Slovakia: Players to keep track of

[Elvs]

Here's a list of Slovak players to keep an eye on this season. For this list, I've selected players who are young and could take the long road to the NHL, as well as veterans who will be in the mix to make the national team for either the Olympics or World Championships.

For a list of Slovak's currently signed to NHL contracts, check the thread below:
Slovaks of the NHL – The current situation

For a list of Slovak prospects, check the thread below:
Slovak prospects – Top 10 rankings

Position	Name	Club	League	Born	Sho/Cat	Height	Weight
C	Marek Hrivik	Leksands IF	SHL	1991	Left	185 cm	89 kg
C	Matej Kaslik	HKM Zvolen	Tipos	2002	Left	182 cm	83 kg
C	Andrej Kollar	HC Kometa Brno	Extraliga	1999	Right	187 cm	86 kg
C	Michal Kristof	Admiral Vladivostok	KHL	1993	Left	175 cm	74 kg
C	Pavol Skalicky	TPS	Liiga	1995	Right	195 cm	98 kg
---
W	Martin Bakos	HK Sochi	KHL	1990	Right	188 cm	90 kg
W	Samuel Bucek	HC Slovan Bratislava	HK Nitra	1998	Right	190 cm	87 kg
W	Peter Cehlarik	Avangard Omsk	KHL	1995	Left	188 cm	91 kg
W	Martin Fasko-Rudas	Bili Tygri Liberec	Extraliga	2000	Right	183 cm	73 kg
W	Patrik Hrehorcak	HC Ocelari Trinec	Extraliga	1999	Left	175 cm	78 kg
W	Libor Hudacek	Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk	KHL	1990	Right	177 cm	80 kg
W	Tomas Jurco	Barys Nur-Sultan	KHL	1992	Left	188 cm	85 kg
W	Robert Lantosi	Rögle BK	SHL	1995	Right	180 cm	84 kg
W	Adam Liska	Severstal Cherepovets	KHL	1999	Left	181 cm	83 kg
W	Oliver Okuliar	SaiPa	Liiga	2000	Left	185 cm	87 kg
W	Kristian Pospisil	Lukko	Liiga	1996	Left	187 cm	88 kg
---
D	Michal Cajkovsky	Dynamo Moscow	KHL	1992	Left	192 cm	105 kg
D	Peter Ceresnak	HC Plzen	Extraliga	1993	Right	191 cm	95 kg
D	Marek Daloga	HC Kometa Brno	Extraliga	1989	Left	194 cm	86 kg
D	Martin Gernat	Lausanne	NL	1993	Left	193 cm	92 kg
D	Mario Grman	HPK	Liiga	1997	Right	185 cm	89 kg
D	Christian Jaros	Avangard Omsk	KHL	1996	Right	192 cm	100 kg
D	Marek Korencik	UMass-Lowell	NCAA	1999	Left	191 cm	91 kg
D	Martin Marincin	HC Ocelari Trinec	Extraliga	1992	Left	192 cm	95 kg
D	Mislav Rosandic	Bili Tygri Liberec	Extraliga	1995	Left	181 cm	90 kg
D	Marko Stacha	Free Agent	N/A	2002	Left	186 cm	89 kg
---
G	Roman Durny	Free Agent	N/A	1998	Right	191 cm	95 kg
G	Denis Godla	HC Litvinov	Extraliga	1995	Left	180 cm	81 kg
G	Adam Huska	Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod	KHL	1997	Left	193 cm	97 kg
G	Branislav Konrad	HC Olomouc	Extraliga	1987	Right	188 cm	84 kg
G	Patrik Rybar	Dinamo Minsk	KHL	1993	Left	190 cm	86 kg
G	Matej Tomek	HC Kometa Brno	Extraliga	1997	Left	191 cm	82 kg

Click to read more...

 

[alko]

Very nice. Btw., i t is now Tipos Liga, not Tipsport Liga.

 

[Theokritos]

Here's a list of Slovak players to keep an eye on this season. For this list, I've selected players who are young and could take the long road to the NHL, as well as veterans who will be in the mix to make the national team for either the Olympics or World Championships.

Nice work!

 

[Elvs]

Thanks! Feel free to suggest players who should be added, though I'm thinking maybe I should rather remove some.

Also I wasn't sure where to draw the line age wise. I have draft eligiable players in the prospects thread, including 2000 born players like Okuliar and Fasko-Rudas. But then I read somewhere Adam Liska (born 1999) is still draft eligiable, yet I included him here.

 

[Mato94]

Here's a list of Slovak players to keep an eye on this season. For this list, I've selected players who are young and could take the long road to the NHL, as well as veterans who will be in the mix to make the national team for either the Olympics or World Championships.

