WJC: 2023 Czech Team

[Czechboy]

As I said in the beginning of the tournament. The favorites for the final are Canada and Czechia, as long as they don't face each other before the final. With the three others as outsiders.

So that was another thing.. if the North Americans won clean, we can't meet them till the finals.

Not that I'm saying we'll make the finals. Swiss next and hopefully we pull that out!

 

[Czechboy]

 

[czechcanadian]

View attachment 628789

Wow… possibly the best chance Czechs have ever had to make the finals.
Swiss are no push over though. I’m very scared of them.

 

[Czechboy]

 

[Czechboy]

Wow… possibly the best chance Czechs have ever had to make the finals.
Swiss are no push over though. I’m very scared of them.

Beat us a week ago! Very patient. 5 back at times. Beat the Finns. Get this message to Rulik.lol

 

[ORRFForever]

You have a well deserved easy path to the Finals.
See you there - says Canadian fan.







God bless Pope Benedict XVI. RIP.

 

[czechcanadian]

Happy new year to you too! And to everyone here. Always a pleasure to chat about Czech hockey with everyone here.

Pleasure as always!

 

[Czechboy]

Top 10... Suchanek is missing... we only have 1 player that didn't get a point... Hamara which shocks me! But I think he's focusing on bottom pair and not taking big risks.

Chmela being the big surprise. The 19 year olds doing better than the more acclaimed 17 and 18 year olds amongst the forwards.

I freakin love Spacek!

Kulich held pointless in 3 games is suprising. Sale has 3 points too. How is Szturc not drafted in round 5 or 6? No one saw value in him?

 

[czechcanadian]

View attachment 628803

Top 10... Suchanek is missing... we only have 1 player that didn't get a point... Hamara which shocks me! But I think he's focusing on bottom pair and not taking big risks.

Chmela being the big surprise. The 19 year olds doing better than the more acclaimed 17 and 18 year olds amongst the forwards.

I freakin love Spacek!

Kulich held pointless in 3 games is suprising. Sale has 3 points too. How is Szturc not drafted in round 5 or 6? No one saw value in him?

Just realized that line 1 Sapo, Kulich, and Sale are back next year

 

[Czechboy]

Just realized that line 1 Sapo, Kulich, and Sale are back next year

If Kulich is not in NHL .. 50-50! But yes, bringing them back with Hamara would be lovely.

 

[FourQuarters]

Hope Gabby will be drafted this year

 

[Elias40]

I also wish you a happy new year!!!

I know that in the past I was sometimes harsh and uncompromising towards Czech hockey, but it seems that you are starting to do some of the right things. And also, that Russia is doing what it is doing, it actually helps you too, because getting a medal is one tough opponent easier.

And 18 years is a really long time, depressing times full of failures. We will see what the future brings, who knows, maybe with this tournament you will start a season with regular play in the semi-finals.

 

[czechcanadian]

Beat us a week ago! Very patient. 5 back at times. Beat the Finns. Get this message to Rulik.lol

They were very very good against Slovaks.
Will unfortunately miss this game. Traveling back to Ottawa. Less stress I guess!

 

[Czechboy]

They were very very good against Slovaks.
Will unfortunately miss this game. Traveling back to Ottawa. Less stress I guess!

Safe travels! Hope your stuff shows up.

 

[57special]

As a Wild fan I am happy to see Spacek performing at this level, though i think a large part of his success is his partner Svozil. They seem to have great chemistry.

I also think that the forwards are shouldering a lot of the load defensively, allowing the Dmen freedom to move forward if they see an opening. That doesn't always happen on teams like the Canadians, who are loaded up with talented offensive forwards that aren't used to doing that.

 

[FourQuarters]

View attachment 628803

Top 10... Suchanek is missing... we only have 1 player that didn't get a point... Hamara which shocks me! But I think he's focusing on bottom pair and not taking big risks.

Chmela being the big surprise. The 19 year olds doing better than the more acclaimed 17 and 18 year olds amongst the forwards.

