Slovakia Roster

[Art Vandelay]

G:
Peter Budaj - Colorado Avalanche
Karol Krizan - MoDo
Jan Lasak - HC Moeller-Pardubice

D:
Zdeno Chara - Ottawa Senators
Ivan Majesky - Washington Capitals
Andrej Meszaros - Ottawa Senators
Martin Strbak - CSKA Moscow
Radoslav Suchy - Columbus Blue Jackets
Lubomir Visnovsky - Los Angeles Kings
Milan Jurcina - Boston Bruins

F:
Lubos Bartecko - Lulea HF
Peter Bondra - Atlanta Thrashers
Pavol Demitra - Los Angeles Kings
Marian Gaborik - Minnesota Wild
Michal Handzus - Philadelphia Flyers
Marcel Hossa - New York Rangers
Marian Hossa - Atlanta Thrashers
Richard Kapus - Metallurg Novokuznetsk
Ladislav Nagy - Phoenix Coyotes
Miroslav Satan - New York Islanders
Jozef Stupel - Florida Panthers
Marek Svatos - Colorado Avalanche
Richard Zednik - Montreal Canadiens

http://www.iihf.com/news/iihfpr0606.htm

Click to read more...

 

[GKJ]

Bartecko over Radivojevic? Who's going to kill penalties and play checking line?

 

[Freudian]

Bartecko over Radivojevic? Who's going to kill penalties and play checking line?

It's Slovakia, they don't do stuff like that. They skate and score.

 

[Corto]

Who's gonna play center for them?
Stumpel, Handzus,... Kapus (?) ... and???

 

[GKJ]

Who's gonna play center for them?
Stumpel, Handzus,... Kapus (?) ... and???

Demetra and Marcel Hossa

 

[Corto]

Demetra and Marcel Hossa

Hm... Been following the Rangers pretty closely, and if Marcel Hossa's gonna play center for them, all I can say is ewwww.

 

[GKJ]

Hm... Been following the Rangers pretty closely, and if Marcel Hossa's gonna play center for them, all I can say is ewwww.

Svatos could do it too. Slovakia doesn't have much in the way of centers. In fact, I'm a bit suprised they didn't even consider Zapragan.

 

[interminded]

Wow, I didn't really notice, but this quite a good roster.
A dangerous outsider, IMO.

 

[Corto]

Svatos could do it too. Slovakia doesn't have much in the way of centers. In fact, I'm a bit suprised they didn't even consider Zapragan.

At a risk of totally embarassing myself here... I thought Zagrapan was Czech?

 

[Henne]

Demitra will play center, not Hossa I don't think.

 

[Petey21]

It'll be interesting to see who will be the starting goalie of these three guys, also interesting that Rastislav Stana didn't make it to the team this time.

 

[Leo Naphta]

Where is Ziggy Pfalffy?

 

[Corto]

Where is Ziggy Pfalffy?

He retired from international hockey. A very "European football" move.

 

[Leo Naphta]

He retired from international hockey. A very "European football" move.

I see. Thanks.

 

[GKJ]

At a risk of totally embarassing myself here... I thought Zagrapan was Czech?

HF lists him as Czech, but nhl.com has him as Slovak. I'm pretty sure he is on the Slovak WJC team

 

[TORRUS]

Zagrapan is Slovak, that's for sure.

This team looks very good, like sameone already said ''a dangerous outsider''!

 

[jekoh]

Demitra will play center, not Hossa I don't think.

Demitra will center the top line between Gaborik and Marian Hossa, with Chara behind them.

 

[Zine]

The emergence of Meszaros makes that defence a WHOLE lot better. There still isn't any depth to speak of, but a top 3 of Chara, Visnovsky, and Meszaros isn't too bad.
If they could ride those 3 guys on defence and get some (gasp) quality goaltending, Slovakia will be seriously scary.

 

[OUchaser]

If they could ride those 3 guys on defence and get some (gasp) quality goaltending, Slovakia will be seriously scary.

Who will be the starting goaltender? I'm only familiar with Budaj.

 

[Tricolore#20]

Jan Lasak is their traditional starter for the past tournaments in recent years. He has excelled in the Czech Republic, and was one of the top goalies in Europe last winter (during the lockout). I'm not sure how he's played this year, but based on experience, I wouldn't be surprised if Lasak started.

