Czech Republic: Czechs in North America (NHL, AHL, Junior)

[Czechboy]

Oh yeah, Vanecek and Spacek did 'get the call'.. neither played.

 

[Czechboy]

Well, I'll be damned... after talking about goal scorers and 2 Czechs that got the call but didn't play... a potential elite goal scorer 'got the call'. Filip Zadina had 11 points in his last 11 games in the AHL and is NHL bound. He's getting the break due to injuries but hopefully he, like Chytil, score early and often and keep the job for the rest of the season! Czech hockey needs him to be a 20 to 30 goal scorer.

His debut might be tonight against Necas who has also been in .ppg territory for about a dozen games now. In fact, if season ended today I think Necas would finish second in Rookie of the Year voting behind Makar.

Now just need Kaut to do something!

 

[Czechboy]

Sunday morning check in...

We're up to 30 Czechs in the NHL this season. 3 goalies (all doing well and holding their respective jobs). Zadina has played 4 games now. He got his first point last night. It's hard to gauge how well he's doing becasue Detroit is getting smoked and allowing 5 goals against a lot right now. Still, maybe he'll stick. I don't think Detroit will stay awful for this long.

Our second leading scorer is Riha Healthy Scratch Vrana. Necas has cooled off. Kampf and Kubalik better be going to the World's with Chytil. Zacha isn't doing too much and is now 15th. Spaced got the 'call' but continues to eat nachos. Older guys Palat, Krejci and Voracek are all heating up which is nice. Sobotka will be out awhile. Somehow I missed that Roman Polak is playing regularly again. That guy just keeps ticking!

Jenik is now tied for OHL scoring lead... that is something! number 4 has 47 points so those top 3 have pulled away.

I assume, soon, we'll have a U20 roster and I'll be pissed by at least 2 omissions.lol

 

[Czechboy]

David Kase has got the call! Not sure if he'll have the same fate as Spacek whereby he just sits in the pressbox but he's one step closer. He projects to be an excellent Bottom 6 guy so hopefully he establishes himself early and maybe sticks a little longer or increases his trade value.

 

[czechcanadian]

David Kase has got the call! Not sure if he'll have the same fate as Spacek whereby he just sits in the pressbox but he's one step closer. He projects to be an excellent Bottom 6 guy so hopefully he establishes himself early and maybe sticks a little longer or increases his trade value.

Always liked him. Really hoping he can stick up there for a while

 

[Czechboy]

Always liked him. Really hoping he can stick up there for a while

7 minutes tonight but did get 2 hits and 2 shots... didn't see the game. Francouz was .970 as a bright side. I'm pretty high on Kase and Spacek.. hoping they battle it out and get a fair chance! Kaut is back from injury too.

 

[Czechboy]

Zadina now has 6 points in 8 games.. OR, to twist stats, he has 6 points in his last 5 games. This is double good news IMO.. 1. might keep him in the NHL past his 10th game and 2. might give him Top 6 opportunities which would be great when Mantha comes back as he'd be guaranteed to be surrounded by scorers.

I should note that some of his points have been a little more lucky than pure skill.. some crazy bounces and such. Right place, right time. My dream is he stays up... gets another around 30 points and can start next year guaranteed Top 6.

From a World Championships perspective.. I'd love to see him, Hronek and Chytil joing the team. Czechs really need to get over the stigma that AHL players are worse than Extraliga ones. Imagine if we could get both Kase's? Time to give guys like Zboril/Masin chances on National team too.

I don't think San Jose will continue to stink and will turn it around but if they don't.. Hertl, Radil and Simek could join as well.

All fantasy talk... I know.

 

[Czechboy]

Today's a big one for Czech's as Zadina is in Detroit and has played 9 games... playing tonight would be game 10 and it would eat up a year of his contract (eg. it'd be stupid to send him down after tonight)... so keep your twitter tuned in. I think he did enough to make the main roster as he's improved their Top 6 as the now have a little more balanced scoring with Mantha back.

