WC: 2024 Czech team in Prague!

Playmaker82

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How about Vozenilek and Filippi? Are they far off?

It sure seems like a lopsided defensive powerteam for the Czechs this year. Good goalies and defence, but unlucky with the forwards.

Hertl, Chytil, Voracek injured. Vrana with his problems and Kubalik as UFA. Pastrnak, Zacha, Necas ++ playoffbound, as the most of the players in AHL.

Zadina & Palat could be the ones this year.
 
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Czechboy

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How about Vozenilek and Filippi? Are they far off?

It sure seems like a lopsided defensive powerteam for the Czechs this year. Good goalies and defence, but unlucky with the forwards.

Hertl, Chytil, Voracek injured. Vrana with his problems and Kubalik as UFA. Pastrnak, Zacha, Necas ++ playoffbound, as the most of the players in AHL.

Zadina & Palat could be the ones this year.
I think (or maybe hope) that Hertl did his surgery so he'd be back for the Worlds. Pure speculaiton, don't quote me. Just my hunch.

Hertl and Palat would be a very good start.

Zadina is also a UFA.

Forwards are looking rough.

Simek is retruning to Europe after season so he may want to play as well. That D is lookign good.. maybe we can get Tichachek to play wing.lol

And yes, I expect to hear names like fillip, Vozelnik and maybe even Rucizka. Not exactly thrilled about it. Shame Frk didnt accomplish much. I was positive he'd have a good year in Europe and he definitely didn't.
 

Playmaker82

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Ah, Zadina UFA as well... Yep, Hertl would have been important. With Palat in the mix. Not much else to hope for before the first round of playoff is done I guess.
 

Czechboy

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Ah, Zadina UFA as well... Yep, Hertl would have been important. With Palat in the mix. Not much else to hope for before the first round of playoff is done I guess.
Need a Carolina vs Boston first round matchup!
 

Goodman68

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How about Vozenilek and Filippi? Are they far off?

It sure seems like a lopsided defensive powerteam for the Czechs this year. Good goalies and defence, but unlucky with the forwards.

Hertl, Chytil, Voracek injured. Vrana with his problems and Kubalik as UFA. Pastrnak, Zacha, Necas ++ playoffbound, as the most of the players in AHL.

Zadina & Palat could be the ones this year.
Voženílek seems to be close, Filippi quite possibly too. The situation with attackers is really sad. Personally, I cannot understand the repeated ignoring of Nestrašil, who is a better creator of the game than Růžička, he is also a more suitable type for international hockey and has been playing great for a long time.
 

Goodman68

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I think (or maybe hope) that Hertl did his surgery so he'd be back for the Worlds. Pure speculaiton, don't quote me. Just my hunch.

Hertl and Palat would be a very good start.

Zadina is also a UFA.

Forwards are looking rough.

Simek is retruning to Europe after season so he may want to play as well. That D is lookign good.. maybe we can get Tichachek to play wing.lol

And yes, I expect to hear names like fillip, Vozelnik and maybe even Rucizka. Not exactly thrilled about it. Shame Frk didnt accomplish much. I was positive he'd have a good year in Europe and he definitely didn't.
I just hope that Růžička will not play in the championship, he is not a player for international hockey. I believe Rulík knows that.
 

Czechboy

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Well, trade deadline has come and gone and things got WORSE for us.lol

Gudas and Rutta are available and signed.

Palat may be available.

I think that's it for signed D and G with contracts next year?

We gained another goalie in our deeprest position with Vanecek.

So available goalies are Mrazek, Dostal, Vejmelka, Vanecek and Vladar. Honestly, I'd take any combo of those 3. If I had to pick.. Dostal is my starter but I want another one of those guys on the bench. I better not see one SECOND given to a Euro goalie this year. Not even if we play Jamaica.