For a list of Slovak's currently signed to NHL contracts, check the thread below:
Slovaks of the NHL – The current situation

For a list of Slovak prospects, check the thread below:
Slovak prospects – Top 10 rankings

Position	Name	Club	League	Born	Sho/Cat	Height	Weight
C	Andrej Bires	Nurnberg Ice Tigers	DEL	1993	Right	176 cm	80 kg
C	Lukas Cingel	HK Hradek Kralove	Extraliga	1992	Left	187 cm	90 kg
C	David Griger	Bili Tygri Liberec	Extraliga	1994	Right	178 cm	78 kg
C	Marek Hrivik	Leksands IF	SHL	1991	Left	188 cm	89 kg
C	Roman Karaffa	EHC Biel-Bienne	NL	1999	Left	182 cm	79 kg
C	Andrej Kollar	HK Nitra	Tipos Liga	1999	Right	187 cm	86 kg
C	Michal Kristof	Kärpät	Liiga	1993	Left	176 cm	72 kg
C	Filip Krivosik	SaiPa	Liiga	1999	Right	193 cm	94 kg
C	Andrej Kukuca	HC Dukla Trencin	Tipos Liga	1999	Right	188 cm	84 kg
C	Milan Kytnar	HC Slovan Bratislava	Tipos Liga	1989	Left	183 cm	83 kg
C	Tomas Marcinko	HC Ocelari Trinec	Extraliga	1988	Right	193 cm	97 kg
C	Boris Sadecky	HK Dukla Trencin	Tipos Liga	1997	Left	184 cm	84 kg
C	Pavol Skalicky	Lukko	Liiga	1995	Right	195 cm	98 kg
C	Matus Sukel	HC Sparta Praha	Extraliga	1996	Left	176 cm	78 kg
C	Marek Viedensky	HKM Zvolen	Tipos Liga	1990	Right	193 cm	95 kg
C	Tomas Zigo	HC Slovan Bratislava	Tipos Liga	1992	Left	186 cm	87 kg
W	Martin Bakos	Spartak Moscow	KHL	1990	Right	188 cm	90 kg
W	David Bondra	Kunlun Red Star	KHL	1992	Left	180 cm	86 kg
W	Radovan Bondra	HKM Zvolen	Tipos Liga	1997	Left	196 cm	98 kg
W	Samuel Bucek	HC Slovan Bratislava	Tipos Liga	1998	Right	190 cm	87 kg
W	Peter Cehlarik	Leksands IF	SHL	1995	Left	188 cm	92 kg
W	Robert Dzugan	HC Kosice	Tipos Liga	2000	Left	182 cm	83 kg
W	Milos Fafrak	HC Banska Bystrica	Tipos Liga	1999	Left	190 cm	80 kg
W	Marek Hecl	HC Dukla Trencin	Tipos Liga	1997	Left	176 cm	76 kg
W	Stanislav Horansky	Ambri-Piotta	NL	1994	Left	184 cm	89 kg
W	Patrik Hrehorcak	HC Ocelari Trinec	Extraliga	1999	Left	175 cm	78 kg
W	Libor Hudacek	Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk	KHL	1990	Right	175 cm	78 kg
W	Milos Kelemen	HKM Zvolen	Tipos Liga	1999	Left	188 cm	96 kg
W	Andrej Kudrna	HC Sparta Praha	Extraliga	1991	Left	189 cm	95 kg
W	Patrik Lamper	HC Banska Bystrica	Tipos Liga	1993	Left	184 cm	86 kg
W	Adam Liska	Severstal Cherepovets	KHL	1999	Left	178 cm	83 kg
W	Mario Lunter	BK Mlada Boleslav	Extraliga	1994	Left	182 cm	92 kg
W	Matej Paulovic	HC Dynamo Pardubice	Extraliga	1995	Right	188 cm	95 kg
W	Kristian Pospisil	Lukko	Liiga	1996	Left	187 cm	88 kg
W	Pavol Regenda	HK Dukla Michalovce	Tipos Liga	1999	Left	192 cm	93 kg
W	Martin Reway	HC Kosice	Tipos Liga	1995	Left	173 cm	83 kg
W	Peter Sisovsky	HC Vitkovice	Extraliga	1991	Left	185 cm	83 kg
W	Marek Sloboda	HC Banska Bystrica	Tipos Liga	1997	Left	182 cm	82 kg
W	Radoslav Tybor	HC Dynamo Pardubice	Extraliga	1989	Left	182 cm	83 kg
W	Marek Valach	HK Dukla Trencin	Tipos Liga	1998	Left	180 cm	85 kg
W	Vladimir Vybiral	HC Banska Bystrica	Tipos Liga	1998	Left	185 cm	85 kg
D	Martin Bodak	HK Nitra	Tipos Liga	1998	Right	185 cm	88 kg
D	Martin Bucko	HC Dynamo Pardubice	Extraliga	2000	Right	189 cm	79 kg
D	Michal Cajkovsky	Dynamo Moscow	KHL	1992	Left	192 cm	90 kg
D	Peter Ceresnak	HC Plzen	Extraliga	1993	Right	191 cm	95 kg
D	Marek Daloga	Dinamo Riga	KHL	1989	Left	194 cm	86 kg
D	Daniel Demo	HC Banska Bystrica	Tipos Liga	1999	Left	186 cm	91 kg
D	Martin Gernat	HC Ocelari Trinec	Extraliga	1993	Left	193 cm	92 kg
D	Mario Grman	SaiPa	Liiga	1997	Right	185 cm	89 kg
D	Michal Ivan	HC Dynamo Pardubice	Extraliga	1999	Left	186 cm	82 kg
D	Patrik Koch	HC Vitkovice	Extraliga	1996	Left	186 cm	86 kg
D	Marek Korencik	UMass-Lowell	NCAA	1999	Left	191 cm	91 kg
D	Juraj Mikus	HC Dynamo Pardubice	Extraliga	1988	Left	194 cm	95 kg
D	Mislav Rosandic	Bili Tygri Liberec	Extraliga	1995	Left	181 cm	90 kg
D	Martin Stajnoch	HC Slovan Bratislava	Tipos Liga	1990	Right	183 cm	84 kg
D	Adam Ziak	HC Banska Bystrica	Tipos Liga	1999	Left	180 cm	85 kg
G	Matej Gajan	HC Banska Bystrica	Tipos Liga	1998	Right	190 cm	82 kg
G	Marek Ciliak	Motor Ceske Budejovice	Extraliga	1990	Left	183 cm	89 kg
G	Denis Godla	HC Litvinov	Extraliga	1995	Left	180 cm	81 kg
G	Julius Hudacek	Spartak Moscow	KHL	1988	Right	186 cm	85 kg
G	Jaroslav Janus	HC Litvinov	Extraliga	1989	Left	183 cm	86 kg
G	Branislav Konrad	HC Olomouc	Extraliga	1987	Right	188 cm	84 kg
G	Patrik Rybar	Kärpät	Liiga	1993	Left	190 cm	86 kg
G	Matej Tomek	SaiPa	Liiga	1997	Left	191 cm	82 kg

