If czechoslovakia existed today
- Thread starter Eye of Ra
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SoundAndFury
Registered User
- May 28, 2012
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- 6,274
So this is basically Czech NT with a slight upgrade on defense. No, it wouldn't come anywhere close to gold. Also Cernak and Rutta should really switch places on D.
Czechboy
Náš f*cken barák!
- Apr 15, 2018
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I love my Slovak brother's and cheer for them when we're out! I hope they got their hockey program back together as their NHLers are small in numbers and getting old.
They countries separated over 25 years ago now. I'm not a fan of the let's combine them again idea at all.. not because of politics or nationalism but because we've been separated almost as long as the fall of the USSR.
Having said that.. the best possible Czech team at a best on best would finish 6th. The best possible Czech and Slovak team would finish 6th.
A decade ago had a stronger argument as the Slovak's had some pure snipers, better goalies and a few D that were top class. That combo team could've been, maybe, a gold contender - eg. young Jagr/Hossa/Gaborik with a young Chara/Visnovsky/Sekere and Halak/Budaj. I'm not saying my timeline is 100% here.
Czech Top 6 would be Hronek, Simek, Gudas, Kempny, Hajek and Hronek. I'm not sure adding Cernak and removing one of those makes us stronger? I don't see Crosby/McDavid realy concerned about that? Chara is amazing and might help a little? Would that be Chara instead of Hajek? Definite upgrade but enough to scare Ovi? Or make the Swedes doubt whatever their elite Top 6 D would be?
Halak/Francouz/Rittich/Mrazek seems like a tossup to me of high end backups and average starters? I don't see a Vezina contender in the group and would be happy with any of them.
On forward only Tatar? Great player but I'd be fine with a young Necas or Zadina.
Coincidentally, this is all talking about a tournament tomorrow. The next possible one is in 2 years.. Tatar will be 31, Halak will be 36 and Chara will be 42. At the same time - Necas, Zadina and Chytil will be 22 or 23. Hajek will be 22. Dostal will be 21.
In all scenarios... not a Top 5 threat. In all scenarios.. I would cheer for the team like crazy!
kudla
Registered User
I would take Chytil or Necas over Kase, Zacha, or any 4th liner/extra on your proposed roster. Not even close really.
Pavel Buchnevich
"Pavel Buchnevich The Fake"
Chytil looks like a new player this season. He’s definitely going to stick down the middle. Defensively he’s stepped up he’s game a lot, and offensively he’s been more consistent. He’s become one of the Rangers better defensive forwards. I figure at some point Quinn is going to have to add him to the penalty kill.
Czechboy
Náš f*cken barák!
- Apr 15, 2018
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All great news... I do worry about his point totals. He started near a .ppg and then, statistically, that slowed. I went on blueshirt banter and asked there and they all seem to love him (and hate Hajek) and said the same stuff you are saying. Czech's need Centres badly (nation of wingers)... I'll gladly take one in him!
teravaineSAROS
Registered User
- Jul 29, 2015
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Pavel Buchnevich
"Pavel Buchnevich The Fake"
He doesn't play that much per game, plays on the third line with lesser wingers and isn't on the first PP, so his point totals are a little lower than they could be. He's playing very well though.
Where did most of the 68-80 Olympic Team players
come from? Was it 50/50 or 60/40?
Very lopsided now.
Czechboy
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- Apr 15, 2018
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I'd say 65/35 for Czechs.. maybe 60/40 but the Slovak half was providing high end goalies and goal scorers! Eg. the Stastny brothers!
That split and tossing the Slovaks into the D pool was so upsetting.. same with medal counts. They absolutely deserve to have those numbers and that history.
I"m happy to be corrected though.
Outofbodyinhungary
Registered User
Yeah the legacy of medals and such is quite complicated when a country breaks up. I can’t imagine the difficulty in former Yugoslavia. Czechs were the greater contributors in hockey, but I’d argue that Slovaks were that in football (especially in 76 euros). I think a league reunion would be the only potential benefit I see. But I think relationship between Czechs and Slovaks is in good place, no reason to jeopardize that with nation reunification.