AHL is a big problem for us: Svozil, Jiricek and Zboril look to be going on a deep Calder Cup run. Simek will be in Grand Rapids (but it sounds like he's cooked). Blumel in Texas. Kulich in Rochester. Smejkal in Belleville. It would have been nice to have them available and let the coaches decide.

Our best hope is Boston vs Carolina and Vegas vs Vancouver.

My enthusiasim is quite low to be honest. I don't' think our team will be a medal threat and, a year ago, I was positive we would.

However, as an Oil and Czech fan, I've always said I'd rather a team built around D and G and we can definitely send a solid D and G. The forwards are going to be a big issue though. All good players but no real game breakers.

I'd list a bunch but I'm not that excited about any of them. Sedlak and O Kase are about the only 2 that I'd insist on from Extraliga. I'm sure I'm 'sleeping on' some good ones though but it feels bleak!
 

Goodman68

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Well, trade deadline has come and gone and things got WORSE for us.lol

Gudas and Rutta are available and signed.

Palat may be available.

I think that's it for signed D and G with contracts next year?

We gained another goalie in our deeprest position with Vanecek.

So available goalies are Mrazek, Dostal, Vejmelka, Vanecek and Vladar. Honestly, I'd take any combo of those 3. If I had to pick.. Dostal is my starter but I want another one of those guys on the bench. I better not see one SECOND given to a Euro goalie this year. Not even if we play Jamaica.

AHL is a big problem for us: Svozil, Jiricek and Zboril look to be going on a deep Calder Cup run. Simek will be in Grand Rapids (but it sounds like he's cooked). Blumel in Texas. Kulich in Rochester. Smejkal in Belleville. It would have been nice to have them available and let the coaches decide.

Our best hope is Boston vs Carolina and Vegas vs Vancouver.

My enthusiasim is quite low to be honest. I don't' think our team will be a medal threat and, a year ago, I was positive we would.

However, as an Oil and Czech fan, I've always said I'd rather a team built around D and G and we can definitely send a solid D and G. The forwards are going to be a big issue though. All good players but no real game breakers.

I'd list a bunch but I'm not that excited about any of them. Sedlak and O Kase are about the only 2 that I'd insist on from Extraliga. I'm sure I'm 'sleeping on' some good ones though but it feels bleak!
Of the goalkeepers who will definitely be available, I would definitely choose Dostála now. Vaneček is such a strange goalkeeper, he gets unnecessary goals, I'm not surprised that the Devils got rid of him. Vejmelka is having a very bad season for a change. While Dostál catches reliably except for one season.
I hope Palát will be available, he's been playing great lately. And we have to hope that there is still someone available from the NHL who would have said it a few years ago that we would be in such a bad way..
 
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Swipes

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Good news.. Nedved did an inspection tour. Everyone wants to represent.

I hate these tours... such bullshit. Talked a lot about pasta who is currently very comfortably on a playoff team
These things rarely achieve much, the players will obviously say they want to come and we won't know for sure until they confirm it (e.g. Zacha). So it's all rather pointless and the money would be better spent on something else (I'm assuming he doesn't pay it out of his own pocket?)
 
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Swipes

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Voženílek seems to be close, Filippi quite possibly too. The situation with attackers is really sad. Personally, I cannot understand the repeated ignoring of Nestrašil, who is a better creator of the game than Růžička, he is also a more suitable type for international hockey and has been playing great for a long time.
Nestrasil. That's a name from the past! What's he up to these days, where does he play?
 

Goodman68

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Nestrasil. That's a name from the past! What's he up to these days, where does he play?
He plays in Třinec. It's my home club, so I see it all the time. I didn't understand his non-nomination even for the preparatory matches last year, and if it happens again this year, when he played even better in the regular season, then Rulík will disappoint me a lot. Voženílek, who Nestrašil is playing with now, has other strengths, but if I were to look for a player in the extra league who can handle the power play, can handle the weakening, is great in creating play and I am absolutely sure that he would be able to do it at the international level, he is it he. So Sedlák is the better player in the extra league. Růžička (third from the line, which now clearly dominates the league) has even more points, but does not have the right habits for international hockey. Unlike Nestrašil.
 

