Confirmed with Link: Wings sign (D) Libor Sulak

[Debrincat93]

https://twitter.com/DetroitRedWings/status/867413786352812032


Anyone know anything on him?
Played 2 games at the WC this past month. 1 assist in 2 games.

Click to read more...

 

[HisNoodliness]

Can't find any information on him besides just his stats. I assume he's on his way to Grand Rapids or Toledo but it's tough to say.

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

Don't tell me this is another Red Wings type of steal of a player.
Talk about Jimmy Howard, Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk, and more.

 

[Rzombo4 prez]

I had no idea that there was a Czech team in the Austrian league.

 

[Vancouver Canucks]

https://twitter.com/DetroitRedWings/status/867414656981368832


"Detroit Red Wings‏ @DetroitRedWings 44 minutes ago

Replying to @DetroitRedWings @orliznojmo

Libor Sulak was the league’s rookie of the year in 2016, and finished fourth on the team in points this season."

 

[ChadS]

There was a tweet some time back from a local scout saying many NHL teams were interested in him. I'll try to find it...

 

[Milos Krasic]

I had no idea that there was a Czech team in the Austrian league.

Sulak became the first player ever called up to the Czech NT from the EBEL.

 

[Fragmuffin]

Watched him... looked really good in the Austrian league for what its worth and outplayed several regulars on the Czech WC roster to get a spot in the last few games (when it actually counted).
Could be a good signing for the wings.

He was all over the ice in the EBEL league (Aut 1sti division), good size, stickhandling and IQ. BUt again... EBEL is not a premier league in Europe.

PS. so he's not going to play for Lahti, or is this just an Entry level + loan thing?

 

[Beltv]

Oh thank goodness. Our D core has been fixed!!!

What is his projection? He just a guy competing for a spot to push the others?

 

[Henkka]

Looks like Jiri Fischer is the only factor, who can still pull some free agents to our organization.

Ok, let's draft that Necas guy and build a community. We already have Mrazek, Hronek, Frk and Nosek. Also signed that Machovsky guy.

I also see a general rise in Czech hockey again, after very poor years. So it's not bad to dig deep on that ground.

 

[Ezekial]

Can't draft Necas, only Czech's with names ending in k.

Edit: Oh **** Machovsky.

 

[Bench]

I, for one, welcome our new Czech overlords.

 

[waltdetroit]

PS. so he's not going to play for Lahti, or is this just an Entry level + loan thing?

Khan says "Sulak will attend Red Wings prospects camp in Traverse City in July. He likely will play in Finland next season for the Lahden Pelicans, with whom he has a contract, unless he makes the Red Wings roster. He won't play for the Grand Rapids Griffins this season".

6'3", 205, sounding like a good prospect

 

[Dotter]

Nice. Digging his size. When was he born?

 

[chances14]

Looks like Jiri Fischer is the only factor, who can still pull some free agents to our organization.

Ok, let's draft that Necas guy and build a community. We already have Mrazek, Hronek, Frk and Nosek. Also signed that Machovsky guy.

I also see a general rise in Czech hockey again, after very poor years. So it's not bad to dig deep on that ground.

so instead of swedish mafia, we're gonna have the czech mafia

 

[waltdetroit]

Birthyear 1994-03-04

 

[Winger98]

So, he's going to be our Green replacement in two years, assuming he can't make the club this fall? Seems like a guy who could be a good depth D, but we're not exactly short of that. See how he does in Finland next year, maybe he lights it up and becomes something serious.

 

[kabidjan18]

He should be a long term project. Loaned back to Pelicans next year.

 

[Winger98]

He should be a long term project. Loaned back to Pelicans next year.

The problem is the guy is already 23. He's not a grizzled vet, but I question how much room is there for growth. I couldn't find a whole lot on him with a quick google search, so I'd really appreciate if there were some more posters around here with something to say about him. From what I did see, it looks like he has nice mobility, is comfortable pinching, and doesn't shy away from initiating contact. At the same time, I didn't see a whole lot that screamed "special."

 

[Vatican Roulette]

The problem is the guy is already 23. He's not a grizzled vet, but I question how much room is there for growth. I couldn't find a whole lot on him with a quick google search, so I'd really appreciate if there were some more posters around here with something to say about him. From what I did see, it looks like he has nice mobility, is comfortable pinching, and doesn't shy away from initiating contact. At the same time, I didn't see a whole lot that screamed "special."

