WC: 2017 Team Czech Republic

[Swipes]

Not a bad game versus Canada.

Need more from Voracek and Pastrnak. Liked what I saw from Simek. Krejcik was our worst D imo. We had some nice passing plays and created plenty of opportunities but we really should have scored more goals. Kovar has to put that in.

Our defense looked pretty shaky at times, but hopefully it will get better as the tournament goes on. Some of our D-men struggled to get the puck out and were out of position during some of Canada's chances-need to be better there.

 

[Swipes]

Rutta should swap lines with Krejcik.
Zohorna should swap lines with Kovar.
Francouz should be No. 1 in the next games, Mrazek was just fine but nowhere near Pickard.

Yeah I thought Zohorna was pretty solid. Kovar seems too soft to me. I'd like to see him get stuck in more.

 

[joey16]

OK..

Pastrnak, Cervenka, Plekanec, Jerabek need to be better..
Kovar needs to figure out how to score when there's a net empty.
I liked Rutta, I think he deserves more ice-time.
Mrazek was solid.

But overally nothing terrible, the performance was ok but there's many things to improve. Let's get three points tomorrow.

 

[czechmate]

You cant blame the guys for trying It just wasn't enough in a game against Canada, where you typically don't have a lot of clear scoring chances, so you have to capitalize on those ones you get.

We had more shots on goal than Canada, that is already an uplift. Also, having followed the Czech team for nearly 10-15 years now, whenever they won something, it always took a little longer than other teams to build up the chemistry (remember we lost group stage games against weaker opponents but were able to build up massive chemistry with mostly KHL players, beat SWE and FIN in shootouts and won against Russia in the final game - 2010). So I think if we are successful we need more time to develop the spirit within the team.

If we can improve our efficiency in front of the goal, be a little bit more creative than Kempnys occasional predictable shot, I think were headed in the right direction

 

[Jablkon]

I also think first line should put it together. Hopefully its not overall sign of Pleks decline. Second line all adpated to Kolar and its all up to him now. Radil was positive surprise. Ussually these euro guys disappeared against Canada, he didnt. Third line was ok, question is whether they are able to keep playing such a demanding hockey and make better scoring chances.

It was a hard test for our fourth line and they didnt really pass imo. Good thing they can get experience against weaker opponents because we will need them. It must have been tough especially for Hanzl, from Litvinov against Canada. Unfortunately I dont really believe there can be just guys without any experience from big stage.

Krejcik was shaky. But overall it was quite a confident performance by our Ds, including Rutta. I dont remember if I ever seen such a performance from extraliga defender like Simek did.

 

[KurtSloan]

I must say that I didn't like how Pastrnak overplayed the actions and played too long with a puck until he lost it.

 

[Jablkon]

I must say that I didn't like how Pastrnak overplayed the actions and played too long with a puck until he lost it.

true, especially with free Pleks next to him...

 

[czechmate]

Krejci ruled out, wont join the team.

 

[tade]

It's official now. David Krejci is not going to join the team in Paris, health will not let him go.

 

[Jablkon]

It might be too early but what you guys think about our fourth line? Horak looks great but I am afraid they are too unexperienced to handle entire tourney. Unfortunately there is nobody to alternate there. I didnt think about it before but Vondrka might be helpful there.

 

[czechmate]

Simek has been great so far, I really think he has got a big chance in NHL. Zohorna plays pretty well too!

 

[Babula]

Simek has been great so far, I really think he has got a big chance in NHL. Zohorna plays pretty well too!

Simek like him a lot... all angles of view.

 

[Wooren]

It might be too early but what you guys think about our fourth line? Horak looks great but I am afraid they are too unexperienced to handle entire tourney. Unfortunately there is nobody to alternate there. I didnt think about it before but Vondrka might be helpful there.

The 4th is a good two way line with decent skill. Especially Hanzl has some great hands. I think they played well in both games.

I agree on Simek, he has been great on both ends of ice. I personally like Rutta, offensively skilled. He won't stay in Extraliga for long.

 

[Fazkovsky]

how good is jerabek

 

[Voodoozz]

how good is jerabek

Solid. He's not getting as much ice time as he did last year but he's fine. Great passing, head up, walking across the blue line. I like that he can shoot a good wrister through the crowd (hit the crossbar today), cuz our other D's have some problems with that . Really liked him against Belarus. He just came back from an injury before the WC started, he's gonna be even better.

 

[Swipes]

Simek has been great so far, I really think he has got a big chance in NHL. Zohorna plays pretty well too!

Excited about Simek too. Hope he keeps it up.

 

[Voodoozz]

http://hokej.idnes.cz/petr-holik-navrat-k-narodnimu-tymu-ms-2017-hokej-foh-/ms-hokej-2017.aspx?c=A170508_112304_ms-hokej-2017_elv

Holik joins the team, Kubalik heads home. I mean i'm very happy for Holik, he was great at Carlson games but man do they treat Kubalik like a dog, the guy canceled his vacation the day before the WC started and few days after they just send him away like this. Poor guy.

