Slovak prospects - Top 10 rankings (updated July 3rd)

[Pavel Buchnevich]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1838228434096423417

Just sharing. Looks pretty damn good to me!

I’m totally biased, but I think Sykora is 3-5 spots too low.

 

[Czechboy]

I’m totally biased, but I think Sykora is 3-5 spots too low.

This is how I feel when no one mentions Dominik Petr or Tomas Galvas goes undrafted.lol

 

[Briser la glace]

I'm not familiar with every of these undrafted players, but I must say I like what I've seen from Tomas Pobezal so far; impressive speed and solid work on the forecheck despite his size.

 

[Czechboy]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1839985556945535016

Looks like the Czechs got another Slovak. FWIW.. I don't like that this is happening. BUT.. I hope he's awesome.lol

Sebastian Taliga - Stats, Contract, Salary & More

Eliteprospects.com hockey player profile of Sebastian Taliga, 2009-03-16 Martin, SVK Czechia. Most recently in the U18 SM-sarja with Lukko U18. Complete player biography and stats.

www.eliteprospects.com

My understanding from the Czech article (which could be bias) is that he was not being invited to Slovak NT tourneys because he was playing in Finland and Slovakia will not nominate players outside of Slovakia for U16. Not saying that is 100% accurate and happy to be corrected but that was what I got out of the article.

 

[kudla]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1839985556945535016

Looks like the Czechs got another Slovak. FWIW.. I don't like that this is happening. BUT.. I hope he's awesome.lol

Sebastian Taliga - Stats, Contract, Salary & More

Eliteprospects.com hockey player profile of Sebastian Taliga, 2009-03-16 Martin, SVK Czechia. Most recently in the U18 SM-sarja with Lukko U18. Complete player biography and stats.

www.eliteprospects.com

My understanding from the Czech article (which could be bias) is that he was not being invited to Slovak NT tourneys because he was playing in Finland and Slovakia will not nominate players outside of Slovakia for U16. Not saying that is 100% accurate and happy to be corrected but that was what I got out of the article.

That is exactly what happened. It's really so ridiculous that any comments are not needed

 

[Pazucha]

Now with the international break after 2 months of playing I took a look at some stats and what cough my eye is how well the 2010 born players are doing in the U18 league.

Here is a comparison if I count the last 6 years.

Name	Born	Position	Games	Goals	Assists	Points	PPG
VÁLEK, Matúš	2009	LW	26	17	40	57	2,19
JENČKO, Daniel Alexander	2005	LW	33	23	28	51	1,55
DOMONKOS, Dominik	2010	LW	18	17	10	27	1,50
ORBAN, Alexander	2010	CE	13	11	8	19	1,46
ŠUŠOLIAK, Patrik	2010	CE	17	10	13	23	1,35
ŠVAJDA, Leonard	2010	RW	17	10	13	23	1,35
MELICHERÍK, Max	2010	CE	18	10	14	24	1,33
MOLNÁR, Ondrej	2005	RW	51	27	33	60	1,18
MATTA, Ivan	2008	LW	44	27	24	51	1,16
SVRČEK, Michal	2007	CE	34	26	10	36	1,06
ŠOTEK, Alex	2004	LW	46	19	27	46	1.00
MEŠÁR, Filip	2004	CE	52	23	27	50	0,96
LUKÁČIK, Matúš	2008	CE	32	15	15	30	0,94
CHRENKO, Tomáš	2007	CE	9	2	6	8	0.89
PISARČÍK, Samuel	2009	RW	27	8	14	22	0,81
TOMÍK, Tobias	2007	LW	33	18	7	25	0,76

It can go even higher or lower as the season continues. This doesn't really mean anything some of these players weren't even drafted but most of them were an important player on the national team.

Domonkos is almost at goal per game - Here is a video with his 4 goals against Hoba which i belive could be the record for the youngest player who scored 4 goals in the U18 match.



Obviously every player plays a different role and has a different talent on his team so comparing players just based on stats is not ideal.

And there is also an age factor I am comparing their age group but Melicherík is almost one year younger than Válek and Jenčko.

 

[hellwar9]

There is also the factor that when Jencko was there, or others from 2004 and 2005 age group, it was the U18 league, now it is the U17 league. The older ones play there only for an exception, so it can't be compared that well.

 

[Pazucha]

There is also the factor that when Jencko was there, or others from 2004 and 2005 age group, it was the U18 league, now it is the U17 league. The older ones play there only for an exception, so it can't be compared that well.

Hm thanks for pointing that out. I looked at the average players age of each season and the 2018/19 and 2019/2020 are not that much older. Yes there is some difference but its not that big.

When Jencko (2005) was playing the youngest team in the league Zilina had 16.38 average age. Which is lower than the youngest team 2007 or 2009 faced.

Unless I am looking at this the wrong way?

 

[Antiillafire]

November 2025 Rankings.
My first in season rankings for 2025, after a number of games and international tournaments.

#1. Tomas Pobezal: In terms of this season so far, Pobezal has been the strongest so far. With limited ice time, he is producing very strongly and is also showing strong 2 way capabilities. I have also been happy he has gotten back to C. He is small but his game is by no means on the perimeter, he is not afraid to get to the dirty areas. Didn’t have the best U20 tournament but also was on a very strange line with 2 other smaller players.

#2. Luka Radivojevic: Radivojevic is a difficult player to assess, because he is producing well in USHL so far and getting lots of ice time. But what holds him back is his size and he’s not exactly explosive stride, even though he is an above average skater. He is also really good on the powerplay. I will be interested to see him with big expectations at the WJC.

