U18: Hlinka Gretzky Cup 2024

[Czechboy]

You can´t deny that dude knew, how to party! *snort* *snort*

GOAT on and off the ice.lol

 

[jj cale]

Hard to say... worst NHL season coming up in a long time. Historically bad. Yet we have a lot of young guys pushing for spots. Wooren pointed out the last big Czech guy to get drafted and developed successfully is Martin Necas. That is a hell of a gap as we basically have nothing NHL level between 22 and 27 right now. All our best guys are 27 or over or 21 and younger.

Best of times and worst of times.

I think you just need that one special player like you have produced in the past to ramp things up......to give the kids something to idolize and aspire to.

Czech Republic is a hockey nation........................that stuff goes a long way I believe.

 

[Fil]

Of those 4 - I had Kaut, Zadina, Necas and Chytil in that order. It's aging awfully.lol Was also positive Zboril and Hajek would be Top 4 full time NHL D's with 100's of games under their belts.lol

Sadly, if any of that happened... we wouldn't be in this mess right now. Instead, of those 6, only Necas is killing it. Losing Kase and Voracek to concussions really sucked too! Chytil would be a big star for us but those damn conccussions again.

I think chytil be fine the other 2 though ooof

 

[GettingYourMoms]

I think you just need that one special player like you have produced in the past to ramp things up......to give the kids something to idolize and aspire to.

Czech Republic is a hockey nation........................that stuff goes a long way I believe.

Thank you for kind words! I love Nova Scotia, nice whales!

 

[jj cale]

I was never sold on Zadina, thought he was very one dimensional.

Thank you for kind words! I love Nova Scotia, nice whales!

Most welcome.

N.S is real nice...........ever been there?

 

[Czechboy]

I think you just need that one special player like you have produced in the past to ramp things up......to give the kids something to idolize and aspire to.

Czech Republic is a hockey nation........................that stuff goes a long way I believe.

I submit me to you.. David Pastrnak.lol

 

[Antiillafire]

Czechs and Canadians trying to keep the discussion on the 2024 tournament and the games ahead:

 

[GettingYourMoms]

I was never sold on Zadina, thought he was very one dimensional.


Most welcome.

N.S is real nice...........ever been there?

Nope, just saw document about whales like a year ago, seems like nice place, reminds me of Norway!

 

[Czechboy]

I was never sold on Zadina, thought he was very one dimensional.


Most welcome.

N.S is real nice...........ever been there?

I have.. cycled the Cabot trail and then got obliterated at the Thirsty Hiker Pub.

Restaurant & Pub | Glenghorm Beach Resort | Ingonish Beach

food, sea food, restaurant, crofter's table restaurant, best restaurant in ingonish, lobster, drink, wine, beer, pub, thirsty hiker pub, entertainment, keltic music

www.glenghorm.com

Yes, I realize you weren't asking me but my coffee is almost done and I gotta leave.lol

 

[Hinterland]

News National Teams

Alle offiziellen News über die Schweizer Eishockey- Nationalmannschaften der Frauen, Männer und Junioren. Spiele, Ergebnisse und Infos zu Kader und Staff.

m.sihf.ch

https://x.com/i/web/status/1818268263500964194

Goalies (3): Matia Birchler (EV Zug), Gian-Andri Steinmann (HC Davos), Jovin Trachsel (SCL Tigers)

Defensemen (8): Simon Bär (SCL Tigers), Gaël Haas (Lausanne HC), Saro Heyer (SCRJ Lakers), Nik Lehmann (SCL Tigers), Luca Nappiot (EHC Biel-Bienne), Flavio Sauser (EV Zug), Filippo Schmidt (GCK/ZSC Lions), Guus van der Kaaij (HC Davos)

Forwards (13): Niklas Aebli (HC Davos), Mike Aeschlimann (SCL Tigers), Noél Blaha (SCL Tigers), Arthur Dandois (Fribourg-Gottéron), Moritz Hasler (SCL Tigers), Jan Kneubühler (Täby HC / SWE), Lucien Lehmann (EV Zug), Jeremiah Mundy (HC Davos), Lauro Peter (GCK/ZSC Lions), Florian Schenk (Saint John Sea Dogs / QMJHL), Matti Schmid (HC Davos), Lars Steiner (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies / QMJHL), Daniele Wagner (AIK / SWE)



As mentioned previously, some very strong prospects on this roster but really underwhelming depth for Swiss standards. I'm therefore not surprised but unhappy to see zero underagers on this roster. Swiss 08 group is very deep and includes some very intriguing prospects. Especially upfront, kids like Nolan Rohrbach or Maxime Sauthier, among many others, could have improved that team.

