WC: Team CZE - 2019

[joey16]

I'm pretty sure a few guys couldn't stand me but, living in Canada, I never get to talk Czech hockey! Czech Facebook is not very good for hockey talk and I get picked on cause I'm 'not Czech' despite being born there. Go figure, my own people pick on me.lol

I find the Canucks I know personally only follow world Jrs and best on best and know very little about international hockey. It's usually leafs rule and 'we didn't have McDavid'.lmao They also keep telling me that no one watches this tournament despite it being a massive sellout every year! Just like the World Jrs sell out here but probably won't in Czech this year.

On a random note... U18's are in Detroit this year, 2 hours from my house across border. I will be going to them to see our team play a few games. If they get into Semi's I'll definitely be heading down for weekend to cheer! Mysak and Pytlik could be first round potential!

Haha, cool!
Well, I don't always agree with everything you say but you have some quality remarks and it's nice to have the conversation here going... Czech Facebook is just for masochist, no chance to take that serious

 

[Jablkon]

I'm pretty sure a few guys couldn't stand me but, living in Canada, I never get to talk Czech hockey! Czech Facebook is not very good for hockey talk and I get picked on cause I'm 'not Czech' despite being born there. Go figure, my own people pick on me.lol

I find the Canucks I know personally only follow world Jrs and best on best and know very little about international hockey. It's usually leafs rule and 'we didn't have McDavid'.lmao They also keep telling me that no one watches this tournament despite it being a massive sellout every year! Just like the World Jrs sell out here but probably won't in Czech this year.

On a random note... U18's are in Detroit this year, 2 hours from my house across border. I will be going to them to see our team play a few games. If they get into Semi's I'll definitely be heading down for weekend to cheer! Mysak and Pytlik could be first round potential!

What FB page you tried?

 

[Czechboy]

For me this is the saddest moment since 2011 semifinal loss. What a game that was.
Some things through the tourney were not entirely perfect and there were some questionable moves that I didn't agree with but in the end I have to say: Hoši děkujem! One of the best WHC from Czechs last decade.

Easily we went 7-3 and lost to Russia Olympic team twice and Canada. Last year we went 6-2. 13-5 over 2 years is great. I do think we're 2 years from a competitive best on best team:

Mrazek, Rittich, Francouz ... mabye Korenar, Bartosak, Dostal, Skarek, Vladar or Vanecek are established by then?

C - Krejci, Hertl, Faksa, Necas, Simon, Chytil, Hanzal if he recovers, Zacha (pick 4, I'd move rest to wing competition)
W - Pastrnak, Vrana, Voracek, Frolik, Kaut, Kubalik, Palat, Zadina, O. Kase, Chlapik, D Kase, M. Spacek
D - Hronek, Gudas, Simek, Kempny, Rutta, Hajek, Masin, Zboril

That's as a potential pain in the ass for the Big 5!

 

[Czechboy]

What FB page you tried?

I'm on about 3... Milijumi Hokey, Fanousci Ceskej Hokeji and another one I can't remember the name of. Twitter too.lol

 

[Czechboy]

Haha, cool!
Well, I don't always agree with everything you say but you have some quality remarks and it's nice to have the conversation here going... Czech Facebook is just for masochist, no chance to take that serious

If they switch it from Ostrava to Brno in 4 years, my ass will be on a plane after taking a leave of absence from work.haha

 

[Jablkon]

Easily we went 7-3 and lost to Russia Olympic team twice and Canada. Last year we went 6-2. 13-5 over 2 years is great. I do think we're 2 years from a competitive best on best team:

Mrazek, Rittich, Francouz ... mabye Korenar, Bartosak, Dostal, Skarek, Vladar or Vanecek are established by then?

C - Krejci, Hertl, Faksa, Necas, Simon, Chytil, Hanzal if he recovers, Zacha (pick 4, I'd move rest to wing competition)
W - Pastrnak, Vrana, Voracek, Frolik, Kaut, Kubalik, Palat, Zadina, O. Kase, Chlapik, D Kase, M. Spacek
D - Hronek, Gudas, Simek, Kempny, Rutta, Hajek, Masin, Zboril

That's as a potential pain in the ass for the Big 5!

