WJC: 2023 Czech Team

Czechboy

Cole is the real MVP!
Apr 15, 2018
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Listening in to his AHL coach and it sounds like Kulich will for sure be going.
He will get a lot of opportunity! I honestly can't think of a scorer ahead of him. Sturtz is on fire but a smallish skill guy. Then all our best scorers are Dmen (which is a nice problem to have) like Svozil, Jiricek and Spacek (Hamara not racking them up like I hoped). Hope he likes coverage becasue he won't be an unknown anymore.
 
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Chainshot

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He will get a lot of opportunity! I honestly can't think of a scorer ahead of him. Sturtz is on fire but a smallish skill guy. Then all our best scorers are Dmen (which is a nice problem to have) like Svozil, Jiricek and Spacek (Hamara not racking them up like I hoped). Hope he likes coverage becasue he won't be an unknown anymore.

The Sabres front office has indicated that participation is something they think is good for their guys unlike say, the Wings reticence at sending their guys. They moved Kulich to center yesterday for the first time and it... umm... was not a good night. D+1 guys in a men's league should not be getting that sort of matchup IMO but they are extremely short on veteran bodies in the middle at that level so they've turned to the kid. I'm curious to see if it continues and then how he deploys with the U20 team. I've been nothing but impressed with him thus far.
 

Czechboy

Cole is the real MVP!
Apr 15, 2018
23,631
19,933
The Sabres front office has indicated that participation is something they think is good for their guys unlike say, the Wings reticence at sending their guys. They moved Kulich to center yesterday for the first time and it... umm... was not a good night. D+1 guys in a men's league should not be getting that sort of matchup IMO but they are extremely short on veteran bodies in the middle at that level so they've turned to the kid. I'm curious to see if it continues and then how he deploys with the U20 team. I've been nothing but impressed with him thus far.
The Wing's thing is surprising tbh. They used to be great at sending guys and I think Stevie Y was big on international tourneys. Curious why the shift in philosophy?

I love that they are letting him try it in the AHL (C) far from a spotlight (no offence to the farm team) as I'd rather he struggle in AHL then in the NHL right away. I'm also curious if they put him on W or C. We're not strong at either. I assume the one timer on the PP is plan A. Otherwise it'll be Jiricek with 1 timers all night. That is our 1-2 punch from what I can tell with Sale or Svozil dishing out passes.
 

BigBadBoar

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Dec 20, 2017
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It would be a huge surprise if Jíříček or Kulich wasn't going. They are not yet NHL guys, WJC is the optimal competition for them which can only contribute to their progress.

Kulich is not a C in my opinion. I see him as a natural winger. Tremendously fast, quick hands, great shot. He somewhat lacks the creative passing and playmaking skills necessary for a top level C. I see him as a top 6 NHL winger in the near future.
 

Goodman68

Registered User
Jul 11, 2016
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It would be a huge surprise if Jíříček or Kulich wasn't going. They are not yet NHL guys, WJC is the optimal competition for them which can only contribute to their progress.

Kulich is not a C in my opinion. I see him as a natural winger. Tremendously fast, quick hands, great shot. He somewhat lacks the creative passing and playmaking skills necessary for a top level C. I see him as a top 6 NHL winger in the near future.
That's right, Kulich has many strengths, but creativity is not it. He's certainly not a natural playmaker.
 
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Goodman68

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Jul 11, 2016
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The Sabres front office has indicated that participation is something they think is good for their guys unlike say, the Wings reticence at sending their guys. They moved Kulich to center yesterday for the first time and it... umm... was not a good night. D+1 guys in a men's league should not be getting that sort of matchup IMO but they are extremely short on veteran bodies in the middle at that level so they've turned to the kid. I'm curious to see if it continues and then how he deploys with the U20 team. I've been nothing but impressed with him thus far.
He offers to play in the center with Šapovaliv, they played that way at U18, I'm not sure, I think they ended up playing together at the last championship in the summer towards the end of the tournament.
 