Swipes

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He plays in Třinec. It's my home club, so I see it all the time. I didn't understand his non-nomination even for the preparatory matches last year, and if it happens again this year, when he played even better in the regular season, then Rulík will disappoint me a lot. Voženílek, who Nestrašil is playing with now, has other strengths, but if I were to look for a player in the extra league who can handle the power play, can handle the weakening, is great in creating play and I am absolutely sure that he would be able to do it at the international level, he is it he. So Sedlák is the better player in the extra league. Růžička (third from the line, which now clearly dominates the league) has even more points, but does not have the right habits for international hockey. Unlike Nestrašil.
Thanks for the update. He should definitely be tried out.
 
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martygod12

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A slightly good news is that Vegas could face Canucks in the first round .. so either Hronek or Hertl should be available. Of course Hertl is a big questionmark even if available with that injury.

Also Rochester will probably be out by the WC so Kulich and Rousek will be available. Eventhough Kulich is not in the top form right now I still want to see him in Prague 100% and Rousek is without discussion if available.

Palat, Zadina, Vanecek, Rutta, Dostal, Gudas, Mrazek, Vejmelka, Kubalik so far ... not great really but at least Rutta with Gudas will be a nice lift up for the D and GKs look solid. But we really need some bigger names in the offense, Necas, Hertl, Zacha or of course Pasta.

Really not much to choose from this year sadly. Just like that in the one season we lost 4 really good forwards with Krejci retired, Chytil out for the season, Vrana done in the NHL and Kubalik fell to minor threat and who knows how much longer he will stay in NHL.

Kulich and Jiricek also not progressing fast enough, and other guys are way too young still (or not with such a big potential to be on a edge of NHL level already)

This is not gonna be very succesfull WC I am afraid. All the worse its the home one.
 

Czechboy

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A slightly good news is that Vegas could face Canucks in the first round .. so either Hronek or Hertl should be available. Of course Hertl is a big questionmark even if available with that injury.

Also Rochester will probably be out by the WC so Kulich and Rousek will be available. Eventhough Kulich is not in the top form right now I still want to see him in Prague 100% and Rousek is without discussion if available.

Palat, Zadina, Vanecek, Rutta, Dostal, Gudas, Mrazek, Vejmelka, Kubalik so far ... not great really but at least Rutta with Gudas will be a nice lift up for the D and GKs look solid. But we really need some bigger names in the offense, Necas, Hertl, Zacha or of course Pasta.

Really not much to choose from this year sadly. Just like that in the one season we lost 4 really good forwards with Krejci retired, Chytil out for the season, Vrana done in the NHL and Kubalik fell to minor threat and who knows how much longer he will stay in NHL.

Kulich and Jiricek also not progressing fast enough, and other guys are way too young still (or not with such a big potential to be on a edge of NHL level already)

This is not gonna be very succesfull WC I am afraid. All the worse its the home one.
We should have a great goalie and a above average D. Coach is excellent. So those are the positives.

The forwards will be weak for sure.

Either too old... Kovar and cervenka
Too euro... Chlapik and Spacek
Too young.. jiricek and Kulich

I'd welcome kubalik with open arms but Ufa. Although, if he is returning to Europe then he will play..
 

martygod12

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We should have a great goalie and a above average D. Coach is excellent. So those are the positives.

The forwards will be weak for sure.

Either too old... Kovar and cervenka
Too euro... Chlapik and Spacek
Too young.. jiricek and Kulich

I'd welcome kubalik with open arms but Ufa. Although, if he is returning to Europe then he will play..
Damn hope he is not returning yet, he is looking terrible this season but Ottawa is also not helping him at all, they are not using him for what he does best.

