F - Nela Lopusanova - Vlci Zilina (2026 NHL Draft)

[FourQuarters]

she is not eligible, there is a minimum age requirement.

otherwise I am sure she would have been there and Slovakia would have scored more than 0 goals in the first 2 games.

Oh I don't know the minimum age requirement, make sense.
I really want to watch her play in Shenzhen, so sad that she didn't come this summer.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Why isn’t she being considered for the male categories of her age group in Slovakia? I would think that’s the best way for her to develop, if she’s able to play at that level of competition.

 

[kudla]

Why isn’t she being considered for the male categories of her age group in Slovakia? I would think that’s the best way for her to develop, if she’s able to play at that level of competition.

Yeah, I don't think risking a possible career threatening injury playing against boys her age would be a good idea.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Yeah, I don't think risking a possible career threatening injury playing against boys her age would be a good idea.

I’m ignorant of her ability and the level of women’s hockey, so I fully acknowledge I could be way off on this.

She’s not able to compete with 15 year old boys?

Weren’t most of the best female athletes over the years playing against the boys up until the pros anyway?

 

[kudla]

I’m ignorant of her ability and the level of women’s hockey, so I fully acknowledge I could be way off on this.

She’s not able to compete with 15 year old boys?

Weren’t most of the best female athletes over the years playing against the boys up until the pros anyway?

I am sure she is, she has already played a lot of games among boys. Im just not a fan of it - a woman should play with women.

 

[Preposterone]

I’m looking forward to Nela competing against the top women; I think she’ll dominate. Out of pads, she looks like grown ass women already at 15. I sat a few seats down from Kendal coyne at nu during my bio elective, and Nela looks more developed in her upper body than college aged kcs

 

[Gigantor The Goalie]

I’m looking forward to Nela competing against the top women; I think she’ll dominate. Out of pads, she looks like grown ass women already at 15. I sat a few seats down from Kendal coyne at nu during my bio elective, and Nela looks more developed in her upper body than college aged kcs

To be fair to Coyne she's like 5' 1", I don't know how much muscle mass you're putting on that frame

 

[wetcoast]

To be fair to Coyne she's like 5' 1", I don't know how much muscle mass you're putting on that frame

Being 5' 1" in woman's hockey isn't that great of a hindrance is it?

 

[Gigantor The Goalie]

Being 5' 1" in woman's hockey isn't that great of a hindrance is it?

It's the same thing with being 5' 8" in men's hockey. You need a way to deal with the physicality & I don't just mean open ice hits. Board battles, net battles, puck battles in general if you're a small player you need to be handle yourself despite the size disadvantage. There's not many 5' 1" players in elite women's hockey for the same reason there's not a lot of 5' 8" players in elite men's hockey, hockey is a physical sport no matter the gender or hitting rules especially on North American ice.

 

[majormajor]

Being 5' 1" in woman's hockey isn't that great of a hindrance is it?

It's the same thing with being 5' 8" in men's hockey. You need a way to deal with the physicality & I don't just mean open ice hits. Board battles, net battles, puck battles in general if you're a small player you need to be handle yourself despite the size disadvantage. There's not many 5' 1" players in elite women's hockey for the same reason there's not a lot of 5' 8" players in elite men's hockey, hockey is a physical sport no matter the gender or hitting rules especially on North American ice.

Don't forget reach.

 

[Atoyot]

Why isn’t she being considered for the male categories of her age group in Slovakia? I would think that’s the best way for her to develop, if she’s able to play at that level of competition.

She played most of the season last year in Slovakia's men's U16 league at 14 and dominated it.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

She played most of the season last year in Slovakia's men's U16 league at 14 and dominated it.

She should play U18 mens this season. I think that's what'll be best for her in getting better this season. It's better than going to some prep school league in the USA where she'll still be the best player, even if it's a more competitive league than she'd face against similarly aged girls in Slovakia.

 

[wetcoast]

It's the same thing with being 5' 8" in men's hockey. You need a way to deal with the physicality & I don't just mean open ice hits. Board battles, net battles, puck battles in general if you're a small player you need to be handle yourself despite the size disadvantage. There's not many 5' 1" players in elite women's hockey for the same reason there's not a lot of 5' 8" players in elite men's hockey, hockey is a physical sport no matter the gender or hitting rules especially on North American ice.

I don't think that the 5'1" female player and the 5'8" male player have the same issues though as the NHL can be very physical while the woman's game just isn't and is more skill oriented.

I also have zero idea if the same amounts ie those to grow up to be 5'1" female players are playing as the skilled 5'8" guys either.

But this is a side issue the player we are discussing is 5'7" and won't have any physical limitations.

 

[wetcoast]

She played most of the season last year in Slovakia's men's U16 league at 14 and dominated it.

