WJC: Czech Republic 2020 Roster Talk

[Czechboy]

Yeah but our programs don’t seem to be good enough to develop these guys into nhlers. There’s always a huge drop in development when it comes to the 18 and 19 year olds.
there are some hockey schools that are decent, but the clubs themselves are not there yet.
All of Sweden’s roster is also playing in Sweden. It’s crazy

The thing is... they weren't good enough a decade ago (or more)... everyone knew the problem yet here we still are. It's maddening that such a storied nation can't figure out some good junior programs.

 

[KlausJopling]

Good news for Lauko

 

[BigBadBoar]

Lauko's ready to join the camp. Great news.

 

[Czechboy]

Good news: We have our best possible roster available with everyone healthy and no one not allowed to attend (eg. due to NHL commitments)
Bad news: This is our best possible roster

I'm very excited and will cheer to the end but I think this might get painful.

I do think this group could be more Varada's type of team and maybe he can get something out of them. Very excited to see Lauko and Jenik. Curious how Mysak and Pytlik do. Dostal needs to be outstanding. Also, want to see how Has looks.

 

[Statsy]

Good news: We have our best possible roster available with everyone healthy and no one not allowed to attend (eg. due to NHL commitments)
Bad news: This is our best possible roster

I'm very excited and will cheer to the end but I think this might get painful.

I do think this group could be more Varada's type of team and maybe he can get something out of them. Very excited to see Lauko and Jenik. Curious how Mysak and Pytlik do. Dostal needs to be outstanding. Also, want to see how Has looks.

Good one!

 

[Mirinho]

At the beginning of this season I was hoping 16yo Stanislav Vrhel (from Pirati Chomutov) could go to the World Championship but he wasn't even invited to the camp.

But nevermind, I like our team I wish them good luck

 

[HMartin]

At the beginning of this season I was hoping 16yo Stanislav Vrhel (from Pirati Chomutov) could go to the World Championship but he wasn't even invited to the camp.

But nevermind, I like our team I wish them good luck

Vrhel? There was no chance in my opinion.

 

[czechcanadian]

Good news: We have our best possible roster available with everyone healthy and no one not allowed to attend (eg. due to NHL commitments)
Bad news: This is our best possible roster

I'm very excited and will cheer to the end but I think this might get painful.

I do think this group could be more Varada's type of team and maybe he can get something out of them. Very excited to see Lauko and Jenik. Curious how Mysak and Pytlik do. Dostal needs to be outstanding. Also, want to see how Has looks.

You might be right...
But I do still think it will be painful.
Dostal will have to play lights out. If he’s just “good” we won’t have a chance to get past quarterfinal imo.
Heck, I’m worried we won’t even make playoffs..
Thankfully we’re the home team. That may help us past Germany. If the tourney was played anywhere else, I wouldn’t like our chances against them.

 

[HMartin]

You might be right...
But I do still think it will be painful.
Dostal will have to play lights out. If he’s just “good” we won’t have a chance to get past quarterfinal imo.
Heck, I’m worried we won’t even make playoffs..
Thankfully we’re the home team. That may help us past Germany. If the tourney was played anywhere else, I wouldn’t like our chances against them.

I personally think that us being the home team will be much tougher to beat them. Pressure is big, they're not really used to it.

 

[BigBadBoar]

All the opponents in the group stage are very strong (this group is clearly much tougher than the other one) and all the games are going to be extremely difficult, but I am not such pessimist. This team honestly looks more like the bunch of guys Varada likes to work with than the last year's team. Dostal is a great goalie, Jenik and Lauko constitute some real offensive threat. The D is clearly a weak spot but it's still going to be a lot about how they can work as a team. If they can make good use of the home crowd, this can actually end up with a pleasant surprise. The first game against Russia will tell us more.

 

[Czechboy]

All the opponents in the group stage are very strong (this group is clearly much tougher than the other one) and all the games are going to be extremely difficult, but I am not such pessimist. This team honestly looks more like the bunch of guys Varada likes to work with than the last year's team. Dostal is a great goalie, Jenik and Lauko constitute some real offensive threat. The D is clearly a weak spot but it's still going to be a lot about how they can work as a team. If they can make good use of the home crowd, this can actually end up with a pleasant surprise. The first game against Russia will tell us more.

The two saving graces of our brutal brutal group are:

1. If we get out of this group, our crossover match might be easier (I would not want to be the fourth place team in the other pool coming to play our 1st place team in a quarter)
2. No Canada/US crossover in the quarters. I'm not saying they're better or worse than anyone in the Top 5 but our games with US/Canada have been ending in disaster at U20 for a long time now and it'll be nice to know we don't have to play them in the quarter finals (if we get there).