The upside could be great but the downside could be bad.
VMBM
Hansel?!
I'd say that it was even more lopsided towards the Czech players back then, maybe something like 75/25 .
Before the late 1970s/1980s there weren't very many Slovak star players, at least not on the national team; the goalie Vladimir Dzurilla and forward Jozef Golonka come to mind, but not much else, although some sources suggest that Vaclav Nedomansky was Slovak.
I've seen some claims that there was bias regarding players being chosen to the Czechoslovak national team, but I don't know...
The problem with the otherwise good system of having different tiers in international hockey is that it isn't prepared for sudden political changes such as break-up of countries.
Hence throwing Slovakia and the countries out of the USSR other than Russia to the lowest tier.
What do you think? If Quebec became independent I guess they would be quite good at hockey. Would they be thrown to some division 3b?
Hence throwing Slovakia and the countries out of the USSR other than Russia to the lowest tier.
What do you think? If Quebec became independent I guess they would be quite good at hockey. Would they be thrown to some division 3b?
Czechboy
Náš f*cken barák!
- Apr 15, 2018
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I doubt it. I mean, the odds of them becoming their own country is pretty slim too. But, for fun, let's say the separate and become the country of Qubec. At least only 1 tier down. They'd have a crazy good team to begin with.
If they did get demoted to the bottom it'd be pretty hilarious to watch all these retirend NHL superstars come out to play the Bahamas and such. Not trying to disparage but they could also probably send one of the Q teams and get out of Division 3 pretty easily.
When Canada re-entered the world championships in the 70s after absence of some years the previous year two teams were relegated from the A-league to make way for Canada and the team which got promoted from the B-league.
However, Canada is Canada, everyone else is everyone else.
However, Canada is Canada, everyone else is everyone else.
tony d
New poll series coming from me in June
It seems like Slovakia is in the deepest trough I ever remember seeing them in. Tatar is legitimate top forward and is currently the second highest scoring player on a 2020 Czechoslovakia team under Pastrnak, but that's absolutely it for F where the Czechs are loaded with talent. Cernak would be a Top 4 D (Probably the Czechs' weakest position), and while Chara is really old now he'd probably be able to crack into the Top 6 somewhere. Sekera would be like a 7th or 8th D on such a team. Then we have Halak as one of the 3 Goaltenders - definitely not the automatic starter.
This combined team would move the needle a little bit closer against a lower end Top 5 team, and make a result vs. Switzerland slightly more favored (whereas now it's really gonna be 50/50 based on recent results) but wouldn't be anything significant.
I'd love to see a resurgent Slovak team in the 2020s but I don't know enough about the prospects and recent WJC results have not been promising. For now in a best-on-best roster tourney I think they'd have trouble fighting Germany for 7th place.
This combined team would move the needle a little bit closer against a lower end Top 5 team, and make a result vs. Switzerland slightly more favored (whereas now it's really gonna be 50/50 based on recent results) but wouldn't be anything significant.
I'd love to see a resurgent Slovak team in the 2020s but I don't know enough about the prospects and recent WJC results have not been promising. For now in a best-on-best roster tourney I think they'd have trouble fighting Germany for 7th place.
JabbaJabba
Registered User
Kase has been pretty meh this season. Could be still recovering from his injury and he might not be 100 percent just yet, but based on performance this season, I would take Necas over him very easily.
JabbaJabba
Registered User
You have Hronek there twice so I suggest taking at least someone from Slovakia
. I would put Chara and Cernak there and remove Hajek, he's not better than those two. It's still not amazing defence but it's respectable.Otherwise I agree with your post.
Czechboy
Náš f*cken barák!
- Apr 15, 2018
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We could really use 2 Hronek's.lolYou have Hronek there twice so I suggest taking at least someone from Slovakia
Otherwise I agree with your post.
Second 'Hronek' should say 'Rutta'. Cernak and Chara are better than him too.