I don't think Kase sticks for the season but he's at 2 games now. Tuesday could be the first ever Kase vs Kase matchup in NHL history. Hope it happens and Kase sticks as long as possible. He definitely isn't playing with talented players or getting minutes so an uphill battle for him.

We're up to 31 Czechs. Our goalies are doing well. Francouz is getting more starts and playing elite. We do have injuries to some key players as Simek and Hajek are both out. It's almost a unicorn when we get a Czech D play 82 games in a season. Hronek continue to be outstanding. When that rebuild is done (or accelerated) he might be sitting real pretty with Zadina. I'm picturing a top pair of him and the German Seider.

Frolik is finally getting some points. Kubalik is flirting with Top 6 minutes. Chytil, Necas have slowed. Vrana continues along quietly at a very good clip.

The other big injury is Lauko.. need him healthy and at the Junior's. Several years ago, the B's sent a young Pastnak to the Juniors from the AHL and he used to to springboard to the NHL. You never know... concussions and cheapshots suck!

 

[Czechboy]

 

[Czechboy]

The only person in our Top 10 not trending for a career year is Voracek. He's a bit below his usual tremendous self. Everyone else is on career paces and most this list has many years ahead of them! Zacha is also on a career pace. Radil is in serious trouble... I think he might be in Europe soon. He cleared waiver's so he isn't in high demand in the NHL. Shame.

 

[Czechboy]

Rutta is also getting a regular rotation now and doing well!

 

[Czechboy]

Never gets old... now it's Eichel chasing him. Every week there is a new hot scorer trying to catch him but it's always Pastrnak at the top. He might have 30 before Xmas which is just insane.

 

[Czechboy]

The big excitement this week was a Kase vs Kase matchup! David Kase got the call and 3 games and was generally liked by everyone. He even scored a game winning goal. He's now back in the AHL but maybe he gets called back up? Not sure. He was a bonus for sure. Chlapik has been sent back down. Simek and Hajek are hurt. Kase put us at 32 Czechs this season which is more than I predicted. Who knows if Spacek, Zboril, Masin, Kaut get a call at some point? Maybe one of the goalies? Not sure. It'd be amazing if we hit 35. Sweden hit 100 this week as well. Rutta is now getting regular minutes which is very important for us IMO. We need as many D playing as possible.

IMO... our bronze generation stars are slowing a bit - Vrana, Necas, Chytil and Zadina are all slowing. Zadina started on first line last night with Larkin and Mantha but I'm not sure how he did. His team lost 4-1. There is a lot of hope in that group!

I thought I'd look at goals:

My main point here is Kubalik who has been getting shifts on first line. He's an older rookie that played in several leagues and is on pace for a 20 goal rookie season! That is tremendous. I think his second half could be stronger than his first half. My other observation is that Riha could not get many goals out of Palat, Faksa, Vrana and Chytil. 2 of whom he benched regularly and Palat he shoved to 4th line. His Euro centric ways will cost us players at the World's IMO.

Chytil scored a beauty today so he's now at 9.

 

[lamini]

Kase put us at 32 Czechs this season which is more than I predicted.

I can see only 31....28 skaters and 3 goalies.

I must agree that 31 exceeded my expectations. Another good thing is that while we have 9 less players than last year, we already have 1 more players with 10+ games than last year.

 

[Czechboy]

I can see only 31....28 skaters and 3 goalies.

I must agree that 31 exceeded my expectations. Another good thing is that while we have 9 less players than last year, we already have 1 more players with 10+ games than last year.

You are probably right! 31 not 32. I definitely won't split hairs. Sorry.

 

[Czechboy]

Ok, now we're at 32! Frk got his season debut and scored twice! I've always been a big Frk fan... really hope he can stick in the NHL. From all accounts seems to be a good guy who works really hard. He's only 26 and can shoot the puck a million miles per hour.

 

[Jablkon]

Ok, now we're at 32! Frk got his season debut and scored twice! I've always been a big Frk fan... really hope he can stick in the NHL. From all accounts seems to be a good guy who works really hard. He's only 26 and can shoot the puck a million miles per hour.