I do wonder if Varada/Elias learned much from last year's debacle (they really should've been much better last year as we had a crazy hot goalie and now have 2 of those players in the NHL today). I really wasn't a fan of Varada's coaching last year... he might be due for a rebound.

* I should note that Sweden is just as terrifying and look to be a likely quarter opponent since they never lose in the round robins.

 

[BigBadBoar]

The two saving graces of our brutal brutal group are:

1. If we get out of this group, our crossover match might be easier (I would not want to be the fourth place team in the other pool coming to play our 1st place team in a quarter)
2. No Canada/US crossover in the quarters. I'm not saying they're better or worse than anyone in the Top 5 but our games with US/Canada have been ending in disaster at U20 for a long time now and it'll be nice to know we don't have to play them in the quarter finals (if we get there).

I do wonder if Varada/Elias learned much from last year's debacle (they really should've been much better last year as we had a crazy hot goalie and now have 2 of those players in the NHL today). I really wasn't a fan of Varada's coaching last year... he might be due for a rebound.

* I should note that Sweden is just as terrifying and look to be a likely quarter opponent since they never lose in the round robins.

I think Varada is not very good in coaching star players. He apparently likes to work with "hard workers" much more. This is why I believe this team fits his coaching style a lot more. He is not a bad coach, has been showing it in Trinec. My optimistic prediction is we will end up 3rd in the group, behind CAN, USA. But it's going to be a tough group.

 

[Czechboy]

I think Varada is not very good in coaching star players. He apparently likes to work with "hard workers" much more. This is why I believe this team fits his coaching style a lot more. He is not a bad coach, has been showing it in Trinec. My optimistic prediction is we will end up 3rd in the group, behind CAN, USA. But it's going to be a tough group.

It's a tough call on where we finish.

German team is very solid.

Russia tends to float through round robin and then get very serious in medal round
US/Canada have less success on big ice (still a lot of success but not as much)

I'm quite excited about the tourney but can't say I'm highly optimistic. Great time for guys like Jenik, Lauko, Mysak, Teply, Pytlik to show the world they are future NHL caliber for sure!

 

[Hockeyfrilla]

Will Czech Republic - Sweden exhibiton game 20/12 be streamed?

 

[BigBadBoar]

US/Canada have less success on big ice (still a lot of success but not as much)

I am not sure about what rink size is going to be used for the tournament. IIHF rulebook currently says it has to be between 25-30 metres wide. Most of the Czech arenas use the rinks of about 28 metres wide. So somewhere between the old IIHF standard and the NHL standard. It is going to the the case for this tournament? Does anyone know?

 

[SoundAndFury]

I am not sure about what rink size is going to be used for the tournament. IIHF rulebook currently says it has to be between 25-30 metres wide. Most of the Czech arenas use the rinks of about 28 metres wide. So somewhere between the old IIHF standard and the NHL standard. It is going to the the case for this tournament? Does anyone know?

They aren't going to rebuild the rink just for WJC. They are going with whatever's in place.

 

[BigBadBoar]

They aren't going to rebuild the rink just for WJC. They are going with whatever's in place.

Then it should be 60 x 28, so precisely between the old IIHF size and the NHL size.

 

[Czechboy]

If I'm being honest, the only thing I really love here is that Pekar/Jenik/Mysak line... the rest is meh to me. If anyone knows of a feed... please post it. Parik has the awesome pads designed for this... I assume he thinks he's making the team.

 

[KlausJopling]

Pardon my non-existent Czech, is "Na tribune zustanou" mean they wont be playing?

 

[Mirinho]

Pardon my non-existent Czech, is "Na tribune zustanou" mean they wont be playing?

yes, it means exactly what you say

 

[SLOVAN]

is posible to watch in tv or stream today swe-cze please?

 

[HMartin]

is posible to watch in tv or stream today swe-cze please?

Propably not

 

[BigBadBoar]

Somebody who visited the CZE - SWE game? From the on-line report it seemed like guys played quite solid until the 3rd Swedish goal in the dying second of the 2nd period, then collapsed. The result is definitely not good, hopefully this at least made it clear who should make the final roster and who need to be the cuts. I expect Lytvynov, Zábranský, Lauko, Šír who didn't play today to make it for sure, plus Dostál of course. So probably 2 D-men and 2 forwards from today's lineup are going to be the cuts.

 

[BigBadBoar]

Somebody who visited the CZE - SWE game? From the on-line report it seemed like guys played quite solid until the 3rd Swedish goal in the dying second of the 2nd period, then collapsed. The result is definitely not good, hopefully this at least made it clear who should make the final roster and who need to be the cuts. I expect Lytvynov, Zábranský, Lauko, Šír who didn't play today to make it for sure, plus Dostál of course. So probably 2 D-men and 2 forwards from today's lineup are going to be the cuts.

 

[BigBadBoar]

Delete the second post please, just posted that reply by mistake.