Slovakia ice-hockey in 5 years (2027)

[alko]

Slovakia lost vs Finland. Again. But it was a very young team and they played a good game. Almost everybody he in Slovakia is satisfied and there is lot talk about our future. No doubt there are some very promising players.
What do you think - Where will be Slovakia ice-hockey generally in 5 years from now? In year 2027.
Senior National Team
Junior National Team
NHL
Slovak League
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[Snowsii]

Wont make any forecast.. But sure the hell.. You guys have "some" talent coming, so future is going to be bright. Slafkovsky were scary good in last game.. watch out, when he gets couple more years under his belt.

 

[Elias40]

Slovakia lost vs Finland. Again. But it was a very young team and they played a good game. Almost everybody he in Slovakia is satisfied and there is lot talk about our future. No doubt there are some very promising players.
What do you think - Where will be Slovakia ice-hockey generally in 5 years from now? In year 2027.
Senior National Team
Junior National Team
NHL
Slovak League
.
.
.

In seniors, I think the team will advance to QF at WHC every two years, the most depending on who is available from the NHL and whether they manage to maintain the concept introduced by Ramsey. It's starting to pay off, it's a huge step forward in the draft. I don't see Ramsay as the only savior, I think Jukka Tikkaja did some quality work. He worked on the whole concept of youth, on the education of coaches and went to clubs to present his ideas and thoughts. All this was the first stage to start hockey, overcome outdated thinking, innovate your hockey program and inspire what is successful elsewhere and can be transferred to Slovakia.

How strong a team at WHC will be built by Ramsay or another coach will depend on whether players like Fehervary, Cernak, Tatar or Slafkovsky and Nemec are available. If these youngsters take the teams from the bottom of the NHL table on the draft, then there is a good chance that they will come to strengthen Slovakia at the WHC. The group of Euro players is not nearly as good as, for example, in Finland, but rather close to Sweden. And here, in my opinion, there has been an improvement. However, if Latvia, France or Norway improve, these teams will be tough competition and the process to QF Slovakia may not work out.

As for the juniors, I don't see a situation here where Slovakia would go for the medal before the start of the tournament. Now they had a super strong team for their conditions, but it's badly evaluated, because we don't know if the production of top talent by Slafkovsky or Nemce is an exception, and in the next few years there will be one single player like Slafkovsky or more players. It is actually quite comparable to Germany. It has also begun to produce better players over the last three or four years. However, Slovakia's progress is unquestionable, unfortunately for them it will be limited by the size of the country and the base of players.

There will be more Slovak players in the NHL over time, that's for sure. We'll see in what role, because the assumptions don't mean a fantastic NHL career yet. Slovakia needs to produce 2-3 great players every year, not in one year, and the first Slovak in the fourth round of the draft will go in the next two years.

There is no money in the Slovak league, only a few clubs have it. But just missing money for foreign quality can sometimes help in the development of their own players. For example, if Nitra had enough money, Nemec would not get so many opportunities for its development and its performance would not be so good. It's a bit of a paradox, but Slovakia is just helping to find a place in the line-up for players who are only 17 years old and can play senior hockey.I would also say that these young men don't go on the ice to play it safe to do something wrong, but it's just the opposite. I play with confidence, allow myself a loophole, they are the right way to hold. And this is the way to progress, not to be afraid to play even in a difficult situation. Today, I want to solve things in a hockey way, even if it sometimes leads to the loss of the puck in a dangerous area.

If I have bad information, correct me and add it to my comment.

 

[tobu]

In seniors, I think the team will advance to QF at WHC every two years, the most depending on who is available from the NHL and whether they manage to maintain the concept introduced by Ramsey. It's starting to pay off, it's a huge step forward in the draft. I don't see Ramsay as the only savior, I think Jukka Tikkaj did some quality work. He worked on the whole concept of youth, on the education of coaches and went to clubs to present his ideas and thoughts. All this was the first stage to start hockey, overcome outdated thinking, innovate your hockey program and inspire what is successful elsewhere and can be transferred to Slovakia.