A few other observations:

- only one surprise but it's a big one. Dorian Moret, the by far most veteran and most experienced defenseman, is missing. Even if you don't like his upside (which I do) you'd have to be bonkers not to select him if healthy. He was a regular on Zug's championship winning U20 team last season and he did contribute offensively. The two lineup's vs Czechia were highly experimential but Moret/Nappiot was pretty much the lone consistent combination so I think the plan clearly was for that to be the top pairing and Moret is most certainly out for health reasons. Huge blow as the defense is gonna be very green without Moret.

- In the one game vs Czechia they got to play, Steiner was listed on Schenk's wing. While I understand that it would be intriguiging to have a dominant line you can send out there pretty much knowing you're gonna get offensive zone time and momentum at the very least I also don't think it's a good idea to frontload a team lacking depth. That's especially true after not selecting any of the stronger 08 kids. Unfortunately both of them (not selecting stronger underagers and front loading already thin teams while playing kids off their best position) are tendencies I noticed creeping into coaching of Swiss National Junior teams and I don't like them one bit. I hope it was just an experiment and I have no problem if they frontload when in need of goals late in games but I hope that playing Steiner on the wing isn't part of the master plan for major tournaments like this one. You want to have your best players down the middle and while Steiner may not quite have Schenk's vision he's still easily the most dangerous forward of this team just because he's so much more mobile and dynamic than Schenk.

- I noticed both Birchler and Steinmann getting starts vs Czechia and I'm wondering if Jovin Trachsel is gonna be the nr.1 or nr.3. I expected him to be the nr.2 behind Birchler who's just the bigger name but it was actually Jovin Trachsel who dominated the U17 elite league last season. His team wasn't all that great but thanks to him they won the regular season and reached the playoff finals. Switzerland is gonna play one more exhibition game vs Germany and it's gonna be interesting to see which goalie is gonna get the start. Whoever it is should probably be the starter for the Hlinka Gretzky as well. Since they're both excellent goalies I'm fine with both Trachsel and Birchler but Steinmann should be the clear cut nr.3. Switzerland is gonna need good goaltending now that Moret isn't on the team.

Switzerland beat Germany 5-2 in the last exhibition game on Saturday thanks to 5 unanswered goals. Trachsel in goal so there might be something to my speculation about him being the nr.1 over Birchler. This was the only exhibition game the Swiss played with their tournament lineup. The lineups vs Czechia were highly experimential, consisting of lots of players who got cut. Therefore I expect Jovin Trachsel to be at least Goalie nr. 1a heading into the tournament. I'd expect both Birchler and Trachsel to get starts. As I mentioned already, Birchler is the bigger name but Trachsel turned heads with an extremely dominant season. Tonights goalie, whoever it is, is gonna be busy though. Switzerland is gonna need good goaltending if they wanna keep it close.

 

[jj cale]

I submit me to you.. David Pastrnak.lol

While a great player he is no Jagr or Hasek.

 

[GettingYourMoms]

Switzerland beat Germany 5-2 in the last exhibition game on Saturday thanks to 5 unanswered goals. Trachsel in goal so there might be something to speculation about him being the nr.1 over Birchler. This was the only exhibition game the Swiss played with the tournament lineup. The lineups vs Czechia were highly experimential consisting of lots of players who got cut. Therefore I expect Jovin Trachsel to be at least Goalie nr. 1a heading into the tournament. I'd expect both Birchler and Trachsel to get starts. As I mentioned already, Birchler is the bigger name but Trachsel turned heads with an extremely dominant season. Tonights goalie, whoever it is, is gonna be busy though. Switzerland is gonna need good goaltending if they wanna keep it close.