Did he have other offers?

Cause IMO, if he signed in the Detroit organization, he knows he needs to develop.

If he was special, he would have went to another franchise.

 

[DatsyukToZetterberg]

The problem is the guy is already 23. He's not a grizzled vet, but I question how much room is there for growth. I couldn't find a whole lot on him with a quick google search, so I'd really appreciate if there were some more posters around here with something to say about him. From what I did see, it looks like he has nice mobility, is comfortable pinching, and doesn't shy away from initiating contact. At the same time, I didn't see a whole lot that screamed "special."

Considering he's a free asset I'm not sure he has to be special. If he plays 1 more year in Europe and can come over for the 18-19 season and play 3rd pairing minutes or maybe even 2nd pairing that's excellent for us. He seems to have NHL size it's just a matter of if he has the skills to play at the next level.

 

[Rzombo4 prez]

Considering he's a free asset I'm not sure he has to be special. If he plays 1 more year in Europe and can come over for the 18-19 season and play 3rd pairing minutes or maybe even 2nd pairing that's excellent for us. He seems to have NHL size it's just a matter of if he has the skills to play at the next level.

Pretty much. It is hard to argue with free, even if he never plays a game in North America. Finland should be good for both player and organization.

Undrafted free agents do not scream "top pair upside" or "special." Even those that end up vastly exceeding expectations look ordinary when signed.

 

[Winger98]

Did he have other offers?

Cause IMO, if he signed in the Detroit organization, he knows he needs to develop.

If he was special, he would have went to another franchise.

I couldn't find an article talking about anyone pursuing him, though I did find a dead link to an NHL.com page that was associated with the Jets from a few years ago. The vast majority of videos were highlight vids that were game wrap ups.

When I say nothing special, I don't mean so much him as a total player, but any one attribute. I readily admit that I haven't dug up much of anything on him, but we'll be very fortunate if he can be a Bykov level player. Which isn't bad, but it's tempered, ya know?

Considering he's a free asset I'm not sure he has to be special. If he plays 1 more year in Europe and can come over for the 18-19 season and play 3rd pairing minutes or maybe even 2nd pairing that's excellent for us. He seems to have NHL size it's just a matter of if he has the skills to play at the next level.

Well, next season the only D we look to lose is Green. Where are we seeing Hicketts, Cholo, Hronek, Saarijarvi, etc. in a year? Again, to reiterate what I said above, I'm not against the signing. We don't lose anything bringing him into the organization. But I think the hope has to be that he makes a serious jump next year that is a bit beyond a normal or expected development, because we have a lot of guys who I think could slot into second or third pairing minutes in a couple of years.

 

[kabidjan18]

The problem is the guy is already 23. He's not a grizzled vet, but I question how much room is there for growth. I couldn't find a whole lot on him with a quick google search, so I'd really appreciate if there were some more posters around here with something to say about him. From what I did see, it looks like he has nice mobility, is comfortable pinching, and doesn't shy away from initiating contact. At the same time, I didn't see a whole lot that screamed "special."

In the EBEL, 22 (as he was last season) is very young. The EBEL operates on a points system which assigns point values to athletes based on a bevy of factors, and teams cannot cross a certain limit of points in summation. Players under the age of 23 playing in their native countries are considered "zero-pointers", they are generally cheaper and do not affect the point total. As such the investment in them isn't very high, so it's very difficult for them to earn significant amounts of playing time. Sulak tied with Mario as the top-scoring zero-pointers last season.

This isn't to say I think he's special. I don't. Perhaps he could carve out a role on the team eventually but being a star in the EBEL and the NHL are very different. The EBEL isn't a bad league compete wise, most teams have 10-12 legios of ECHL/AHL to mid-AHL caliber with a handful of locals each of the same caliber. Liiga will be a good place for him to advance his game next year.

 

[Vatican Roulette]

I couldn't find an article talking about anyone pursuing him, though I did find a dead link to an NHL.com page that was associated with the Jets from a few years ago. The vast majority of videos were highlight vids that were game wrap ups.

When I say nothing special, I don't mean so much him as a total player, but any one attribute. I readily admit that I haven't dug up much of anything on him, but we'll be very fortunate if he can be a Bykov level player. Which isn't bad, but it's tempered, ya know?

Hey, an added asset is an added asset. I agree, tempered.