Sure but it's a large league 28 teams I think and a lot of the elite boys her age played up in the U18 league.

I think for her development (and she might turn into the greatest offensive female hockey player of all time) a season with the u18 in Slovakia would serve her well.

 

[austin63867]

 

[bigdog16]

She should play U18 mens this season. I think that's what'll be best for her in getting better this season. It's better than going to some prep school league in the USA where she'll still be the best player, even if it's a more competitive league than she'd face against similarly aged girls in Slovakia.

Yea I don't fully understand the move. She is going down in skill level from last year. I'm not all too familiar with the women's hockey ranks, but I do believe that where she is playing is the most competitive amateur female hockey excluding NCAA that she can play.

She is stuck in a tough spot because men's hockey is becoming too dangerous for her and there isn't a women's league good enough available to her.

 

[Preposterone]

Yea I don't fully understand the move. She is going down in skill level from last year. I'm not all too familiar with the women's hockey ranks, but I do believe that where she is playing is the most competitive amateur female hockey excluding NCAA that she can play.

She is stuck in a tough spot because men's hockey is becoming too dangerous for her and there isn't a women's league good enough available to her.

Your last sentence pretty much explains your first one. Her realistic choices at thus point (if she wants to retain college eligibility) are play women’s prep, which is a step down from select u16 boys leagues, or try and cut it at the boys u18 level, which will put her up against competition far more physically developed than what she was facing last year.

Maybe she could try and petition a stronger u16 boys league outside of Slovakia to let her play or something

 

[BondraTime]

The age where Women players begin to see the impassable differences is bantam -> midget. It get's incresiningly and increasingly harder for women compared to men at the same age every season from 14->15->16->17- and on.

 

[bigdog16]

Your last sentence pretty much explains your first one. Her realistic choices at thus point (if she wants to retain college eligibility) are play women’s prep, which is a step down from select u16 boys leagues, or try and cut it at the boys u18 level, which will put her up against competition far more physically developed than what she was facing last year.

Maybe she could try and petition a stronger u16 boys league outside of Slovakia to let her play or something

I think the right fit likely would have been U16 Tier 2 in the US. Is that type of development worth leaving home for? Probably not

 

[Antiillafire]

So with the announcement of the PWHL, is there a chance she could skip college and declare for the draft as soon as she is eligible? I’m guessing the age requirements will be similar to the NHL draft, so 2026 eligible.

 

[nucksflailtogether]

So with the announcement of the PWHL, is there a chance she could skip college and declare for the draft as soon as she is eligible? I’m guessing the age requirements will be similar to the NHL draft, so 2026 eligible.

It would be huge for that league to have a superstar. Huge for women's hockey in Europe too, you would think.

 

[abo9]

Yea I don't fully understand the move. She is going down in skill level from last year. I'm not all too familiar with the women's hockey ranks, but I do believe that where she is playing is the most competitive amateur female hockey excluding NCAA that she can play.

She is stuck in a tough spot because men's hockey is becoming too dangerous for her and there isn't a women's league good enough available to her.

I'm just putting a bottle to the sea with this comment, but could she get sponsored/a free ride in a US university? And would the path she chose make that easier?

Ie. She could get a top notch education while still playing in against some of the best women hockey players in the world?

What's the alternative that's would be "better" for her? Would she be able to do all that while playing against boys or in a pro/semi-pro league?

 

[CutOnDime97]

So with the announcement of the PWHL, is there a chance she could skip college and declare for the draft as soon as she is eligible? I’m guessing the age requirements will be similar to the NHL draft, so 2026 eligible.

Would that be wise with the way these pro leagues have been going? Getting a 4 year degree on a scholarship then going pro seems like the smarter move.

 

[bigdog16]

So with the announcement of the PWHL, is there a chance she could skip college and declare for the draft as soon as she is eligible? I’m guessing the age requirements will be similar to the NHL draft, so 2026 eligible.

It would be a very poor decision. Theres like a 50/50 chance the league is even around in 2026

 

[wetcoast]

Any insight into why the point total in the woman's league dropped this year? Obviously both totals are incredible for such a young player, but one would expect the higher total at the older age. Is it just opponents more aware of her and focusing their defence on her? Was it just a couple outlier games in the small sample size that made the point difference seem big? Did her team get worse and score fewer goals?

Sadly the info is hard to get into if one is a casual hockey fan like me.

elite prospects doesn't have stats for past rosters and the official website for the team has some scores but no stats and it's hard to figure out what their regular season is..

2023-24 Girls Hockey 19U Schedule - Bishop Kearney Selects

The official 2023-24 Girls Hockey 19U schedule for the Bishop Kearney Selects

bkselects.org