#3. Jan Chovan: Chovan is the most interesting player in the 2025 draft for Slovakia in my opinion. His numbers in Finnish junior league are very average, yet for the national team he has produced quite well. At this past U20 tournament he was the best Slovak forward in difficult matchups against drafted players 2 years older than him. He is very raw but has a tool box that could make him the highest pick on this list (size, skating, shot, hands). The question, can he put it together?

#4. Andreas Straka: Straka’s biggest problem is his consistency. One game he looks like a top 3 round pick than the next game you never hear his name called. Going to the QMJHL was a smart move, he will play many games and work on his consistency.

#5. Michal Svrcek: I was surprised Scott wheeler had Svrcek as one of his honourable mentions in his first draft rankings. And I think his description of him was accurate -> “Svrcek is a good-to-great skater in straight lines and on cutbacks, twists and turns. He’s agile, plays with jump has quick hands. And while there are times when he can try to do too much he can also attack at defenders one-on-one and really shoot the puck in motion.”

#6. Alex Misiak: Misiak has a knack for finding the soft spots of the ice, where he can create offence. He also has an aggressive side to his game. He’s more offensively inclined than his brother but does not quite have the same size and physical presence. Still I believe he could be a riser and be in the top 3-4 of the Slovak prospect rankings listed right now.

#7. Roberto Leonardo Henriqez: Solid numbers in NAHL but I worry that he is only 6 foot 1 which seems small for many goalies today. Pradel has better size but I believe he doesn’t have the same level of technical skills as him.

#8. Patryk Zubek: Prototypical frame and shot/passing to be a higher pick but skating isn’t good enough. Still let’s see how the project can improve his skating, and can see changes by U18 tournament.

#9. Samuel Murin: Very much a sleeper pick. A work horse type player who punches above his weight, but I’m not sure how much more offence there is.

#10. Michal Pradel: I worry he relies too much on purely his size, and can be caught scrambling a lot. I am not sure he will be drafted without a very good U18 performance.

 

[hellwar9]

November 2025 Rankings.
My first in season rankings for 2025, after a number of games and international tournaments.

#1. Tomas Pobezal: In terms of this season so far, Pobezal has been the strongest so far. With limited ice time, he is producing very strongly and is also showing strong 2 way capabilities. I have also been happy he has gotten back to C. He is small but his game is by no means on the perimeter, he is not afraid to get to the dirty areas. Didn’t have the best U20 tournament but also was on a very strange line with 2 other smaller players.

#2. Luka Radivojevic: Radivojevic is a difficult player to assess, because he is producing well in USHL so far and getting lots of ice time. But what holds him back is his size and he’s not exactly explosive stride, even though he is an above average skater. He is also really good on the powerplay. I will be interested to see him with big expectations at the WJC.

#3. Jan Chovan: Chovan is the most interesting player in the 2025 draft for Slovakia in my opinion. His numbers in Finnish junior league are very average, yet for the national team he has produced quite well. At this past U20 tournament he was the best Slovak forward in difficult matchups against drafted players 2 years older than him. He is very raw but has a tool box that could make him the highest pick on this list (size, skating, shot, hands). The question, can he put it together?

#4. Andreas Straka: Straka’s biggest problem is his consistency. One game he looks like a top 3 round pick than the next game you never hear his name called. Going to the QMJHL was a smart move, he will play many games and work on his consistency.

#5. Michal Svrcek: I was surprised Scott wheeler had Svrcek as one of his honourable mentions in his first draft rankings. And I think his description of him was accurate -> “Svrcek is a good-to-great skater in straight lines and on cutbacks, twists and turns. He’s agile, plays with jump has quick hands. And while there are times when he can try to do too much he can also attack at defenders one-on-one and really shoot the puck in motion.”

#6. Alex Misiak: Misiak has a knack for finding the soft spots of the ice, where he can create offence. He also has an aggressive side to his game. He’s more offensively inclined than his brother but does not quite have the same size and physical presence. Still I believe he could be a riser and be in the top 3-4 of the Slovak prospect rankings listed right now.

#7. Roberto Leonardo Henriqez: Solid numbers in NAHL but I worry that he is only 6 foot 1 which seems small for many goalies today. Pradel has better size but I believe he doesn’t have the same level of technical skills as him.

#8. Patryk Zubek: Prototypical frame and shot/passing to be a higher pick but skating isn’t good enough. Still let’s see how the project can improve his skating, and can see changes by U18 tournament.

#9. Samuel Murin: Very much a sleeper pick. A work horse type player who punches above his weight, but I’m not sure how much more offence there is.

#10. Michal Pradel: I worry he relies too much on purely his size, and can be caught scrambling a lot. I am not sure he will be drafted without a very good U18 performance.

I would put Misiak ahead of Svrcek and Straka because of his potential, but otherwise I agree. I think we could see 4-5 players in the draft. Radivojevic somewhere in the late 2nd round, Pobezal and riser Misiak anywhere from the 2nd to 5th round, and Chovan somewhere in the second half of the draft. The dark horse for me is Richard Baran, who can go in the last rounds and it won't be a surprise, the guy is maturing later, but he has really interesting potential. As far as goalies are concerned, I don't dare to guess today. Svrcek with his physical parameters, one way game and selfish non-team play is do not draft material for me. Zubek with his skating looks like a future Slovak league player, his legs are pulling him down and I'm not sure if he can do something with that. Straka has lower offensive potential, so he doesn't have the numbers that were probably expected of him, but his two-way game and energy is what can make him an interesting player, so we'll see how his season goes. And I agree with Samuel Murin. I really like that player, Adam Sykora type player, but I don't know if it will be enough for the draft.

 

[SergeConstantin74]

Straka has been playing well lately even if the numbers don’t show. He’s playing on the 1st line, PP and PK.