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Good job! Looks like a solid list.
I’d probably get rid of some players in there too, let’s wait whom you’ll remove and then maybe we can figure out who deserves a place in the list.
Also, Andrej Kukuča and Filip Krivošík usually play on the W, while Martin Réway could be listed as a C. EP doesn’t have it right.

 

[Elvs]

I see Andrej Kollar is off to a good start. Granted it's only been two games, but his production has steadily been increasing from year to year. Gotta think he's a young player that could find himself in a better European league soon.

What's the scouting report on him?

 

[Mato94]

I see Andrej Kollar is off a good start. Granted it's only been two games, but he's production has steadily been increasing from year to year. Gotta think he's a young player that could find himself in a better European league soon.

What's the scouting report on him?

Kollár benefits from switching the position. He is currently not playing as a center, but he’s on the right wing and that fits him very well. He’s an offensively gifted player. I agree, I could see him having a breakout season and earning a spot in a better league.

 

[Elvs]

Many players are off to a good (or even great) start in some of the best European leagues.

Marek Hrivik has 12 points (3+9) in six games in the SHL. If he ends the season close to a PPG, a couple of NHL teams could see him as a viable 4th center option next year. Peter Cehlarik, a linemate of Hrivik in Leksand, has 9 points (4+5) in six games. Also playing in the SHL, Adam Janosik noted his first 2 assists in a game recently.

Michal Kristof and Pavol Skalicky both have 4 points (both also 1+3) in four games in Liiga. In the same league, Kristian Pospisil is also a point per game with 2 goals and 2 assists. Young forward Filip Krivosik has 2 points (both assists) which isn't exactly earth shattering, but could be an early indicator that last season was no fluke.

In the KHL, both Libor Hudacek and Michal Cajkovsky started the season slow points wise, but has picked up the pace since. Hudacek has 5 points (1+4) in eight games, while Cajkovsky has 6 points (2+4) in 13 games.

Not playing in as strong leagues, but 1999 born players Andrej Kollar and Patrik Hrehorcak are also off to encouraging starts. Kollar has 5 points (2+3) in three games with Nitra, while Hrehorcak has 2 points (1+1) in two games with Trinec.

As for goaltenders, both Patrik Rybar and Matej Tomek have been solid in Liiga. Tomek is 92.1% after two games, while Rybar is 91.4% (despite three goals allowed) in one game.

 

[alko]

Marek Hrivik has 12 points (3+9) in six games in the SHL. If he ends the season close to a PPG, a couple of NHL teams could see him as a viable 4th center option next year. Peter Cehlarik, a linemate of Hrivik in Leksand, has 9 points (4+5) in six games.