I freakin love Spacek!

Kulich held pointless in 3 games is suprising. Sale has 3 points too. How is Szturc not drafted in round 5 or 6? No one saw value in him?

Unfortunately, last season Szturc didn't really adjust the "NA life", though Novak is here to help him. This season he looks like more comfortable

 

[Czechboy]

As a Wild fan I am happy to see Spacek performing at this level, though i think a large part of his success is his partner Svozil. They seem to have great chemistry.

I also think that the forwards are shouldering a lot of the load defensively, allowing the Dmen freedom to move forward if they see an opening. That doesn't always happen on teams like the Canadians, who are loaded up with talented offensive forwards that aren't used to doing that.

IMO..he's the guy that makes 'the guy' look good. A very good complimentary Damn that hopefully makes the NHL.

 

[Czechboy]

IIHF - Brotherly but divided

30 years after the Velvet Divorce of Czechoslovakia during the World Juniors

www.iihf.com

 

[Czechboy]

Thought it'd be fun to look at our D core pre covid.

Kubicek is in the ECHL but does have a contract with AHL Moose
Zabransky is doing okay in Liiga and has made a NT appearance this season
Has (only drafted one) is in the ECHL
Klikorka is in Czech2
Kucerik is in Extraliga and also made a NT appearance this season
Dajcar played 7 games in Czech2 last season and hasn't played this season (injury? gave up?)

This current D core is nothing like this one. To be clear, our 3 undrafted fellas (Cech, Moravec and Tichachek) would've been part of our Top 4 in most tourneys. What a bumper crop of D.

Also, I think at least 2 goalies from this precovid team will see the NHL at some point. Dostal will be a starter in the NHL IMO. Malik might make it over too. Parik is excellent but in ECHL (which isn't damning, Vanecek went there too).

 

[BigBadBoar]

View attachment 628988

Thought it'd be fun to look at our D core pre covid.

Kubicek is in the ECHL but does have a contract with AHL Moose
Zabransky is doing okay in Liiga and has made a NT appearance this season
Has (only drafted one) is in the ECHL
Klikorka is in Czech2
Kucerik is in Extraliga and also made a NT appearance this season
Dajcar played 7 games in Czech2 last season and hasn't played this season (injury? gave up?)

This current D core is nothing like this one. To be clear, our 3 undrafted fellas (Cech, Moravec and Tichachek) would've been part of our Top 4 in most tourneys. What a bumper crop of D.

Also, I think at least 2 goalies from this precovid team will see the NHL at some point. Dostal will be a starter in the NHL IMO. Malik might make it over too. Parik is excellent but in ECHL (which isn't damning, Vanecek went there too).

View attachment 628990

This is always tricky. At the 2010 WJC, Czech U20 lost to 1-10 to Sweden. Yeah, 1-10.
Notable players on the roster:

Goalies:

Pavel Francouz

Defensemen:

Radko Gudas
Andrej Šustr
Michal Kempný
Michal Jordán
Jakub Jeřábek

Forwards:

Jak Kovář
Tomáš Vincour
Robert Kousal
Andrej Nestrašil

All those players either made at least a few NHL appearances or very solid careers in major European leagues. Look specifically at the defensemen. Would You ever say those guys lost 1-10 to Sweden? Btw, the last two defensemen on the roster were Vladimír Roth and Tomáš Voráček - both very solid Extraliga players in the 2010s.

So, WJC, is a great tournament, but often doesn't say everything about the players' real potential.

 

[Czechboy]

This is always tricky. At the 2010 WJC, Czech U20 lost to 1-10 to Sweden. Yeah, 1-10.
Notable players on the roster:

Goalies:

Pavel Francouz

Defensemen:

Radko Gudas
Andrej Šustr
Michal Kempný
Michal Jordán
Jakub Jeřábek

Forwards:

Jak Kovář
Tomáš Vincour
Robert Kousal
Andrej Nestrašil

All those players either made at least a few NHL appearances or very solid careers in major European leagues. Look specifically at the defensemen. Would You ever say those guys lost 1-10 to Sweden? Btw, the last two defensemen on the roster were Vladimír Roth and Tomáš Voráček - both very solid Extraliga players in the 2010s.