 

[Wooren]

http://hokej.idnes.cz/petr-holik-navrat-k-narodnimu-tymu-ms-2017-hokej-foh-/ms-hokej-2017.aspx?c=A170508_112304_ms-hokej-2017_elv

Holik joins the team, Kubalik heads home. I mean i'm very happy for Holik, he was great at Carlson games but man do they treat Kubalik like a dog, the guy canceled his vacation the day before the WC started and few days after they just send him away like this. Poor guy.

My thoughts are same.
With St Louis eliminated they also showed interest in Sobotka, would be a solid addition. They don't want Jaskin.

 

[tade]

http://hokej.idnes.cz/petr-holik-navrat-k-narodnimu-tymu-ms-2017-hokej-foh-/ms-hokej-2017.aspx?c=A170508_112304_ms-hokej-2017_elv

Holik joins the team, Kubalik heads home. I mean i'm very happy for Holik, he was great at Carlson games but man do they treat Kubalik like a dog, the guy canceled his vacation the day before the WC started and few days after they just send him away like this. Poor guy.

Wow, that's terrible, this is not how you treat your players... Holik is not a game changer on this level, why would you do this because of him? Oh my god...

Jaskin would be nice fit and upgrade on the 4th line, but oh, well... If he's interested, he would have plenty of games to get used to the big ice before the play-off starts.

Sobotka is obvious pick, I hope that he's healthy and wants to play.

 

[czechmate]

Good to see Kundratek back in the lineup.

I quite like Pasta playing together with Plekanec and Voracek. He wasn't able to show his best hockey up to now, maybe the line along with Plekanec and Voracek will spark a fire tonight.

Also there is a chance that Sobotka will join the team. Im not sure where he would be placed to to be honest... Vrana and Zohorna have been playing really well so far, no need to remove them from the lineup to be honest...I have expected more from Plekanec, I really hope he will improve game by game.

 

[Jablkon]

http://hokej.idnes.cz/petr-holik-navrat-k-narodnimu-tymu-ms-2017-hokej-foh-/ms-hokej-2017.aspx?c=A170508_112304_ms-hokej-2017_elv

Holik joins the team, Kubalik heads home. I mean i'm very happy for Holik, he was great at Carlson games but man do they treat Kubalik like a dog, the guy canceled his vacation the day before the WC started and few days after they just send him away like this. Poor guy.

Some PR specialist is needed here. You can not say to media that AHL guys had low chance to get there, so as even Mr Vujtek shouldnt say that Kaspar was on the edge last year. This Kubalik treatment is also weird but I hope they communicate with him. We need these guys to be motivated their entire career and not taking their three weeks vacation just to tell them we dont need you much...There is a room for improvement imo.

 

[tade]

Some PR specialist is needed here. You can not say to media that AHL guys had low chance to get there, so as even Mr Vujtek shouldnt say that Kaspar was on the edge last year. This Kubalik treatment is also weird but I hope they communicate with him. We need these guys to be motivated their entire career and not taking their three weeks vacation just to tell them we dont need you much...There is a big room for improvement imo.

Well, if Kubalik knew all the time that he could be potentially again replaced by Holik, then it is different case... but still it's strange move. Why they needed to have Kubalik in Paris for these 3 days? It was not needed, they just could wait and see if Holik will be healthy or not... and then eventually call-up another player.

I have no idea why they need to have another "10 players" with the team in Paris, who will never be on official roster for the tournament... Sure injuries, but you don't need 5 players because of it. Just do it similar as Canada, for example.

 

[Jablkon]

The 4th is a good two way line with decent skill. Especially Hanzl has some great hands. I think they played well in both games.

I agree on Simek, he has been great on both ends of ice. I personally like Rutta, offensively skilled. He won't stay in Extraliga for long.

I somehow thought they lost their battle against canadian fourth line, but true is goals came after their shifts not when they were on ice. Hanzl seemed to me he was bit looking to get comfortable there. Jumping from Extralegue to play against Canada is tough though.

What I dont really like on the other hand is changing lines because NHL players are used to faster combination. Not because they changed these lines but because the other guys are used to slower hockey. Personally I would love to see Kovar moving faster and he showed some flashes in first game he would be able to do it. He just does not need to imo. I hope they prove me wrong but Cervenka-Kovar-Radil line against US or Canada is somehow nightmare for me(not because of Radil)

 

[Voodoozz]

Horrendous start, fantastic comeback. Mrazek was amazing the 2nd half of the game.

 

[czechmate]

I really hope Voracek is fine. Otherwise we lose our best player and we all know what that means...