A viable 4th line position in NHL isnt for both an interesting position. They want play top minutes.

 

[Elvs]

A viable 4th line position in NHL isnt for both an interesting position. They want play top minutes.

How do you know? I don't think either was on a 1-way contract before in the NHL, and that's usually a pretty big factor. You get a 1-way deal in the NHL, even at league minimum, you're gonna make significantly more money than playing in the SHL, especially in Leksand.

Hrivik ran out of luck when NHL teams wanted to fill their 4th lines with "skill" (in reality undersized defensive liabilites who can't produce at the NHL level), but with Tampa bringing in Maroon, Coleman and Goodrow and winning the cup, the narrative is getting pushed towards more grit again.

Hrivik is a lot like Derek Grant in Anaheim. A big, strong forward who can play solid defense and has underrated skill, and who has good numbers in the AHL (and now also in the SHL).

As for Celarik, all I did was acknowledge his stats in the SHL are good. The Bruins gave him a qualifying offer, so they retain his rights. In a recent interview he said he didn't give up on his NHL dream, a good year in Europe could land him a 1-way deal with Boston or somewhere else.

But none of this is important. My point was simply that Hrivik's agents are gonna get a few phone calls from NHL teams if he keeps this up. How he decides to respond to those phone calls we'll see, but he would literally make 5x as much playing on the 4th in the NHL for league minimum compared to his salary in Leksand, which is somewhere between $150-200k per season.

 

[alko]

How do you know?

I dont know. I only guess.

If there will be NHL teams, that will say: You will have position in 4th line. But you must fight for it.

Then there will be an offer from Sweden (KHL): You will play top minutes for sure.

What will he take? What would you take, if you would be on his position?

Please, consider all other facts (family, schedule, stability, travel times...) .

 

[Elvs]

I dont know. I only guess.

If there will be NHL teams, that will say: You will have position in 4th line. But you must fight for it.

Then there will be an offer from Sweden (KHL): You will play top minutes for sure.

What will he take? What would you take, if you would be on his position?

Please, consider all other facts (family, schedule, stability, travel times...) .

I mean, we can only speculate what's going on in a player's mind or what they're priorities are. But from what I can find from last season, Hrivik was making $150-200k in Leksand last season. The minimum salary in the NHL is $700k. That's quite a difference granted it's a 1-way deal. Not to mention once you're in the league, you have a chance to earn an even better contract.

Furthermore, Hrivik has lived nearly a decade in North America and speaks perfect English, so I don't see why playing in Sweden or Russia would entice him or his family more. If he's playing in Europe due to homesickness I imagine he would've been playing in the Slovak or Czech league right now.

Yeah, he's playing more minutes in Europe, but if you're 30 and you finally get the chance to play in the best league in the world (in a country you're already accustomed to off the ice), while also earning significinaly more money, wouldn't you take it? Hrivik didn't exactly make a fortune in his career.

Then there's the whole covid situation. It's hurting hockey all over the world, but at the end of the day NHL teams are gonna come up with much stronger economies than clubs in Sweden or Russia. In Europe we might see a couple of elite clubs fold completely.

 

[TheKingSlayer]

Tomek looking good. Wonder if he gets a shot back in North America if he continues his solid play.

 

[alko]

Tomek looking good. Wonder if he gets a shot back in North America if he continues his solid play.

Hard to say. But considering the fact, that Rybar after his last season is still in Finland, Tome must show much more.

 

[Elvs]

I imagine there will be no NHL players in the World Championships next year, which increases Slovakia's chances to go far in the tournament, possibly even challening for a medal.

I say this because of the strong starts many players are showing in the top European leagues.

• Hrivik is the leading scorer in the SHL, with 23 points in 15 games.
• Cehlarik has 16 points in 17 games in the SHL (and has great chemistry with Hrivik).
• Skalicky has 15 points in 18 games in Liiga.
• Kristof has 10 points in 16 games in Liiga (already half the amount of points he managed in 50 games last year).
• Kristian Pospisil has 9 points in 9 games in Liiga.
• Libor Hudacek has 21 points in 25 games in the KHL.

On defense, Cajkovsky is always reliable in the KHL and Gernat is off to a great start in the Czech league. Depth on defense could be a problem though, as well as goaltending. Rybar and Tomek are off to weak starts in Liiga. Julius Hudacek, while having great numbers in the KHL, never performs well on the national team. On the other hand, Godla usually seem to be raising his level when playing in international tournaments, and has been hot in the Czech league as of late.

 

[alko]

I imagine there will be no NHL players in the World Championships next year

There is still possibility, that it will be a tournament stacked with NHL players.
If the NHL season will be canceled. The rumors going from North America say, it is a 50:50 chance now.