That said, the other goalie named, Karol Krizan, has apparently been playing well in Sweden. If Lasak can't play for whatever reason, then perhaps Krizan will be next in line, simply because of his hot hand. I'm also happy that Budaj has emerged as well. He's looked alright for Colorado in the limited action he's seen this year, and could also get some games perhaps.

The good thing for Slovakia this time around in the Olympics is that they won't have to put up with the NHL. Thankfully, the qualification round that was present at the last two Olympics have been removed, so that a team like Slovakia can have all its major players. The way the Slovaks were treated in 2002 was a disgrace, and hopefully they get a fair shot this time around.

 

[Ciccarelli]

hmmm...

I think that Slovakia got pretty good team, but their goalie situation makes me think. Ofcourse there are good old Lasak, but I am not so sure if he can win the BIG games . That Budaj guy is a little question mark to me

 

[e-e]

G:
Peter Budaj - Colorado Avalanche
Karol Krizan - MoDo
Jan Lasak - HC Moeller-Pardubice

D:
Zdeno Chara - Ottawa Senators
Ivan Majesky - Washington Capitals
Andrej Meszaros - Ottawa Senators
Martin Strbak - CSKA Moscow
Radoslav Suchy - Columbus Blue Jackets
Lubomir Visnovsky - Los Angeles Kings
Milan Jurcina - Boston Bruins

F:
Lubos Bartecko - Lulea HF
Peter Bondra - Atlanta Thrashers
Pavol Demitra - Los Angeles Kings
Marian Gaborik - Minnesota Wild
Michal Handzus - Philadelphia Flyers
Marcel Hossa - New York Rangers
Marian Hossa - Atlanta Thrashers
Richard Kapus - Metallurg Novokuznetsk
Ladislav Nagy - Phoenix Coyotes
Miroslav Satan - New York Islanders
Jozef Stupel - Florida Panthers
Marek Svatos - Colorado Avalanche
Richard Zednik - Montreal Canadiens

http://www.iihf.com/news/iihfpr0606.htm

here's my 2 cents:

frantisek hossa....worst "coach" in slovak history....
marcel hossa....freaking joke...
zednik......can't remeber one single game he stepped up in national team
gaborik....haven't seen the real gabby in national team yet

missing link:
vladimir orszagh ... soul of slovak national team ... i'm gonna miss this guy a lot. always gives 100% +

happy about:
bondra...most likely his lat olympics....great leader, pk, pp point, scorer, inspiration for all the others
palffy....always one of the best but has refused play for slovakia in past...no place for such a baby
svatos.....can't wait to see this kid
bartecko....plays much better in national team then at any other team in any league
meszaros....not surprised...hopefuly great future for slovak blue line

worry about:
chara...as good as he is...he tends to suck in national team

keys:
people tend to judge team on paper. every year i hear the ame song:
weak goaltending, brutal defence, great offence. the thing is that in critical game slovakia fails to score golas. i'm not worry about results as long as we can score 1 more goal then oposition team.

lasak is great goalie he can steal a game. i'd like to see budaj what he can though. if chara won't be the worst dman like he was last year at world cup, offense will score goals. we might me tough team to beat.

the weakest link is frantisek hossa...i can't stand him and his younger son too.

 

[X0ssbar]

The emergence of Meszaros makes that defence a WHOLE lot better. There still isn't any depth to speak of, but a top 3 of Chara, Visnovsky, and Meszaros isn't too bad.
If they could ride those 3 guys on defence and get some (gasp) quality goaltending, Slovakia will be seriously scary.

I think Suchy has played some excellent hockey this year. I would even say that he has been Columbus's most consistant dman even over the likes of Foote. He has been getting tons of ice time and has played in every situation. No reason to think he won't carry his play onto the international stage.

 

[Coffee and 7's*]

atleast they're better than Sweden on paper

 

[J17 Vs Proclamation]

They could beat any team in the competition, but i dunno they could probably lose to most of them as well. I think they will struggle when it really matters, the depth isnt there. If they had depth then they'd probably be a serious threat for the gold.