So, WJC, is a great tournament, but often doesn't say everything about the players' real potential.

Agree on all of it.

Another fun one.. Pasta played in 3 and had 14 points in 14 games. He has a better .ppg in the NHL.lol

I've always said I'd rather lose at the tourney but leave with 5 or 6 future NHLers then win it all on some dream run and not have one guy become a 500 game NHLer.

 

[BigBadBoar]

Agree on all of it.

Another fun one.. Pasta played in 3 and had 14 points in 14 games. He has a better .ppg in the NHL.lol

I've always said I'd rather lose at the tourney but leave with 5 or 6 future NHLers then win it all on some dream run and not have one guy become a 500 game NHLer.

I remember pre-draft scounting reports on Pastrňák. He was expected to become a valuable NHL playmaker with above average skating, however, his shooting and general finishing abilities were considered his weakness. Quite funny to say this about a guy who quicky became one of the best finishers in the NHL. Even the NHL teams' scouts sometimes fail to discover a players' true potential.

 

[Czechboy]

I remember pre-draft scounting reports on Pastrňák. He was expected to become a valuable NHL playmaker with above average skating, however, his shooting and general finishing abilities were considered his weakness. Quite funny to say this about a guy who quicky became one of the best finishers in the NHL. Even the NHL teams' scouts sometimes fail to discover a players' true potential.

Same can be said about Drai. He had a similar pedigree in the same draft.. like Anze Kopitar! Now he skates with a big shovel and wins scoring titles. No one saw that coming. I always giggle because Pasta was taken after Vrana and Vrana was considered that shooter. I still love Vrana and think he has a 40 Goal season in him but it hasn't happened yet due to so many circumstances.

 

[BigBadBoar]

Same can be said about Drai. He had a similar pedigree in the same draft.. like Anze Kopitar! Now he skates with a big shovel and wins scoring titles. No one saw that coming. I always giggle because Pasta was taken after Vrana and Vrana was considered that shooter. I still love Vrana and think he has a 40 Goal season in him but it hasn't happened yet due to so many circumstances.

Draisaitl was drafted 3rd, Pastrňák 25th. Draisaitl certainly was expected to become a star, Pastrňák to become a valuable 2nd-3rd line winger, who could possibly have about 40-50 points per season, if his progress would go on well. Nobody expected Pastrňák to become one of the best offensive players in the world. Draisaitl had been seen as a player who might achieve that before the draft. But there were even much bigger surprises, like Pavel Datsyuk (nobody expected him to become a star when we was drafted), or Henrik Zetterberg, also David Krejčí. All of them were expected to maybe make some NHL appearances if things would go extremely good for them. All of them became legends of their teams.

 

[Czechboy]

Well, this is a rare one for me. I have NOTHING to complain about. I like the goalie choice, line combos, D, coaches and players. No controversies, no injuries, no politics.

Win or lose today, I can't complain and think everything was done well. I like the 'big boy North/South' lines, I like the PP, like the PK and all of it.

My only gripe is that Kulich needs to bury one and get going. I'm not saying he's been bad. I think he's our best forward but we've been winning games without him scoring. Imagine if he starts scoring? He is the black ace here.

Also, if some of you are rightfully wondering - does this f***en guy have nothing better to do? I've been sick for 8 days and sitting in my basement away from kids and wife, not drinking or excercising. So, to answer the question.. No, I literally haven't had anything better to do.lol It was this or blowing my nose.lol So apologies for my 70000 posts since December 23rd.. been a bit bored and it was at least good timing since we got to final of Spengler too! Plus my Oil have shit the bed and that is always fun to read online.lol