F Adam Benák - Youngstown Phantoms, USHL (2025 Draft)

[czech]

After today's hat-trick... leads the U17-league.
Another Czech next star... together with... Jiříček (22), Petr & Šalé (23), Jecho (24)

Click to read more...

 

[czechcanadian]

Is it U-17? I thought U-18. They keep changing it.

Either way, insanely impressive numbers. Hope this kid turns out. Czech hockey badly needs it.

 

[czech]

Adam Benák is included in the team-u17 (2005 y.o.b.) (!) for three matches against Finland (december 28, 29, 30).

 

[Seb]

This is the closest we'll get to Adam Banks

 

[GettingYourMoms]

Is it U-17? I thought U-18. They keep changing it.

Either way, insanely impressive numbers. Hope this kid turns out. Czech hockey badly needs it.

Czech hocked does not need another Crosby/Draisaitl/Jagr, czech hockey need more good players like Palat for example, and we need to produce them every year.

 

[czech]

First 4-goal game today.

 

[lamini]

Czech hocked does not need another Crosby/Draisaitl/Jagr, czech hockey need more good players like Palat for example, and we need to produce them every year.

TBH it needs both...3 good (top 6 f or top 4 d) a year with star here and there would be good start.

 

[czech]

2+3 yesterday!
11pts in the last 4 games.

 

[GettingYourMoms]

Locked 1st overall pick. He is over 2 points per game in u17 league as 14 yo and has 6 points in his 2 international(u16) games. Unbelievably smart and skilled 2 way center.

 

[BKarchitect]

Let's hope Jiricek, Sale and Benak pan out (and Dostal - I think he's the real deal) - it could give Czechia that elite upper end talent it needs. Who is truly a star right now? Pastrnak and to some effect, Hertl. Krejci and Voracek are aging out. Palat is good but not a star. No defensemen, maybe Hronek - talented but not reliable. Palat is a great support player but not a star. Average goalies at best. So many flameouts like Zacha, Chytil, Kaut even Zadina has been disappointing...only Necas looks like he is holding up to his pedigree. Not sure any of Mysak, Jenik, Lauko etc are anything special.

If the aforementioned players can be truly special - and their progress suggests they are a level above the last generation - then things look good. Then the next step down guys like Kulich, Sapovliev, Jecho, Stancl, Petr, Hamara, Svozil, etc look like a pretty solid second tier, obviously not all are going to work out but they are all very good prospects.

 

[Dirtyf1ghter]

In terms of goalkeeper training, Czechia is Elite.

7 Czech GKs have played in the NHL this year, 10 GKs drafted between 2017 and 2021.

Czechia has never been as strong as today in this position. It just misses the GK1 like Vokouns was but among all the GK prospects there will most likely be one who will reach this level.

 

[Czechboy]

In terms of goalkeeper training, Czechia is Elite.

7 Czech GKs have played in the NHL this year, 10 GKs drafted between 2017 and 2021.

Czechia has never been as strong as today in this position. It just misses the GK1 like Vokouns was but among all the GK prospects there will most likely be one who will reach this level.

Patera and Skarek doing very well in AHL too
Dobes doing really well in his league too
Parik is quite excellent
Undrafted Malik doing REALLY well in Finland (like Dostal before him)
Korenar may make it eventually too

Dostal seems most likely to be the next big star for us but I thought same about Mrazek so time will tell. In any case.. most the guys are younger and not retiring soon. Let's hope at least 1 takes off!

 

[Czechboy]

Locked 1st overall pick. He is over 2 points per game in u17 league as 14 yo and has 6 points in his 2 international(u16) games. Unbelievably smart and skilled 2 way center.

It's always scary to me.. because I hear about these guys and how they are first rounders... then they hit 17 and disappear a bit or drop down.

Has was going to be a first rounder, so was Mysak, so was Pytlik, so was Svozil, Kubicek was going to be drafted for sure, Malik was too!

Frk was a first rounder and the king of Karlovy Vary with his own website.

Hope all these guys work out but we will see.

 

[BKarchitect]

Sure for a small nation Czechia does produce great depth of goalies to the NHL still, probably underrated but still lacking that star currently. Francousz, Vanecek, Mrazek, Vladar - all talented in the big scheme of things but on a best against best international stage agains the top nations - they still could use Dostal or somebody to breakthrough as a real game changer.

 

[Czechboy]

Sure for a small nation Czechia does produce great depth of goalies to the NHL still, probably underrated but still lacking that star currently. Francousz, Vanecek, Mrazek, Vladar - all talented in the big scheme of things but on a best against best international stage agains the top nations - they still could use Dostal or somebody to breakthrough as a real game changer.

Absolutely... no tippy top guys but we have a lot of balls in play. fingers crossed. Vlejmelka coming out of nowhere (from an NHL perspective) may also get a few of our very good Euro goalies a second look as free agent signings too.

 

[BKarchitect]

It's always scary to me.. because I hear about these guys and how they are first rounders... then they hit 17 and disappear a bit or drop down.

Has was going to be a first rounder, so was Mysak, so was Pytlik, so was Svozil, Kubicek was going to be drafted for sure, Malik was too!