I almost posted quite an emotional statement how it is tough to get used to big 5 after almost 30 years of following hockey. Thast a tough pill. But I honestly hope responsible people realize we really screwed what had been built here before. Like they really f***ed it up all and I hope fans realize it one day and take some actions which as a consequnce kicks out all these parazites who just destroy what is remaining.

 

[Wooren]

For me this is the saddest moment since 2011 semifinal loss. What a game that was.
Some things through the tourney were not entirely perfect and there were some questionable moves that I didn't agree with but in the end I have to say: Hoši děkujem! One of the best WHC from Czechs last decade.

We beat one good team the whole tournament. One
Riha had everything going for him and he still didn't manage to get any medal, not even bronze. But frankly he deserved it, his seemingly random deployment of goalies, Vrana/Chytil treatment, out of nowhere Gulas addition. As Kesid said earlier in this thread, he is lucky he got a stacked team. If he had his dream team formed by the "European core" with stars like Nemec, Erat and Novotny, he might have not even made it to the quaterfinals.

Easily we went 7-3 and lost to Russia Olympic team twice and Canada. Last year we went 6-2. 13-5 over 2 years is great.

That record looks good until you realize most of the wins were against 2nd tier nations. Our record against good teams is laughably bad, at all age levels to boot. What is it, six 4th places since 2014? That's 12 losses in row when it actually matters.

I do think we're 2 years from a competitive best on best team:

Mrazek, Rittich, Francouz ... mabye Korenar, Bartosak, Dostal, Skarek, Vladar or Vanecek are established by then?

C - Krejci, Hertl, Faksa, Necas, Simon, Chytil, Hanzal if he recovers, Zacha (pick 4, I'd move rest to wing competition)
W - Pastrnak, Vrana, Voracek, Frolik, Kaut, Kubalik, Palat, Zadina, O. Kase, Chlapik, D Kase, M. Spacek
D - Hronek, Gudas, Simek, Kempny, Rutta, Hajek, Masin, Zboril

That's as a potential pain in the ass for the Big 5!

No it's not. And it won't be anytime soon either.

 

[joey16]

We beat one good team the whole tournament. One
Riha had everything going for him and he still didn't manage to get any medal, not even bronze. But frankly he deserved it, his seemingly random deployment of goalies, Vrana/Chytil treatment, out of nowhere Gulas addition. As Kesid said earlier in this thread, he is lucky he got a stacked team. If he had his dream team formed by the "European core" with stars like Nemec, Erat and Novotny, he might have not even made it to the quaterfinals.


That record looks good until you realize most of the wins were against 2nd tier nations. Our record against good teams is laughably bad, at all age levels to boot. What is it, six 4th places since 2014? That's 12 losses in row when it actually matters.


No it's not. And it won't be anytime soon either.

I agree with pretty much everything you said. However, as for the play itself I still think this was one of the best tournaments for us lately. Yeah, I know the standard is not very high but I was having fun watching this team most time. And in the end, that's what that hockey is supposed to be about. I know we might have been even better with different treatment and coaching but it's just what it is. We don't have any Jukka Jalonen in Czech Republic. Maybe Pesan one day.

Btw I am really happy for Hronek that he was named the best D-man of the tournament. Who would say that we will ever have one again.

 

[Wooren]

I agree with pretty much everything you said. However, as for the play itself I still think this was one of the best tournaments for us lately. Yeah, I know the standard is not very high but I was having fun watching this team most time. And in the end, that's what that hockey is supposed to be about. I know we might have been even better with different treatment and coaching but it's just what it is. We don't have any Jukka Jalonen in Czech Republic. Maybe Pesan one day.

Btw I am really happy for Hronek that he was named the best D-man of the tournament. Who would say that we will ever have one again.

I disagree, the play itself was nothing impressive. Our PP was awful the whole tournament, and the 5v5 play was pretty similiar to what we are used to from the past years. The one difference is that in the group stage this team finally put the puck in the net, in fact at one point it was the best or the second best in shooting %. That's even more surpising than Hronek being the top defenseman of the tournament. Come playoff time however, our forwards would show their true colors scoring just 8 goals on 110+ shots, and that includes a 5-1 win against Germany.