How strong a team at WHC will be built by Ramsay or another coach will depend on whether players like Fehervary, Cernak, Tatar or Slafkovsky and Nemec are available. If these youngsters take the teams from the bottom of the NHL table on the draft, then there is a good chance that they will come to strengthen Slovakia at the WHC. The group of Euro players is not nearly as good as, for example, in Finland, but rather close to Sweden. And here, in my opinion, there has been an improvement. However, if Latvia, France or Norway improve, these teams will be tough competition and the process to QF Slovakia may not work out.

As for the juniors, I don't see a situation here where Slovakia would go for the medal before the start of the tournament. Now they had a super strong team for their conditions, but it's badly evaluated, because we don't know if the production of top talent by Slafkovsky or Nemce is an exception, and in the next few years there will be one single player like Slafkovsky or more players. It is actually quite comparable to Germany. It has also begun to produce better players over the last three or four years. However, Slovakia's progress is unquestionable, unfortunately for them it will be limited by the size of the country and the base of players.

There will be more Slovak players in the NHL over time, that's for sure. We'll see in what role, because the assumptions don't mean a fantastic NHL career yet. Slovakia needs to produce 2-3 great players every year, not in one year, and the first Slovak in the fourth round of the draft will go in the next two years.

There is no money in the Slovak league, only a few clubs have it. But just missing money for foreign quality can sometimes help in the development of their own players. For example, if Nitra had enough money, Nemec would not get so many opportunities for its development and its performance would not be so good. It's a bit of a paradox, but Slovakia is just helping to find a place in the line-up for players who are only 17 years old and can play senior hockey.I would also say that these young men don't go on the ice to play it safe to do something wrong, but it's just the opposite. I play with confidence, allow myself a loophole, they are the right way to hold. And this is the way to progress, not to be afraid to play even in a difficult situation. Today, I want to solve things in a hockey way, even if it sometimes leads to the loss of the puck in a dangerous area.

If I have bad information, correct me and add it to my comment.

This is a fair realistic assessment. To add onto this an optimistic scenario, Slovakia can be a medal contender every year where stars align and talent that now makes to NA over the next few years is available for the national team. We could not make this claim past 20 years.

 

[Marioesque]

If the attitude around Slovak hockey is represented by the comments after losing to Finland, then the issue is focus on the wrong things. You don't win by complaining that someone is too effective and boring. You get better results by actually becoming as effective instead of asking for the world around to change to your liking.

 

[Lartsaman]

I guess that by then they have achieved at least one medal at IIHF Worlds. I don´t believe in gold medal so much. That will also come eventually, but not in 5 years.

 

[SoundAndFury]

If I have bad information, correct me and add it to my comment.

I think you pretty much nailed it in every category.

I think Slovaks have a big reason to be happy - their hockey is seeing light for the first time after many years of darkness - but at the same time, we shouldn't forget that their starting position was the team that, between 2008 and 2019, made the WC QFs twice in 11 years. The country, that only had 3-5 legitimate NHLers for at least 5 seasons now, and 2 of those are Chara and Halak in their twilight years.

So undoubtedly, this new influx of talent will allow Slovakia to become a more consistent QF contender in the WC, just like Elias mentioned. It will open up the gap between Slovakia and Denmark/Latvia/Belarus (?) who have little chance to keep up with this race and also keep the trio of Slovakia/Germany/Switzerland within touching distance with a threat of drawing Czechia into their group rather than the current supposed "big-6".

Any further conclusions really depend on:

1) what do Slovak prospects turn into. While Germany is in the position where their best guys are money-in-the-bank locks to be good/very good/elite players in Slovak case it's really just a matter of projections at this point. Kakko being the obvious comparable to Slafkovsky, for example.

2) which countries just stop dead in the tracks and which just keep going. There were days when Denmark seemed to have NHL-level top-9 and where are they now... Everyone understands Slovakia or Germany aren't going to produce an elite player every year from now on. But what can they continuously produce is the big question. Hard to imagine Switzerland didn't even have a noteworthy NHL player until 21st century and now they seem to have comfortably settled into developing legitimate NHLer at least every 2 years or so (actually closer to 1 per year over the last decade) .