Frk was a first rounder and the king of Karlovy Vary with his own website.

Hope all these guys work out but we will see.

I imagine in Czechia and Slovakia there is a great “thirst” for hockey fans to find the “next one” or the new golden generation that can light up the sport after relatively dead periods. I mean Slovakia completely bottomed out - at least the Czechs still have Pasternak to carry the torch as a real superstar although I have no idea is he has much of a star presence back home?

It does seem the youth groups for both nations are doing things we haven’t seen before though. Even if U17 or U20 stats come with a major qualifier of “we will see” - it at least must be exciting to see Benak and Sale not just put up comparable performance but blow it away. Of course that doesn’t account for overall league strength and such but against the age groups from the last 5 years it certainly seems like a different level. Fingers crossed.

 

[Czechboy]

I imagine in Czechia and Slovakia there is a great “thirst” for hockey fans to find the “next one” or the new golden generation that can light up the sport after relatively dead periods. I mean Slovakia completely bottomed out - at least the Czechs still have Pasternak to carry the torch as a real superstar although I have no idea is he has much of a star presence back home?

It does seem the youth groups for both nations are doing things we haven’t seen before though. Even if U17 or U20 stats come with a major qualifier of “we will see” - it at least must be exciting to see Benak and Sale not just put up comparable performance but blow it away. Of course that doesn’t account for overall league strength and such but against the age groups from the last 5 years it certainly seems like a different level. Fingers crossed.

I'd argue Hertl is better this year and that both are superstars. Not generational but superstars that make a big impact.

I'd actually be fine with a nice new stream of NHL players - 5 more NHL D would be great! A few more C's would be great! Eg. some more Palats, Kubaliks and Hroneks would make a big difference.

In this draft... it looks like we have a high end D which is great but we also have 2 C's and another few D's coming that may be NHL regulars.. that is great! Kulich, Sapo and Hamara all look to be first 2 rounds.

obviously, I'll take generational players too.lol But watching Czech kids dominate other Czech kids isn't the best test. I'd much prefer to see them dominating Swedish kids, or Finnish Kids or Canadian kids in their leagues. Then I'll beleive it and, trust me, I want to believe it

 

[wings5]

Dominating Czech juniors doesn't say much imo. It just means they are among the top in their age group among Czech prospects. I believe for the country to truly get to the level of a Finland , Sweden these top young Czech players will need to have opportunities to get ice time in Czech Extraliga. Look how few Swedes and Finns go over to the CHL . It is because they have opportunities to grow, develop and learn with their senior teams at home in a comfortable environment. This seems to have been a problem in Extaliga for awhile now though.

 

[Goodman68]

Let's hope Jiricek, Sale and Benak pan out (and Dostal - I think he's the real deal) - it could give Czechia that elite upper end talent it needs. Who is truly a star right now? Pastrnak and to some effect, Hertl. Krejci and Voracek are aging out. Palat is good but not a star. No defensemen, maybe Hronek - talented but not reliable. Palat is a great support player but not a star. Average goalies at best. So many flameouts like Zacha, Chytil, Kaut even Zadina has been disappointing...only Necas looks like he is holding up to his pedigree. Not sure any of Mysak, Jenik, Lauko etc are anything special.

If the aforementioned players can be truly special - and their progress suggests they are a level above the last generation - then things look good. Then the next step down guys like Kulich, Sapovliev, Jecho, Stancl, Petr, Hamara, Svozil, etc look like a pretty solid second tier, obviously not all are going to work out but they are all very good prospects.

The attackers born in 99 are still relatively young and have the potential to grow. But .. That their development and performance is a huge disappointment is a simple fact. The biggest disappointment for me is Zadina, I expected him to be a great player and I would compare it to coach Bruckner and his statement to the performance of my charge. It's baroque. He became a below-average league player. I also expected much better performances at Chytil. Kaut may not even be a regular league player.
Of these players, of course, the best is Nečas and then Zacha, who has been playing very well for the last two years (except for the recent period).
Somehow I got depressed and I don't even want to write anything about the rest. Damn ..

 

[Johnny97]

 

[Voodoozz]

Another Michigan last night. This kid looks pretty special, fantastic tools and stats. Only 5'6" so far though, it might become a limitation.



One more vid I found from a year ago, extremely mature play as a 13 y.o. center.

 

[Voodoozz]

Game-deciding shootout goal today in a 10th round to give his team a 2:0 semifinal lead.

 

[Voodoozz]

 

[Voodoozz]

Some of Benák's shifts against SVK from the recent U17 tournament. He didn't score a ton of points as an underager but had some great moments in every game I've watched. His combination of skating, creativity, defensive IQ and hands is insane for a Czech prospect, a bona fide modern centerman through and through. My only worry is the size. Still 5"6' according to Eliteprospects...

 

[FourQuarters]

Some of Benák's shifts against SVK from the recent U17 tournament. He didn't score a ton of points as an underager but had some great moments in every game I've watched. His combination of skating, creativity, defensive IQ and hands is insane for a Czech prospect, a bona fide modern centerman through and through. My only worry is the size. Still 5"6' according to Eliteprospects...

I mean, he is 15 years old. He will be taller in his draft year.