With benefit of hindsight knowing we would once again fail to win any of the remaining two games, I wish we lost in quaterfinals. It would be an embarassing upset that would force Riha to gtfo. This way it will be taken as a successful run that just lacked "a bit of luck" and so Riha gets another year if he wants to.

 

[Jablkon]

I agree with pretty much everything you said. However, as for the play itself I still think this was one of the best tournaments for us lately. Yeah, I know the standard is not very high but I was having fun watching this team most time. And in the end, that's what that hockey is supposed to be about. I know we might have been even better with different treatment and coaching but it's just what it is. We don't have any Jukka Jalonen in Czech Republic. Maybe Pesan one day.

Btw I am really happy for Hronek that he was named the best D-man of the tournament. Who would say that we will ever have one again.

I would say that.Maybe somebody coould explain me what is this mentality about that one D who they all adore in CTsport. Like we finnaly have this D we all wanted. And you want some stats? Then check club stats of 2006 bronze OG team. 10 NHl players with 50 or more points, only 4 players with less than 40 points, including Ds. An that is, my friend, bronze. So what we gonna do with one Hronek?

You are right,we dont have Jalonen, centres, ds, bascially we dont have anything. we play for Staromak not for hockey. Its fun if you dont think about it. Otherwise its not that funny, because all the stats are against us. Finnland is dominant now and they win it after 7 years? US sending top players and ...nothing. And, for some reason, we are going to get medals now? I dont know why it should happen.

 

[smitty10]

Easily we went 7-3 and lost to Russia Olympic team twice and Canada. Last year we went 6-2. 13-5 over 2 years is great. I do think we're 2 years from a competitive best on best team:

Mrazek, Rittich, Francouz ... mabye Korenar, Bartosak, Dostal, Skarek, Vladar or Vanecek are established by then?

C - Krejci, Hertl, Faksa, Necas, Simon, Chytil, Hanzal if he recovers, Zacha (pick 4, I'd move rest to wing competition)
W - Pastrnak, Vrana, Voracek, Frolik, Kaut, Kubalik, Palat, Zadina, O. Kase, Chlapik, D Kase, M. Spacek
D - Hronek, Gudas, Simek, Kempny, Rutta, Hajek, Masin, Zboril

That's as a potential pain in the ass for the Big 5!

I think the best on best team would compete with any National Team.

Palat-Krejci-Pastrnak
Kubalik-Hertl-Voracek
Vrana-Faksa-Kase
Sobotka-Simon-Frolik
Chytil

Kempny-Gudas
Simek-Hronek
Hajek-Rutta
Polak

Mrazek
Francouz
Rittich

 

[Wooren]

I think the best on best team would compete with any National Team.

Palat-Krejci-Pastrnak
Kubalik-Hertl-Voracek
Vrana-Faksa-Kase
Sobotka-Simon-Frolik
Chytil

Kempny-Gudas
Simek-Hronek
Hajek-Rutta
Polak

Mrazek
Francouz
Rittich

Gulas in
Vrana out

Unless you want to claim you know better than our national team coach.

 

[Eye of Ra]

best possible czech team right now?

Voracek - Krejci - Pastrnak
Palat - Hertl - Kase
Vrana - Simon - Frolik
Radil - Faksa - Zacha
Nosek, Kämpf

Rutta - Kempny
Hronek - Gudas
Simek - Polak
Sulak - Jerebek

Mrazek
Rittich
Francouz

 

[Czechboy]

best possible czech team right now?

Voracek - Krejci - Pastrnak
Palat - Hertl - Kase
Vrana - Simon - Frolik
Radil - Faksa - Zacha
Nosek, Kämpf

Rutta - Kempny
Hronek - Gudas
Simek - Polak
Sulak - Jerebek

Mrazek
Rittich
Francouz

It's close .. definitely not good enough today. 2 years from now .. maybe if Hajek, necas, chytil, Kaut and Zadina progress at a normal rate.

We desperately need a goalie to stick as a starter for more than one season.

