhere near as good a coach as Rulík et al. The only player who fulfills the role of another shooter in this team (without Šprynar) is Štancl. Whenever I saw him in NT he was a key player and played excellently, hopefully he will be in form after the game break. Felcman was average at best this year, you can't expect anything from the underdog Petr, and the rest of the team is mostly the third and fourth line.

 

[Wooren]

As I wrote, while watching HGC, I gradually came to believe that the third and fourth lines are actually really weak, and I was extremely frustrated by what was happening on the ice. The inability to create a good opportunity due to poor hockey IQ and individual quality was glaring. So I don't have high expectations either. I didn't even have that at the last two WJCH, where I didn't trust our attack too much and I was wrong, but I'm afraid that Petr is nowhere near as good a coach as Rulík et al. The only player who fulfills the role of another shooter in this team (without Šprynar) is Štancl. Whenever I saw him in NT he was a key player and played excellently, hopefully he will be in form after the game break. Felcman was average at best this year, you can't expect anything from the underdog Petr, and the rest of the team is mostly the third and fourth line.

I mostly agree, Felcman and Petr are certainly the two players I expected much more from this season. Both looked like potential top 100 picks last season (in Petr's case, I was convinced it would take a pedestrian season to somehow be ignored at the draft altogether, but he is certainly trending in that direction.) I also had some expectations for Csabi.

As for Stancl, I am not a big fan, the fact he is a mainstay in the top 6 tells more about the team than him. He is ideally a physical bottom 6 forward with some scoring touch. Reminds me of Rysavy in that sense, who also had to play up in the line-up at 2021 U18 WJC. But Stancl is more offensively talented than Rysavy.

 

[Goodman68]

I mostly agree, Felcman and Petr are certainly the two players I expected much more from this season. Both looked like potential top 100 picks last season (in Petr's case, I was convinced it would take a pedestrian season to somehow be ignored at the draft altogether, but he is certainly trending in that direction.) I also had some expectations for Csabi.

As for Stancl, I am not a big fan, the fact he is a mainstay in the top 6 tells more about the team than him. He is ideally a physical bottom 6 forward with some scoring touch. Reminds me of Rysavy in that sense, who also had to play up in the line-up at 2021 U18 WJC. But Stancl is more offensively talented than Rysavy.

As for Štancl.. I'm not saying he's a top prospect. But he is such a dark horse of the draft, he could be a hidden gem. He works hard, in my opinion he has a very solid individual technique, he is definitely a much better player than Ryšavý at his age. It is realistic that he would go in the draft in the third round. If Šalé was also in the team, Štancl was not far behind him in performance, on the contrary, they were the two best players.

 

[Czechboy]

For me.. I'll always take the team with better G and D with weaker forwards over the team with strong forwards but weaker D and G.

But, I'm the optimist.lol

 

[martygod12]

Can't say I understand the optimism regarding our U18 squad, too many players haven't taken the expected step forward, some even regressed compared to last season.
Goalie tandem of Hrabal-Dybal is certainly strong, and I too like the D core, even though as underagers, it's hard to expect big things from Galvas and Jiricek. But the forward core is really underwhelming, and Sprynar with Zidlicky are the only solid forwards missing. Who is going to score besides Sale?

I think the optimism come mostly from the fact, that we have a solid gk (if Hrabal comes, but Dybal Is also good), and good D which Is consisted mostly of guys, which can go in 1-3.round at draft this and next year. Of course three of them are underagers, so that can be a drawback.

The offense Is weaker, but we had a "weaker" offense this year also at the WJC and we all know how that turned out for us thanks to strong defence and goalie.

So I think, that despite the lower offensive strength, we can finish in top 4 if we are a bit lucky.

For me.. I'll always take the team with better G and D with weaker forwards over the team with strong forwards but weaker D and G.

But, I'm the optimist.lol

Yes strong defense and gk is more important then strong offense. We as Czech hockey fans know this first handed lol.

 

[Czechboy]

I think the optimism come mostly from the fact, that we have a solid gk (if Hrabal comes, but Dybal Is also good), and good D which Is consisted mostly of guys, which can go in 1-3.round at draft this and next year. Of course three of them are underagers, so that can be a drawback.

The offense Is weaker, but we had a "weaker" offense this year also at the WJC and we all know how that turned out for us thanks to strong defence and goalie.

So I think, that despite the lower offensive strength, we can finish in top 4 if we are a bit lucky.


Yes strong defense and gk is more important then strong offense. We as Czech hockey fans know this first handed lol.

Forward wise it isn't terrible either.. it's not elite by any means but Sale is a top player going in and he'll be surrounded by Stancl, Petr, Zidlicky, Felchman and Sprynar. Bottom 6 will struggle. Top 6 should be okay.

Forwards B-
D A- (because a few are underage)
G A

 

[martygod12]

Hmm so all of our u18 guys except for Sale are currently not playing in ELH. Jiříček, Skok back in U20, Dvorak i guess still injured And Galvas not even playing in U20. Thats not what I want to see

 

[Goodman68]

Hmm so all of our u18 guys except for Sale are currently not playing in ELH. Jiříček, Skok back in U20, Dvorak i guess still injured And Galvas not even playing in U20. Thats not what I want to see

Galvas plays the U17 probably because their U20 will almost certainly be relegated, while the U17 are still playing for promotion. The question is which is better. To be with elders who still lose or..

 

[Czechboy]

We are losing all over Europe today.lol

U16, U17 and U20 all lost today. Swiss, Swedes and Finn's all beat us. Not shocked but it'd be nice to see some W's. Benak scored.

 

[martygod12]

We are losing all over Europe today.lol

U16, U17 and U20 all lost today. Swiss, Swedes and Finn's all beat us. Not shocked but it'd be nice to see some W's. Benak scored.

It was all tight games. But I am angry about the U20 loss, especially when they were up 2:0, you have to finish off such a game, especially against Swiss.

 

[Czechboy]

Obviously a few minor tweaks but I love the look of this group!