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

[GettingYourMoms]

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

Thats true, when i was 15yo i had only around 170-180 cm, when i was 20 i had 190 cm and now as 28yo i have 196 cm. And it is not about height its about thiccness.

 

[Wooren]

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...

Agree with everything in your post, Benak is a textbook example on how a center should play. He has been rather snakebitten so far this season with the U17 squad (I watched every single game) and all things considered, he has been the team's best forward. Points will eventually start going his way.
If he were 5'11" or more, he would be a pretty clear top 10, maybe even top 5, candidate for his draft. Unfortunately, his size will hurt him eventually. Hopefully he can grow to 5'9", given that's how tall his father is (according to EP.)

 

[Voodoozz]

Agree with everything in your post, Benak is a textbook example on how a center should play. He has been rather snakebitten so far this season with the U17 squad (I watched every single game) and all things considered, he has been the team's best forward. Points will eventually start going his way.
If he were 5'11" or more, he would be a pretty clear top 10, maybe even top 5, candidate for his draft. Unfortunately, his size will hurt him eventually. Hopefully he can grow to 5'9", given that's how tall his father is (according to EP.)

If he gets to like 5'9" that's absolutely fine in my books. It would probably still hurt Adam's draft stock but his skating and hockey sense make it a non-issue in the long run imo, especially in current hockey which is thankfully much more forgiving to undersized skilled players.

 

[austin63867]

Already has 8 PTS I'm 2 Games to start the Czech U17 season, leading in PTS. Smallest sample size possible but already he's gotten to #1 in Points this year. Might not stay in U17 long.

 

[Czechboy]

Already has 8 PTS I'm 2 Games to start the Czech U17 season, leading in PTS. Smallest sample size possible but already he's gotten to #1 in Points this year. Might not stay in U17 long.

Need him out of that league!

 

[austin63867]

Need him out of that league!

It's probably because of his size that he's stuck there if I had to guess. No reason he should still be in U17 unless it's temporary extra development.

 

[austin63867]

Just hoping this isn't a Xavier Parent situation where he can't overcome his size (although Parent is technically on an NHL team as of right now)

 

[Czechboy]

Just hoping this isn't a Xavier Parent situation where he can't overcome his size (although Parent is technically on an NHL team as of right now)

It is REALLY hard to gauge if a kid is near NHL ready from a Czech Junior league. I am definitely cheering for all these 'next Jagr's' though.. Sale, Petr, Kulich, jiricek, Benak

 

[Goodman68]

Just hoping this isn't a Xavier Parent situation where he can't overcome his size (although Parent is technically on an NHL team as of right now)

It's really strange that according to the statistics he is still the same height as a year ago..

 

[Voodoozz]

He's way too good for the U17 league, way above the rest. Still works extremely hard in all his shifts though, which is great to see. Sooner than later he'll end up with the U20 squad.

 

[GermanSpitfire]

Anyone have any info on how tall his parents are?

 

[kudla]

Anyone have any info on how tall his parents are?

In one czech interview he kinda implied that his parents are short.

 

[Goodman68]

Anyone have any info on how tall his parents are?

His father is a former hockey player Vaclav, he was 176 cm tall. According to one of the predictions based on the data at the beginning of last year, Adam should have been slightly taller, about 2 centimeters. But considering that this year it is written exactly the same height as last year, I don't know anymore, either it stopped growing or it doesn't make sense to count

 

[Belloco]

In any case, his career is impressive. He is well ahead of Sale and Kulich at the same age even though Sale has made strong progress at U17 and Kulich at U18

The talent is there. The size is especially important for players who do not stand out like him.

His weight was already 65kg when he was 167cm (normal height for a 13 year old kid).

I think he will be at least 175cm tall. But for geniuses this is not a problem. He's on the basics of an easy top 10 draft nhl. A candidate to be n°1, a year 2025 probably very tight

 

[FourQuarters]

I mean, some people might have their growth spurt. It is possible to grow a few inches in a few years, even few months. Even if he doesn't grow significantly taller, there are stars like Debrincat in the NHL. But he has some skills, that's talent and couldn't be taught.

 

[Voodoozz]

Recently I met him at a public skate in Pilsen and he didn't seem like a short kid for his age. Definitely not 5'6" short. It's hard to tell with skates on but I'm like 6'1" and he didn't appear that much shorter. He might have grown a bit and they just haven't updated the data yet but who knows.

 

[Goodman68]

Recently I met him at a public skate in Pilsen and he didn't seem like a short kid for his age. Definitely not 5'6" short. It's hard to tell with skates on but I'm like 6'1" and he didn't appear that much shorter. He might have grown a bit and they just haven't updated the data yet but who knows.

It also occurred to me while watching the edits that it's not that small

 

[GermanSpitfire]

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I liked his game. Looks like a talented player. He's bigger than the 5'6 listing.

Let's see where his height is a year from now, and it'll be a little easier to project how good he could be, but he's skilled, can skate, and score.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Recently I met him at a public skate in Pilsen and he didn't seem like a short kid for his age. Definitely not 5'6" short. It's hard to tell with skates on but I'm like 6'1" and he didn't appear that much shorter. He might have grown a bit and they just haven't updated the data yet but who knows.

My guess would be that he’s 5’8 right now.

 

[Voodoozz]

 

[Wooren]

Was so close to hattrick too, damn. Great player.

 

[Voodoozz]

7 points in 6 games as the youngest player of the tournament.
EDIT: 6 points apparently

 

[Czechboy]

View attachment 606671

7 points in 6 games as the youngest player of the tournament.

I think he hit the post there... to my eye, he got stronger and stronger as the tourney progressed

 

[GermanSpitfire]

He deserves way more praise than he has got for the tournament he had as an underager.

He was one of if not the best Czech forward game in, and out.

I was worried that his size may limit him, but it didn’t hamper him at all. He is real strong on his skates and does a great job moving protecting the puck and creating scoring opportunities down low - which surprised me.

Look for this kid to go in the first round in 2025