In his other seasons he always got at least 30+ points which is still solid

I mean it's not looking good, but I hope one of the teams will give him one more chance
 
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Czechboy

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Not looking that great for czechs this year. Seems like the overall quality of their NHL players has dropped
Yup... Worst season ever for us.

Still have pasta and Hronek in top 10 for their positions. 7 goalies with at least 5 games played too. We now have 2 pretty prominent C's which is nice.. Zacha for a very good Boston team and Hertl for a Cup contender himself now!

25 Czechs with at least one game played so 32 total including goalies. But definitely paying for a decade of shit right now.

Some awful luck too! Vrana busting out. Kaut not making it. Zadina struggling. Voracek retired early. Kase retired from NHL early. Chytil may be done too. Hajek and Zboril not making it. Some real bad bounces for us.

So there is some good mixed in with a LOT of bad for us. Shame it's in Prague this year but, as mentioned above, a few first round matchups may help us... Pasta, Necas, Hronek would all be very welcome additions. Plus we will have some good players in AHL that we can't bring to really piss me off.lol

Having said that.. we are still keeping a good distance on the next 5 nations after us.

25 skaters and 7 goalies

vs

11 skaters and 0 goalies

vs

7 skaters and 1 goalie

vs

9 skaters and 1 goalie


But we aren't close enough to Finland and I'm not sure if we ever will be...

38 skaters and 8 goalies
 

Goodman68

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I'll be a little annoying again. I'm so sorry. It's probably because I don't want to talk myself into anything anymore. I hope Dostál will be number one. He is our most promising goalkeeper. The rest is very inconsistent at best.
In defense, Rutta and Gudy should be available. It is a decent strengthening of the team, but if we realize the quality of the other teams coming (teams with very strong lineups always come to Prague), then our defense will be barely average at best. I will hope that Jiřiček will be available. I would definitely give Svozil a chance as well.
As written, both Kulich and Rousek should definitely belong on the team. Although I'm wondering what's going on, what's going on with Kulich.. According to the points he got, he had a successful championship, but he wasn't as dominant in the game as I expected. He was always an excellent and fast skater, but he looked slower at the championships. Maybe he put on some muscle before the season and that's why he's a little slower. But maybe I'm wrong. Otherwise, I expect from our team that we should manage the progress to the quarter-finals with perhaps an overview, but I am afraid that then against a top team we will have a very big problem in the QF..
 

Czechboy

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I saw tomasek one the SHL goal scoring title... He will most likely be on the team but I don't know enough about him. NHL potential?
 

Goodman68

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I saw tomasek one the SHL goal scoring title... He will most likely be on the team but I don't know enough about him. NHL potential?
If he plays like he has all season, it is of course certain that he will be in the team. Every match belonged to the clear best players.
Maybe he has NHL potential, I wouldn't be surprised if he gets an offer from the league after the season. After all, Záruba also said something to that effect. But he is already 28 years old, and at such an age it is very rare for a player to break into the NHL. But he is playing very well, maybe he will really succeed.
 

Czechboy

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If he plays like he has all season, it is of course certain that he will be in the team. Every match belonged to the clear best players.
Maybe he has NHL potential, I wouldn't be surprised if he gets an offer from the league after the season. After all, Záruba also said something to that effect. But he is already 28 years old, and at such an age it is very rare for a player to break into the NHL. But he is playing very well, maybe he will really succeed.
28... no chance. But, he's in peak form.. put him on the NT! Not like we have many forwards who can score.

That top line of Vozelnik, Tomasek and Radil!lol
 
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Swipes

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If he plays like he has all season, it is of course certain that he will be in the team. Every match belonged to the clear best players.
Maybe he has NHL potential, I wouldn't be surprised if he gets an offer from the league after the season. After all, Záruba also said something to that effect. But he is already 28 years old, and at such an age it is very rare for a player to break into the NHL. But he is playing very well, maybe he will really succeed.
Hejda made the NHL in his 30s right? But yeah, I agree that it's rare.
 
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