See you at the finals Neutralans we don´t recognize Geneva conventions in hockey!

 

[jj cale]

I have.. cycled the Cabot trail and then got obliterated at the Thirsty Hiker Pub.

Restaurant & Pub | Glenghorm Beach Resort | Ingonish Beach

food, sea food, restaurant, crofter's table restaurant, best restaurant in ingonish, lobster, drink, wine, beer, pub, thirsty hiker pub, entertainment, keltic music

www.glenghorm.com

Yes, I realize you weren't asking me but my coffee is almost done and I gotta leave.lol

Well then your work there is done, lol

I love Ingonish, Iona, Bay st lawrence, and meat cove are some of my fave spots too...........so beautiful.

 

[Hinterland]

See you at the finals Neutralans we don´t recognize Geneva conventions in hockey!

I don't think so. Switzerland has iced much better rosters at this tournament. We essentially have two very strong Centermen and two very strong goalies to go with a whole lot of nobodies. Thanks though

 

[kudla]

Sweden wins 5:2
Czechia wins 5:3
Germany will give Finland a hard time

 

[jj cale]

Nope, just saw document about whales like a year ago, seems like nice place, reminds me of Norway!

Some similarities to norway yes.

 

[GettingYourMoms]

Well then your work there is done, lol

As a Czech i can confirm, getting wasted with broskis in foreign mediterranian nations like Italy and Croatia and nearly drowning in waves afterwards are our upmost priority.

 

[jj cale]

As a Czech i can confirm, getting wasted with broskis in foreign mediterranian nations like Italy and Croatia and nearly drowning in waves afterwards are our upmost priority.

I think you guys have your priorities straight

 

[GettingYourMoms]

I don't think so. Switzerland has iced much better rosters at this tournament. We essentially have two very strong Centermen and two very strong goalies to go with a whole lot of nobodies. Thanks though

If you guys pull two Hischiers at the same time i am gonna be really p off. You have few talents, but they somehow allways hit, you have more top end talent in NHL than us!

 

[Hinterland]

If you guys pull two Hischiers at the same time i am gonna be really p off. You have few talents, but they somehow allways hit, you have more top end talent in NHL than us!

Nah. Schenk and Steiner are quality prospects in their own right but still have a lot to prove to even get drafted in the NHL. Steiner is a late birthday and, at this point, probably a pretty good bet to get drafted in 2026 but him and Schenk aren't 1st round, let alone 1st overall material.

 

[jj cale]

I have.. cycled the Cabot trail and then got obliterated at the Thirsty Hiker Pub.

Restaurant & Pub | Glenghorm Beach Resort | Ingonish Beach

food, sea food, restaurant, crofter's table restaurant, best restaurant in ingonish, lobster, drink, wine, beer, pub, thirsty hiker pub, entertainment, keltic music

www.glenghorm.com

Yes, I realize you weren't asking me but my coffee is almost done and I gotta leave.lol

Here it is............dear god, I was a man possessed that tournament.

 

[GettingYourMoms]

Nah. Schenk and Steiner are quality prospects in their own right but still have a lot to prove to even get drafted in the NHL. Steiner is a late birthday and, at this point, probably a pretty good bet to get drafted in 2026 but him and Schenk aren't 1st round, let alone 1st overall material.

I am worried about Benák, he is clearly a centerman and tremendously skilled at that, but it seems like NHL is getting bigger. He is clearly biggest czech talent since Jaromír Jágr and does not seemed weak against pros in Extraliga, but 176cm is really tiny in NHL, hope he proves us wrong, expecting nothing but total domination in this tournament. If he, Tichacek and Galvas who weren´t drafted aren´t in NHL in future, we will have easily strongest euro team out of big 6 and tons of gold medals.

 

[Antiillafire]

Slovakia lose by a lot first pre tournament game, only by a few in second pre tournament game. Based on odds this should mean close game today???

 

[jj cale]

Sweden on the board early.

Some pretty bad defense there.

 

[jj cale]

I might be in the minority here but I kind of like these Slovakian whites better then their usual ones.

Less is more.