Sweden - FrondellWho do you miss on Hlinka Gretzky Cup?
LOL. Buggar.![]()
The only players who I wouldn't be upset to see cut in his place are Svancara and Samal, but Svancara is one of the few forwards on the squad with good size and Samal in my very limited viewings of those two Davos games looked decent. Admittedly I don't know much about either player, but Bartovic isn't a big loss IMO. Nestrasil and Frolo are both bigger omissions than him. All three are victims of a deep forward core, which should make us Czech fans happy.I'm surprised that Bartovič is not nominated, the team played the second game with him much better than the first without him (I'm not saying it's because of him). But even according to the points scored in the club last season, it is a surprise.
Well, I'm completely afraid that in a few months the team will experience an incredible regression like last season. An incredible shame and it's hard to say what happened to the team. Of course, it is suggested that the majority of the team will scatter around the world and this leads to a decrease in performance, it is not easy for those players to start playing somewhere in a foreign environment.The only players who I wouldn't be upset to see cut in his place are Svancara and Samal, but Svancara is one of the few forwards on the squad with good size and Samal in my very limited viewings of those two Davos games looked decent. Admittedly I don't know much about either player, but Bartovic isn't a big loss IMO. Nestrasil and Frolo are both bigger omissions than him. All three are victims of a deep forward core, which should make us Czech fans happy.
Anyways very good looking team, was scared there for a moment Mrtka would miss it due an injury. The expectations among Czech fans are sky high and if there was in recent memory a Czech junior team worthy of being called a legitimate gold medal contender, it's this one. So inevitably I expect a failure of epic proportions, similiar to the one we saw at the Spring U18 WC. lol
I don't think last year the regression was that bad. Decent results even after Hlinka iirc, the U18 WC was terrible though and unfortunately was a pretty massive stain on an otherwise, in my opinion, good U18 season from Czech point of view. We will see how this upcoming season plays out, but even with some players leaving for NA as usual, the team should be competetive throughout the year.Well, I'm completely afraid that in a few months the team will experience an incredible regression like last season. An incredible shame and it's hard to say what happened to the team. Of course, it is suggested that the majority of the team will scatter around the world and this leads to a decrease in performance, it is not easy for those players to start playing somewhere in a foreign environment.
On the other hand, I am also convinced that if the HGC is played in our country, it is a specific tournament where we have huge support from the spectators, quite often there is a non-negligible support from the referees (unfortunately, this is often the case), so if we were to succeed in the tournament in Canada, it would have a completely different weight in the eyes of fans and experts. And surely the players would feel the same way.
That is my biggest fear.. we are nice dark horses but Czech teams struggle when they are expected to win.something.. still, love the look of this teamThe only players who I wouldn't be upset to see cut in his place are Svancara and Samal, but Svancara is one of the few forwards on the squad with good size and Samal in my very limited viewings of those two Davos games looked decent. Admittedly I don't know much about either player, but Bartovic isn't a big loss IMO. Nestrasil and Frolo are both bigger omissions than him. All three are victims of a deep forward core, which should make us Czech fans happy.
Anyways very good looking team, was scared there for a moment Mrtka would miss it due an injury. The expectations among Czech fans are sky high and if there was in recent memory a Czech junior team worthy of being called a legitimate gold medal contender, it's this one. So inevitably I expect a failure of epic proportions, similiar to the one we saw at the Spring U18 WC. lol
It was meant primarily because of the referees, even during the victory of the team with Nečas, Chytil, etc., I was almost ashamed at times. And of course, Canada has that advantage too, but unlike us, those teams are generally of better quality, let's talk..I don't think last year the regression was that bad. Decent results even after Hlinka iirc, the U18 WC was terrible though and unfortunately was a pretty massive stain on an otherwise, in my opinion, good U18 season from Czech point of view. We will see how this upcoming season plays out, but even with some players leaving for NA as usual, the team should be competetive throughout the year.
Agree on the home ice advantage, but Canada enjoys that luxury at the biggest junior event in U20 WJC nearly every other year and I don't see anyone downplaying their success there. That being said, for selfish reasons I am a bit upset about the rotation regarding Hlinka, would have loved to attend this year's tournament in Breclav considering how the Czech team is looking.
Sweden, even without Frondell, is a very strong team, I would see the chances in the match between each other quite balanced. But there is the factor that the situation of being among the favorites has never suited us. As Czechboy also wrote..Add me to the Czech team hypetrain, their lineup looks extremely stacked and solid. At this time I see them slightly better than Sweden (without Frondell) so for me they´re no.2 team in power ranking right after Canada. Just another confirmation of the fact that Czech hockey is progressing in these days...