 

[IceHockeyDude]

I just hope they will have wise experienced staff behind Slaf, Nemec, Sykora etc, no rush, don't put them in NHL right after getting drafted. Many NHL teams don't know how to develop prospects. Don't do the same mistakes like were made with Kakko and Kotkaniemi for instance. I still have hope with these two but going to NHL as a 18 year old is usually a wrong decision. Good luck with Slovakian hockey.

 

[stastny12]

I think you pretty much nailed it in every category.

I think Slovaks have a big reason to be happy - their hockey is seeing light for the first time after many years of darkness - but at the same time, we shouldn't forget that their starting position was the team that, between 2008 and 2019, made the WC QFs twice in 11 years. The country, that only had 3-5 legitimate NHLers for at least 5 seasons now, and 2 of those are Chara and Halak in their twilight years.

So undoubtedly, this new influx of talent will allow Slovakia to become a more consistent QF contender in the WC, just like Elias mentioned. It will open up the gap between Slovakia and Denmark/Latvia/Belarus (?) who have little chance to keep up with this race and also keep the trio of Slovakia/Germany/Switzerland within touching distance with a threat of drawing Czechia into their group rather than the current supposed "big-6".

Any further conclusions really depend on:

1) what do Slovak prospects turn into. While Germany is in the position where their best guys are money-in-the-bank locks to be good/very good/elite players in Slovak case it's really just a matter of projections at this point. Kakko being the obvious comparable to Slafkovsky, for example.

2) which countries just stop dead in the tracks and which just keep going. There were days when Denmark seemed to have NHL-level top-9 and where are they now... Everyone understands Slovakia or Germany aren't going to produce an elite player every year from now on. But what can they continuously produce is the big question. Hard to imagine Switzerland didn't even have a noteworthy NHL player until 21st century and now they seem to have comfortably settled into developing legitimate NHLer at least every 2 years or so (actually closer to 1 per year over the last decade) .

I completely agree with everything you said. Just one more thing. The difference between other nations and Slovaks is that we´re crazy about hockey. It´s number one in the country and even my grandma, who by the way watch only turkish soap operas, talks with me how good or bad our boys played against Canada, for example.

With "superstar" type of player like Slafkovsky certainly is, I´m pretty optimistic about many young players coming into sport. After many years of disaster, now I can feel positive "wind of change".

 

[SoundAndFury]

The difference between other nations and Slovaks is that we´re crazy about hockey. It´s number one in the country and even my grandma, who by the way watch only turkish soap operas, talks with me how good or bad our boys played against Canada, for example.

Actually not at all, 90% of Slovaks watch hockey only in May - the time when the NT plays. We are called the nation of the 2 weeks fans. They shows up for a while and the disappear.

A small percentage watch our league regularly and almost nobody watches NHL

Two sides of the same coin, I guess.

I understand your point but I often find "star impact" to be overstated. The reality is, markets make stars and not the other way around. If there was no Slafkovsky, Tatar would do just fine. Or Cernak. Or whoever is the next best thing.

We had Kasparaitis and Zubrus and got knows, that didn't help any. Germany and Draisaitl are even more obvious example.

 

[IceHockeyDude]

With "superstar" type of player like Slafkovsky certainly is, I´m pretty optimistic about many young players coming into sport. After many years of disaster, now I can feel positive "wind of change".

Are there any other young studs worth paying attention at upcoming drafts 22, 23 and 24 from Slovakia?

 

[kudla]

Two sides of the same coin, I guess.

I understand your point but I often find "star impact" to be overstated. The reality is, markets make stars and not the other way around. If there was no Slafkovsky, Tatar would do just fine. Or Cernak. Or whoever is the next best thing.

We had Kasparaitis and Zubrus and got knows, that didn't help any. Germany and Draisaitl are even more obvious example.

Hockey is extremely popular in Slovakia, the fact that majority don't watch the NHL regularly doesn't change it.

