WC: 2018 - Team Czech Republic

[Wooren]

Plekanec managed to shut down the Marchand-Bergeron-Pastrnak line in the playoffs. I am not expecting him to score a lot of points, but he will a valuable player on PK and shutting down opposition's top players. Huge respect to Tomas for coming.

Also, Hrachovina seems random. I know he will most likely not play, but still. Shame Kase and Zadina are not in. (Kase is injured I believe?)

 

[Czechboy]

Roster for World Championship

Roman Červenka named as captain of this team. Francouz was named as No.1, Rittich No,2 and Hrachovina No.3. 15 forwards, 8 defensemen and 3 goaltenders for now.

G: Dominik Furch D: Marek Hrbas, Jakub Krejčík, Vojtěch Mozík, Filip Pavlík, Ondřej Vitásek F: Martin Frk, Filip Chlapík, David Kaše, Adam Musil, Matěj Stránský, Filip Zadina and Hynek Zohorna were cut.

15 rookies for WHC, 12 of them for any NT tournament. Average age is 25.07. Olders player is Tomáš Plekanec (35), youngest player is Martin Kaut (18). Two players over 30 years, 3 players under 20 years. 9 players from Extraliga, 7 from NHL (some AHL), 6 from KHL, 3 from NLA and 1 from Liiga.

I feel bad for Furch.. he always shows up and has been a good soldier and gets cut for a guy who's never played a second. Having said that, good for Jandac to mix it up. Rittich and Francouz as 1-2 is as close to perfect as we have right now.

Definitely sad to see Frk get cut.. he showed up without a contract, is very hard working and has a crazy shot. I think he could've done well for us with a little more time.

Surprised Zadina (top 3 pick) was cut and Kaut (round 2 projection although I hope round 1) made it. I do think we shouldn't have cut Zadina. Even if he was pressboxed...

The D is very weak but I thought that last time and they all seemed to make their way to the NHL this season so I'll reserve judgement. So happy to see David Musil make it! I get he is playing a game from the wrong era but I could see him being a staple on our team for years to come.

 

[Maluk11]

Plekanec managed to shut down the Marchand-Bergeron-Pastrnak line in the playoffs. I am not expecting him to score a lot of points, but he will a valuable player on PK and shutting down opposition's top players. Huge respect to Tomas for coming.

Also, Hrachovina seems random. I know he will most likely not play, but still. Shame Kase and Zadina are not in. (Kase is injured I believe?)

Indeed. Kaše was injured, same with Mozík and Vitásek.

 

[Czechboy]

Plekanec managed to shut down the Marchand-Bergeron-Pastrnak line in the playoffs. I am not expecting him to score a lot of points, but he will a valuable player on PK and shutting down opposition's top players. Huge respect to Tomas for coming.

Also, Hrachovina seems random. I know he will most likely not play, but still. Shame Kase and Zadina are not in. (Kase is injured I believe?)

Yeah, Plekanec has no contract and or guarantees of a job next year but still is coming. Plus, some fans were brutal to him online last year about how he played along with some media. The man is the ultimate Czech and always comes. Amazing. Give him rookies to play with and watch them shine.

 

[Czechboy]

Who are our centres? Faksa, Plekanec...

 

[Maluk11]

Who are our centres? Faksa, Plekanec...

Faksa, Hanzl, Horák, Nečas, Plekanec. Chytil and Kousal can play there too.

 

[Czechboy]

Faksa, Hanzl, Horák, Nečas, Plekanec. Chytil and Kousal can play there too.

I would put chytil and necas with plekanec at centre... Let him do the dirty work and let them fly.

 

[Retroglyphs]

Plekanec deserve really big thanks and applause for what he did and still doing for us, real patroit.

Great guy!

 

[Maluk11]

Surprised Zadina (top 3 pick) was cut and Kaut (round 2 projection although I hope round 1) made it. I do think we shouldn't have cut Zadina. Even if he was pressboxed....

I think Kaut deserved it more than Zadina. Zadina will be great player in future, but it was noticeable he still playing junior league. Kaut on the other side is playing Extraliga and it's good two-way player already. It was award for Zadina to be in this team at all, he was first player in history from QMJHL in NT.

 

[Kesid]

I feel bad for Furch.. he always shows up and has been a good soldier and gets cut for a guy who's never played a second. Having said that, good for Jandac to mix it up. Rittich and Francouz as 1-2 is as close to perfect as we have right now.

Surprised Zadina (top 3 pick) was cut and Kaut (round 2 projection although I hope round 1) made it. I do think we shouldn't have cut Zadina. Even if he was pressboxed...

He didnt get cut for Hrachovina. He was supposed to be no. 3 goalie and he chose not to go and prepare for his next season instead.

I think they like that Kaut is more of working hard guy.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

I would love for the Sens to take Kaut with the late first (Pens pick) . Zadina not making the team ... would love to hear the explanation on that.

 

[Kesid]

I would love for the Sens to take Kaut with the late first (Pens pick) . Zadina not making the team ... would love to hear the explanation on that.