Of course... There is also the extraliga rule that says we need an old euro on the team. So add that player in at the expense of an NHL player. He must go in top 6 as well and first power play. Martin Erat or someone like him.

Replace one goalie with someone from extraliga and expect that goalie to become the starter against Canada. When we lose 5-0... We will blame pastrnak and bench him for not skating hard enough.

Also, at least 2 more Euros...

Personally I wouldn't have kampf and I'd switch Simon to 4c and put Faksa at 3c despite Simon having more offence. I'd actually put Simon at wing if he made the team.

Zacha would say he is coming and then back out at last minute after his father posted something stupid on his website. Polak is retired from national team.

Also, expect our best on best coach to have zero knowledge of north american hockey and to do things in an old school Czech style that last worked in 2000. Definitely no line matching.

Don't even get me started on power play.

 

[Czechboy]

I think the best on best team would compete with any National Team.

Palat-Krejci-Pastrnak
Kubalik-Hertl-Voracek
Vrana-Faksa-Kase
Sobotka-Simon-Frolik
Chytil

Kempny-Gudas
Simek-Hronek
Hajek-Rutta
Polak

Mrazek
Francouz
Rittich

Definitely competive but I don't think we have the guns today to medal at best on best. The Finnish A team is ridiculously deep now. Canada would have Crosby as a 2c behind Mcdavid. We already know we can hang with the Russian team.lol.

 

[Czechboy]

I would say that.Maybe somebody coould explain me what is this mentality about that one D who they all adore in CTsport. Like we finnaly have this D we all wanted. And you want some stats? Then check club stats of 2006 bronze OG team. 10 NHl players with 50 or more points, only 4 players with less than 40 points, including Ds. An that is, my friend, bronze. So what we gonna do with one Hronek?

You are right,we dont have Jalonen, centres, ds, bascially we dont have anything. we play for Staromak not for hockey. Its fun if you dont think about it. Otherwise its not that funny, because all the stats are against us. Finnland is dominant now and they win it after 7 years? US sending top players and ...nothing. And, for some reason, we are going to get medals now? I dont know why it should happen.

It's not crosby Mcdavid but hertl krejci today is a pretty good 1-2 punch at centre. I have no defence for our D.lol

 

[Czechboy]

We beat one good team the whole tournament. One
Riha had everything going for him and he still didn't manage to get any medal, not even bronze. But frankly he deserved it, his seemingly random deployment of goalies, Vrana/Chytil treatment, out of nowhere Gulas addition. As Kesid said earlier in this thread, he is lucky he got a stacked team. If he had his dream team formed by the "European core" with stars like Nemec, Erat and Novotny, he might have not even made it to the quaterfinals.


That record looks good until you realize most of the wins were against 2nd tier nations. Our record against good teams is laughably bad, at all age levels to boot. What is it, six 4th places since 2014? That's 12 losses in row when it actually matters.


No it's not. And it won't be anytime soon either.

Swiss were definding silver and had most their A team. I'd call that the other top team. Taking Russian team to shootout is pretty good given how deep Russian team was. They also had their NHL starter.

I agree that I don't even want to picture who riha envisioned before being gifted NHL players. However, I think some of the NHL guys will politely decline next year after seeing how riha treats them and then he can get plekanec and Gulas out there with all 3 Zohornas and zatovic. Not one lazy player! All skate hard. Roman Will as the starter! Dream team for riha ... D with musil, Jordan, polasek.

Everyone calls him Sir and Marek sykora will praise the back checking and blocked shots. Those will be the highlights because we won't be scoring 39 goals.

 

[Czechboy]

Facebook lighting up with photos of Riha crying and overwhelming support for him. I'm calling it now .. next year is going to be awful. 3 NHL players maybe. Like Wooren said... This is going in the wrong direction.

Czech Republic at eliteprospects.com

So kubalik and Kovar eventually passed Vrana ... They were 2nd and 3rd in goals. I really hope Kubalik sticks in NHL. Tough road... I'm sure Kovar could tell him all about it. Wonder if Kovar tries again? Wonder if Bartosak goes to khl? Wonder if Gulas gets a nice NHL contract.lmao

Also Hronek named best D! Votacek and hronek on all star team. All great things.