Did you watch the game? How did he look?

 

[czechcanadian]

Reported that Mysak will now be playing for Hamilton Bulldogs in the OHL

 

[Czechboy]

Did you watch the game? How did he look?

Only highlights... he had 3 goals in 4 or 5 games and got sent back to the AHL. Coaches do not like him for some reason... on the bright side, going to the AHL All Star game! He's the only Czech doing well in the AHL as far as offence goes.

 

[Czechboy]

Reported that Mysak will now be playing for Hamilton Bulldogs in the OHL

And Has! I'm still not sure how I feel about him leaving the Finnish league for the OHL. Feels backwards to me. While I don't like that all our prospects leave - when I hear we have one in Finland, I'm very happy as they're phenomenal at developing!

I think Malik is on his way too...

My observation is that is 3 guys from our Junior team that left over the holidays (assuming Malik leaves). I can't think of any top prospects who left their league to go to Czechs. It's one way traffic... exit only. It's not good. I'd love to hear what Pesan thinks? Eg. I'd love this direct question asked to him.

FTR... If I had a son who was drafted or draft eligible in Czech, I'd get his ass out too!

 

[czechcanadian]

And Has! I'm still not sure how I feel about him leaving the Finnish league for the OHL. Feels backwards to me. While I don't like that all our prospects leave - when I hear we have one in Finland, I'm very happy as they're phenomenal at developing!

I think Malik is on his way too...

My observation is that is 3 guys from our Junior team that left over the holidays (assuming Malik leaves). I can't think of any top prospects who left their league to go to Czechs. It's one way traffic... exit only. It's not good. I'd love to hear what Pesan thinks? Eg. I'd love this direct question asked to him.

FTR... If I had a son who was drafted or draft eligible in Czech, I'd get his ass out too!

My parents live in North Bay where he’s going. I think he’ll likely be a star there since they don’t have a very good team this year.

 

[Czechboy]

My parents live in North Bay where he’s going. I think he’ll likely be a star there since they don’t have a very good team this year.

That's what I mean though... going from pro in a very good FInnish league (even the second league is excellent) to a poor team in North Bay? I assume it wasn't going well in Finland? Or they are planning on making him be a 19 year old in the OHL. Just not sure it's good for his development. Guess I was hoping for Finland --- AHL for a few years --- maybe, big maybe, NHL. Now it looks like OHL... OHL.... AHL... Extraliga to me. Kind of like Musil!

 

[czechcanadian]

That's what I mean though... going from pro in a very good FInnish league (even the second league is excellent) to a poor team in North Bay? I assume it wasn't going well in Finland? Or they are planning on making him be a 19 year old in the OHL. Just not sure it's good for his development. Guess I was hoping for Finland --- AHL for a few years --- maybe, big maybe, NHL. Now it looks like OHL... OHL.... AHL... Extraliga to me. Kind of like Musil!

We’ll see.. would love to know their reason. Small ice maybe? Ice time?

 

[Czechboy]

I mean... we're not doing awful generally speaking. First stat is points total by country, second stat is number of players. Eg. we've had 29 guys play in the NHL this season and they have 474 points. I expect the number to trend up as Zadina seems like he'll have a nice second half.

 

[lamini]

View attachment 305289

I mean... we're not doing awful generally speaking. First stat is points total by country, second stat is number of players. Eg. we've had 29 guys play in the NHL this season and they have 474 points. I expect the number to trend up as Zadina seems like he'll have a nice second half.

Defensemen
Sweden 40/357
Finland 13/118
Russia 8/96
Czech 7/74 (23 of them is Hronek)
Swiss 6/69

We have competitive forwards (unfortunately best are wingers) and now also decent (not great) goalies, but we lack defensemen. We have only one above 20 mins average TOI. I feel that's where incompetence of CSLH is most visible, last 10 years they talk how we should focus on developing defensemen and the result is 2 under 25 in NHL, another 2 in AHL (3 if you count Sklenicka).