Jandac said "it was a big jump for him to play against men from junior hockey"

 

[joey16]

Average age 25 - that's a refreshment, looking forward what this team can do compared to the previous older ones we are used to.
I actually like that group of forwards even though there's no leader player that would stand out such as Voracek, Pastrnak or Krejci but maybe it could be somehow an advantage, at least the team won't rely on one player.
But that defense.. boy, this might get really ugly. If only we had at least one prime Zidlicky. The image of the defense would change a lot.

 

[Czechboy]

Jandac said "it was a big jump for him to play against men from junior hockey"

Sounds like bullshit... I think he had 2 points in his first 3 games... everything about him says he'd adjust to it. He might get 50 points in the NHL next season and finish 3rd in Czech scoring (behind Voracek and Pastrnak).

 

[Jablkon]

Sounds like bull****... I think he had 2 points in his first 3 games... everything about him says he'd adjust to it. He might get 50 points in the NHL next season and finish 3rd in Czech scoring (behind Voracek and Pastrnak).

He tried him everywhere if Iam correct. Itmight work good with Plekanec but he wasnt here. They had simply too many gaps in defence. Plus he is not really aggressive nor physical player yet and this team will have to play desperate hockey from the beginning with defence we have. Another thing is there are still three more forwards if I am correct. He would be too risky development player. There is no time for it in WHC imo.

 

[SoundAndFury]

I agree. It was early for Zadina. Rushing somebody who is clearly not ready doesn't do anybody good.

That 50 point prediction is way off as well. Unless he improves physically he is getting sent down to junior for one more year.

 

[Mirinho]

Well, we have 3 players 19years old and younger. This is like a miracle Zadina's time will come in future. I must say he wasn't better than Kaut, Necas and Chytil. And to be fair. Jandac gave him lot of ice time during matches. So I can live with this decision.

 

[Mirinho]

Now we must hope our young guns will have some serious roles in this team. I'll be pi**ed if Necas will be 13th forward etc.

 

[Blue prez]

And where're all KHL defencemen? Are they injured, or they all have declined to participate? or it's just management choice

 

[Maluk11]

And where're all KHL defencemen? Are they injured, or they all have declined to participate? or it's just management choice

Kolář, Kundrátek, Mozík, Nakládal and Vitásek are injured, there is still small chance for Mozík to play. Only Tomáš Černý and Tomáš Voráček, who played some games this season there, was not invited.

 

[Kesid]

Average age 25 - that's a refreshment, looking forward what this team can do compared to the previous older ones we are used to.
I actually like that group of forwards even though there's no leader player that would stand out such as Voracek, Pastrnak or Krejci but maybe it could be somehow an advantage, at least the team won't rely on one player.
But that defense.. boy, this might get really ugly. If only we had at least one prime Zidlicky. The image of the defense would change a lot.

It would be different group if you had healthy guys like Roth, Krejcik, Mozik, Vitasek, Kundratek etc.

But even Zidlicky didnt get to play on bigger stage for NT before he was 26 yrs old (had EHT experiences and obviously played for HIFK). Sklenicka and Pyrochta are young. It takes time to develop them. Dont like Moravcik as PP option and not a big fan of Planek either tbh.

 

[Czechboy]

I agree. It was early for Zadina. Rushing somebody who is clearly not ready doesn't do anybody good.

That 50 point prediction is way off as well. Unless he improves physically he is getting sent down to junior for one more year.

I seriously doubt he is in junior next year. We will see. It looks like he will be in Montreal to me.

 

[Czechboy]

He tried him everywhere if Iam correct. Itmight work good with Plekanec but he wasnt here. They had simply too many gaps in defence. Plus he is not really aggressive nor physical player yet and this team will have to play desperate hockey from the beginning with defence we have. Another thing is there are still three more forwards if I am correct. He would be too risky development player. There is no time for it in WHC imo.

I don't completely disagree but he was readjusting back to big ice as well. Him and Frk play a very different style to the typical 200 foot Czech. Maybe we should've adjusted to them instead of them to us. Not picking an elite striker because our D is weak seems a bit off to me.

 

[Czechboy]

It would be different group if you had healthy guys like Roth, Krejcik, Mozik, Vitasek, Kundratek etc.

But even Zidlicky didnt get to play on bigger stage for NT before he was 26 yrs old (had EHT experiences and obviously played for HIFK). Sklenicka and Pyrochta are young. It takes time to develop them. Dont like Moravcik as PP option and not a big fan of Planek either tbh.

I like your optimism and hope you are right because I don't see anything resembling Zidlicky in Czech hockey at the moment.

 

[SoundAndFury]

I would love for the Sens to take Kaut with the late first (Pens pick) . Zadina not making the team ... would love to hear the explanation on that.

It's next to impossible he drops that low.

I don't completely disagree but he was readjusting back to big ice as well. Him and Frk play a very different style to the typical 200 foot Czech. Maybe we should've adjusted to them instead of them to us. Not picking an elite striker because our D is weak seems a bit off to me.

Lets put it this way. Yakupov was a better scorer in his draft year than Zadina is. Yakupov is a better player now when he was in his draft year. Yakupov is too bad to play in the NHL. Being "elite striker" in junior isn't anything. It's not that Czechs didn't want to adjust, it's that Zadina was in over his head and there is just no need or point to rush him.

P.S. Vrana with a great game last night and will undoubtedly stay in top 6 with Wilson suspended.