 

[stastny12]

Are there any other young studs worth paying attention at upcoming drafts 22, 23 and 24 from Slovakia?

Filip Mesar (draft 22)
Servac Petrovsky (22)
Dalibor Dvorsky (23) – this guy is the next big thing after Nemec and Slafkovsky. He should be in the top 5 in the next draft.
Alex Ciernik (23)
Maxim Strbak (23)
Jakub Chromiak (24)

 

[stastny12]

Two sides of the same coin, I guess.

I understand your point but I often find "star impact" to be overstated. The reality is, markets make stars and not the other way around. If there was no Slafkovsky, Tatar would do just fine. Or Cernak. Or whoever is the next best thing.

We had Kasparaitis and Zubrus and got knows, that didn't help any. Germany and Draisaitl are even more obvious example.

Yes, but I guess it´s different if we´re talking about country where hockey is relevant. Therefore Kasparaitis might not have impact in Lithuania but if it was basketball and your player is Luka Doncic, then I think it´s possible to have some impact on kids.

Because Cernak is like Sabonis now. It´s fine to have him but you´re not going to be crazy about it.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Because Cernak is like Sabonis now. It´s fine to have him but you´re not going to be crazy about it.

Exactly. We are in the same situation with basketball. Same kind of popularity, names, 2-week fans, decline, etc. That's why the father Sabonis was a god here and son Sabonis is like, meh, whatever, some dude. Even though they are close to the same level players. The way nation reacts is tied directly to what they achieve with the NT. NBA/NHL is just whatever. Middle of the night somewhere far away, nobody has time for that.

The same applies to Doncic by the way, with him Slovenia has achieved success unprecedented in any other major sport already. Kopitar is an all-Star, won Stanley cups etc., does anyone really give a damn?

Now IF Slovakia achieves something, wins medals, etc., I can see Slafkovsky becoming a cult figure and the most marketable star, absolutely. He has foot in the door after these Olympics already, no doubt. But as I said, it's the market that makes a star, not the other way around. Just being some supposed NHL star won't cut it.

 

[Antiillafire]

I just hope they will have wise experienced staff behind Slaf, Nemec, Sykora etc, no rush, don't put them in NHL right after getting drafted. Many NHL teams don't know how to develop prospects. Don't do the same mistakes like were made with Kakko and Kotkaniemi for instance. I still have hope with these two but going to NHL as a 18 year old is usually a wrong decision. Good luck with Slovakian hockey.

But there is also a real chance all those guys will never stick in the NHL. Look at the past 10 drafts, many top picks who never became top 6 players and some who never even played much in the NHL. That is bound to happen with some of these guys no matter how many Slovaks pray differently. The hope is that if every draft has 5-6 Slovaks, that 1 or 2 can become NHLers.

Still, I think 10x more kids around the country want to be Milan Skriniar or Marek Hamsik than they want to be Slovak star players. Anyways a large chunk of our population (Hungarians) do not care about hockey at all.

 

[SoundAndFury]

But there is also a real chance all those guys will never stick in the NHL. Look at the past 10 drafts, many top picks who never became top 6 players and some who never even played much in the NHL. That is bound to happen with some of these guys no matter how many Slovaks pray differently. The hope is that if every draft has 5-6 Slovaks, that 1 or 2 can become NHLers.

Interestingly enough, at least superficially, guys from smaller, not-so-traditional hockey markets seem to have a much lower bust rate if taken in the first few rounds. Arguably because teams don't have some kind of "historical data" to fall back on and evaluate them way more cautiously. Even guys like Texier or Blugers fall into that category.

Of course, there are still Danos and Mirco Mullers but in general, scout hit rates seem to be higher.

 

[Czechboy]

Thrilled some stars are coming through for Slovakia!

Czechs have hung on to 6th place with rougly 2 NHL players per draft and around 30 NHL players. A few bumper crops didn't change it that much for us because as they came (eg. Zadina, Necas, Chytil, Hajek, Dostal) the older players left (Jagr, Plekanec, Krejci)... We have a nice little bumper crop this draft as well with Jiricek and Kulich (Sapo and Hamara and most likely another goalie in Malik going on his second try at draft).