If I had to pick their 3 key players from what I´ve seen I would go:
1. Adam Novotny (top 10 material for 2026)
2. Tomas Poletin
3. Radim Mrtka (if healthy)
Yes I remember that gold medal game, game winning goal came after a phantom penalty against USA. It is what it is though, every team gets scammed by the refs sometimes. The worst bias we have had in our favor was at the home 2020 WJC IMO, felt like we had a 5 on 3 advantage every single game. And it still lead to nothing, because the team sucked and the few good players we had (Lauko, Jenik, Dostal) got injured right away or had to deal with some illness throughout the tournament.It was meant primarily because of the referees, even during the victory of the team with Nečas, Chytil, etc., I was almost ashamed at times. And of course, Canada has that advantage too, but unlike us, those teams are generally of better quality, let's talk..
Those are more often (not) whistled for offside, icings, of course also forgiven fouls, there were a lot of those cases and I also saw really angry reactions from the opponents... But this is what I really thought about HGC in the first place, the referees did not favor us at the home championship ( of course mistakes happened, but on both sides).Yes I remember that gold medal game, game winning goal came after a phantom penalty against USA. It is what it is though, every team gets scammed by the refs sometimes. The worst bias we have had in our favor was at the home 2020 WJC IMO, felt like we had a 5 on 3 advantage every single game. And it still lead to nothing, because the team sucked and the few good players we had (Lauko, Jenik, Dostal) got injured right away or had to deal with some illness throughout the tournament.
On the other hand, watching this year's home WC, I certainly didn't feel like we got the benefits of home ice (crowd aside), quite the opposite actually.
Last year at Hlinka, Czechs benefitted from fabulous crowd and at times suspect reffing perhaps, but that team was legitimately good, they would have medalled even without that minor help I think.
For me it's Benak.. love watching him. Hope he doesn't get galvas'd in the draft due to size.Add me to the Czech team hypetrain, their lineup looks extremely stacked and solid. At this time I see them slightly better than Sweden (without Frondell) so for me they´re no.2 team in power ranking right after Canada. Just another confirmation of the fact that Czech hockey is progressing in these days...
If I had to pick their 3 key players from what I´ve seen I would go:
1. Adam Novotny (top 10 material for 2026)
2. Tomas Poletin
3. Radim Mrtka (if healthy)
Benak? That player is a big question mark for me. Honestly, I´m not a big fan here, he loses too many pucks and battles for my taste. Of course, he can easily go over PPG at Hlinka Gretzky and probably he will. But I won´t surprised if he goes undrafted at the end of the day, I have Alexander Zetterberg 2.0 vibes here.For me it's Benak.. love watching him. Hope he doesn't get galvas'd in the draft due to size.
After the situation with Galvas, anything can happen, but for now he needs to be taken as a top prospect even on eliteprospects. And for his height, he wins a lot of personal fights.Benak? That player is a big question mark for me. Honestly, I´m not a big fan here, he loses too many pucks and battles for my taste. Of course, he can easily go over PPG at Hlinka Gretzky and probably he will. But I won´t surprised if he goes undrafted at the end of the day, I have Alexander Zetterberg 2.0 vibes here.
I see a more interesting player than Benak for the 2025 draft even someone like Tomas Mikel (actually I like him!) but we´ll see.
After watching galvas not get pickedBenak? That player is a big question mark for me. Honestly, I´m not a big fan here, he loses too many pucks and battles for my taste. Of course, he can easily go over PPG at Hlinka Gretzky and probably he will. But I won´t surprised if he goes undrafted at the end of the day, I have Alexander Zetterberg 2.0 vibes here.
I see a more interesting player than Benak for the 2025 draft even someone like Tomas Mikel (actually I like him!) but we´ll see.
Lukáš TOMKA | BARANI Banská Bystrica |
Patryk ZUBEK | BARANI Banská Bystrica |
Roberto Leonardo HENRIQUEZ | HC SLOVAN Bratislava |
Patrik RUSZNYÁK | HC SLOVAN Bratislava |
Tomáš TOMAŠKOVIČ | HC SLOVAN Bratislava |
Michal Jozef TKÁČ | HC Košice |
Michal PRÁDEL | MHK Dolný Kubín |
Tomáš CHRENKO | HK Nitra |
Matúš LISÝ | HK Nitra |
Adam NEMEC | HK Nitra |
Samuel MURIN | HK ŠKP Poprad |
Andreas STRAKA | HK ŠKP Poprad |
Adam GOLJER | HK DUKLA Trenčín |
Martin KALIS | HK DUKLA Trenčín |
Timothy KAZDA | HK DUKLA Trenčín |
Tobias TOMÍK | HK DUKLA Trenčín |
Patrik BREZÁNI | HKM Zvolen |
Alex MIŠIAK | HKM Zvolen |
Adrian RAŠKA | VLCI Žilina-mládež |
Pavol MORÁVEK | Nordic Hockey Academy/Rak. |
Ján CHOVAN | Tappara Tampere/Fín. |
Michal ČAPOŠ | AIK/Švéd. |
Michal SVRČEK | Brynäs IF/Švéd. |
Adam SALOŇ | South Kent School/USA |
I'm surprised that Bartovič is not nominated, the team played the second game with him much better than the first without him (I'm not saying it's because of him). But even according to the points scored in the club last season, it is a surprise.
Not bold at all, since Finland's generation is weak and USA sends a B team