Czechboy

Cole is the real MVP!
Apr 15, 2018
23,631
19,933
That's right, Kulich has many strengths, but creativity is not it. He's certainly not a natural playmaker.
He is the exact opposite of Sale. Or Vrana and Pastrnak before them.

I really like Sapo but he is Radek Faksa (not an insult, I like Faksa). Solid NHL 3C one day I hope.
 
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czechcanadian

Registered User
Dec 8, 2011
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The Wing's thing is surprising tbh. They used to be great at sending guys and I think Stevie Y was big on international tourneys. Curious why the shift in philosophy?

I love that they are letting him try it in the AHL (C) far from a spotlight (no offence to the farm team) as I'd rather he struggle in AHL then in the NHL right away. I'm also curious if they put him on W or C. We're not strong at either. I assume the one timer on the PP is plan A. Otherwise it'll be Jiricek with 1 timers all night. That is our 1-2 punch from what I can tell with Sale or Svozil dishing out passes.
Don’t forget that Sale can really rip the puck.. I hope/expect to see some goals from him despite his young age. Hopefully he gets enough opportunity.
PP1 should be,
Sale-Sapo-Kulich
Jiricek-Svozil

Can’t wait to see it
 

Goodman68

Registered User
Jul 11, 2016
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Don’t forget that Sale can really rip the puck.. I hope/expect to see some goals from him despite his young age. Hopefully he gets enough opportunity.
PP1 should be,
Sale-Sapo-Kulich
Jiricek-Svozil

Can’t wait to see it
I just don't know who will play pp2.. Špaček, maybe Hamara, Szturc..:huh::laugh:
 

Ace

Registered User
Oct 29, 2015
23,613
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Waiting patiently... curious who the big dumb omission will be this year.lol Czech federation makes some puzzling choices when it is usually very straightforward!

Guys I will be livid if I don't see on the final roster: Kulich, Jiricek, Svozil, Spacek, Hamara, Strutzc, Sale, Sapovaliv... I may be missing someone important but that is our core from what I can tell.
Buffalo’s GM had an interview today where he talked about their prospects and mentioned Kulich going to WJC and how it was a great opportunity to step back from the pro game, play against his peers and represent his country. He mentioned him in the same group with Rosen who has already been announced as going to WJC for Sweden from the AHL team.
 

Goodman68

Registered User
Jul 11, 2016
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You owe me an apology Goodman!lol

It's just the opposite, you should thank me, including Martin, because if I hadn't doubted, everything would be clear. So I'm fine with everything, I praise someone and then it's all wrong, I criticize and it's ok. But you don't have to thank me, it's in your interest:laugh:
 
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Czechboy

Cole is the real MVP!
Apr 15, 2018
23,631
19,933
1670725041323.png


That's the summer roster that finished 4th... almost all of it is eligible to come back including the entire D core and our eventual starter. Biggest losses are Mysak and Gut. Are Sale and Brabenec enough to offset that?

It's amazing to say but we will be cutting some good Dmen which has maybe never happened before. Moravec is also availalbe and they like him.
 

czechcanadian

Registered User
Dec 8, 2011
1,937
984
Ottawa
View attachment 619803

That's the summer roster that finished 4th... almost all of it is eligible to come back including the entire D core and our eventual starter. Biggest losses are Mysak and Gut. Are Sale and Brabenec enough to offset that?

It's amazing to say but we will be cutting some good Dmen which has maybe never happened before. Moravec is also availalbe and they like him.
Mysak is irreplaceable but every one of those highlighted players will be better this time around.
Jiricek is in great form (wasn’t even close last tourney).
Kulich has definitely taken another step.
Szturc as well.
Svozil is playing great.
Overall I think they’re better this time around. Will be interesting to see if it translates to a better overall result. I would say doubtful.
 

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