Currently we do around 8 guys per draft.. most later on and that keeps us a float. Not enough for a medal though.

Big concern for Slovakia is no NHL goalie coming up that I can see? Same as the Swiss... some elite pieces but no NHL goalie coming.

The other thing that hurt the Czechs big time was that the majority of our players were wingers... need to build around C, D and G.

So in 5 years I think they'll be in the Top 8 with the potential for upsets like the Swiss and German's. Having said that.. Swiss are awesome today but the last few drafts have not been good and U18 and U20 results are not encouraging. I'd argue same in Germany after that tremendous crew joined Drai and Grubauer. Denmark rose like a comet but couldn't sustain 2 or 3 NHL players per draft.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Swiss are awesome today but the last few drafts have not been good and U18 and U20 results are not encouraging. I'd argue same in Germany after that tremendous crew joined Drai and Grubauer.

I'd argue your evaluation is poorly supported by facts.

Not clear what your cut-off point is but 4 drafts since 2018 yielded 2 NHL players for Swiss (Kurashev, Moser), 3 still active prospects (Schmid, Zanetti, Knak) and they have Bichsel slotted to go in the first 2 rounds this year. They are going at a very steady 1 NHLer per 2 drafts pace (actually slightly better, as mentioned before) which is more than enough to keep their current position in the power pyramid.

Same with Germany, for the moment, they have Julian Lutz going roughly in the 2nd round. Hardly a sign of slowing down for nations that, once again, realistically only aim to have ~10 active NHL players.

Fluctuation of results of the junior teams is completely natural for the teams with small prospect pools and largely irrelevant to the fortunes of their senior teams.

 

[Czechboy]

I'd argue your evaluation is poorly supported by facts.

I'd argue you don't read full paragraphs and spend your days looking to nitpick things on HFboards.

 

[karhukissa]

Too early to say, some amazing prospects are coming, but these prospects must also break through in the NHL. Atleast couple of high end prospects will not be nearly as good as projected, that's why it takes many good drafts in a row.

Future looks bright but we'll see in few years.

 

[kabidjan18]

I would actually argue that Germany are the rising stars of international hockey, rather than fading. This is not to take away anything from the Slovaks, but with regards to the assertion above that Germany might be falling behind like Switzerland.

I do think that scouts have started to overrate German prospects after the 19 and 20 drafts, but I would say the same thing about Slovak prospects. They have the larger playerbase, the more rinks, the more extensive national league architecture. They're performing better at the junior level.

There is a bust rate that has to be anticipated with hockey. So when the dust settles, often times the country with the largest prospect base wins.

 

[Eye of Ra]

Canada, USA, Russia, Finland will remain as the big boys in 5 years, Czech, Germany, Switzerland and Slovakia will join them and become part of the big boys again. That would give 8 hockey power nations.

Then we have the "middle nations" such as Sweden, Belarus, Latvia, Denmark, Norway, Kazaksthan, i would say Belarus have the most potential among this nations.

Then we have the small hockey nations such as italy, uk, hungary, korea, poland etc. Among this nations i would say Poland is on the rise.

 

[tobu]

Filip Mesar (draft 22)
Servac Petrovsky (22)
Dalibor Dvorsky (23) – this guy is the next big thing after Nemec and Slafkovsky. He should be in the top 5 in the next draft.
Alex Ciernik (23)
Maxim Strbak (23)
Jakub Chromiak (24)

Ciernik has been really good, sometimes I think he could be better than Dvorsky.

 

[tobu]

I do think that scouts have started to overrate German prospects after the 19 and 20 drafts, but I would say the same thing about Slovak prospects. They have the larger playerbase, the more rinks, the more extensive national league architecture. They're performing better at the junior level.

Slovakia has larger playerbase and moree rinks than Germany? I mean I don't know, but that's a surprising fact to me. Germany is big, so I'd think they have more pro players than Slovakia by a factor.