WJC: 2018 Czech Republic Roster Talk

[Wooren]

Another thing that struck me as odd was when Pesan said he told the players that they could decide what order to go in for the penalty shootout in the QF vs Finland. I don't think I've ever heard of such a thing. It just doesn't seem right. It's almost like Pesan hasn't really got a voice, he just tells them what the coaches expect from them and leaves it up to them to decide how they're gonna implement it. I understand he wants to give them some freedom, but it's risky and when they don't do what he asks of them, he doesn't seem to respond. It doesn't seem right.

I wasn't in the locker room to know how much freedom did Pesan give the players, but if are talking about this specific shootout decision, I have no problem with that. Shootouts aren't just skill competitions, in games like this (playoffs) it's also about head and how confident the player is. Reichel himself said he wanted to go first, he wanted to score the goal for the Czech Republic and he was confident he would do it. Only players themself know how they feel in these situations and the coach shouldn't force a player to take the shot if he isn't that confident. That's not to say you should give the shot to a defenseive defenseman just because he "feels it", but picking the top players and then letting them decide the order, that's the right call IMO.

Another thing that Czechcanadian alluded to was that they looked like they started to care only after they were losing 7-0. They came out into the 3rd period and it looked like they wanted to play. Suddenly. I mean, where was that in the last two periods?! It's ridiculous really.

I was genuinely really pleased with the fact that we managed to make it to the semi-final after 13 years. After the Canada game I was a little disappointed, but nobody really expected a win and we were perhaps a little unlucky. However, the bronze-medal game has left me thinking quite negatively about the tournament overall. It has left me with a bitter taste in my mouth. It's a shame really, we have good players and the result could and should have been much better.

They did play better in the 3rd, but considering what the score was 0-7, you have to take that with grain of salt. Both teams played just to be over with the game.

I agree completely with the second paragraph though. After a surprising win in the QFs, I thought this tournament is slam dunk to be considered a success even if they did end up being 4th. Semis after 13 years, that does hold value, especially when you consider they played nice hockey and it was fun watching them. The game against Canada could have been different had just a few things went our way, so I gave them a pass there as well. But that 3rd place game sure left a lot of bitter taste and makes this tournament an unsuccessful one. Are we really going to celebrate a QF win when we got our asses spanked literally the next two games after?

P.S.

Pesan:

"Máme hrozně křehké sebevědomí. Když si kluci přečtou jména v sestavách týmů, jsou malinko nalomení. No a pokud pak dostanou dva nebo tři góly, tak to vzdají. Což je škoda, na druhou stranu to v jejich věku trošku chápu."

If the bolded is really the case, then I am seriously concerned about our youth. We need to teach our boys growing up that a 2-3 goal deficit is not a reason to abandon a game! (see Finland vs Sweden, 5-1 to 5-6 IHWC 2003, or WJC 2011 Russia-Canada, 0-3 to 5-3).

To be honest, I think the situations that made the players quit were a bit unusual. How often do you see a team concedeing three goals on three stupid, unnecessary penalties, especially when that same team gets somewhat unlucky on their own PPs a couple minutes before? That bronze medal game is even crazier in this regard. Two SHGs, right at the end and start of the periods. Instead of being 1-0 you are 0-2. That's hard to take, especially when you are an 18 year old.
Let's not forget, about a half of this team was there at the U18 when Czechs managed to tie the game against Finns going from 1-5 to 5-5. So I don't think the players are loser types. If anything, this goes on the coaches, they should be the ones to motivate the players even when things are not going their way.

P.P.S.

Sounds like Hajek and Necas might get an invite from Jandac. I hope he remembers Zadina too.

The forwards should get it, Hajek has no chance despite being very good. This was the first time in like forever when we had legitimately dominant players. But knowing Jandac, the kids have no chance.

 

[maclean]

I was quite disappointed to see them giving up as well, and the face of the coach who also seemed to be thinking, Well they're better than us, there's nothing we can do at this point. Unfortunately this defeatist feeling seems to be pervasive these days. You see it in the football national team as well - oh well, I guess we're going to lose. People seem to have a mentality of the Czech Republic just being a "small country" without a chance in lots of things, when it's not even that small. Populationwise it is the same as Sweden, much bigger than Finland, bigger than a country like Switzerland that always tends to punch above its weight. That said, I saw a lot of inspiring fire and confidence in this team at other times, so I hope it was more that they were just tired from playing catch-up too many nights in a row and they will work on their conditioning a little bit to fix that