 

[Czechboy]

Sorry... Easy work morning so lots of reading. Missed in all this is that jakub lauko won a memorial cup and was leading scorer in tourney with 8 points!

Lauko was a guy that struggled getting ice time at world juniors this year. Drove me crazy as I loved that team and thought coach of the year varada ruined them.

 

[Voodoozz]

I don't mind Riha as our senior NT coach at all. I want Pesan&co. in the domestic clubs, that's where we need progressive young coaching. Worlds on the other hand is a short tournament where there's not much time to teach the players what to do. Riha looked good on the bench, active, emotionally invested, our guys seemed to like him. I didn't like some of his decisions either, but ultimately he got us to the medal rounds, where we were a Vasilevskij away from bronze. Looking forward to next year, the medal drought is bound to end one day.

 

[joey16]

I don't mind Riha as our senior NT coach at all. I want Pesan&co. in the domestic clubs, that's where we need progressive young coaching. Worlds on the other hand is a short tournament where there's not much time to teach the players what to do. Riha looked good on the bench, active, emotionally invested, our guys seemed to like him. I didn't like some of his decisions either, but ultimately he got us to the medal rounds, where we were a Vasilevskij away from bronze. Looking forward to next year, the medal drought is bound to end one day.

I agree with this. Riha is far from ideal but you have to look at it comprehensively. I also don't like that preference of those so-called warriors and fighters before skilled guys but most of our coaches do this. And Riha has some positive sides too. As you said - this active and emotional coaching, authority.. I also think he was respected by the players. These type of personalities were usualy most successful with NT (Hlinka, Ruzicka, Holik) and I think that's also what mentality of our players needs.
Now tell me who (outside Pesan or foreign coaches) would be better option? I really don't know. And when you think of few then you will soon realize that they all love these warriors too. Remember how disappointing was Varada at WJC..

 

[Czechboy]

I agree with this. Riha is far from ideal but you have to look at it comprehensively. I also don't like that preference of those so-called warriors and fighters before skilled guys but most of our coaches do this. And Riha has some positive sides too. As you said - this active and emotional coaching, authority.. I also think he was respected by the players. These type of personalities were usualy most successful with NT (Hlinka, Ruzicka, Holik) and I think that's also what mentality of our players needs.
Now tell me who (outside Pesan or foreign coaches) would be better option? I really don't know. And when you think of few then you will soon realize that they all love these warriors too. Remember how disappointing was Varada at WJC..

That's coach of the year Pan Vaclav Varada to you!lol

We don't have many coaches that I'd covet at junior or senior level. Hadamczak is literally the only person I dislike in Czech hockey and he's still U18, Varada is still U20 and Riha is still NT. I can't even think of any coaches in our pipeline?

 

[Wooren]

I don't mind Riha as our senior NT coach at all. I want Pesan&co. in the domestic clubs, that's where we need progressive young coaching. Worlds on the other hand is a short tournament where there's not much time to teach the players what to do. Riha looked good on the bench, active, emotionally invested, our guys seemed to like him. I didn't like some of his decisions either, but ultimately he got us to the medal rounds, where we were a Vasilevskij away from bronze. Looking forward to next year, the medal drought is bound to end one day.

Wonder if that's what Hungarian football fans thought when they stopped getting medals.

 

[Voodoozz]

From the Extraliga coaches, i like Tomas Martinec (MHK) and Ladislav Cihak (PLZ). Both are rather young, former junior teams coaches so they know how to approach young players. Cihak and Pesan were classmates at FTVS so they know one another quite well. These guys give me some hope. Other than that though, there's not much to choose from...

 

[Voodoozz]

From the Extraliga coaches, i like Tomas Martinec (MHK) and Ladislav Cihak (PLZ). Both are rather young, former junior teams coaches so they know how to approach young players. Cihak and Pesan were classmates at FTVS so they know one another quite well. These guys give me some hope. Other than that though, there's not much to choose from...

PS. An interesting interview with Cihak about our hockey environment: Proč český hokej tápe? Žijeme tu v morální bídě, říká mladý kouč Plzně - iDNES.cz