WC: Future of Slovak Hockey

[Babula]

super and great news... Satan as new GM looks like a helluva right choice to me

 

[slovakiasnextone]

super and great news... Satan as new GM looks like a helluva right choice to me

He hasn't accepted yet.

The list of all the people who attended the semnar:

Vladimír Baluška
Denis Barna
Dušan Benický
Ernest Bokroš
Martin Cibák
Viliam Čacho
Jaromír Dragan
Ján Filc
Ján Gajdošík
Stanislav Gron
Michal Handzuš
Oto HaÅ¡čák
Michal Hatina
Adriana Hosťovecká
Tomáš Chrenko
Vladimír Janček
Norbert Javorčík
Miroslav Klein
Peter Kadleček
Milan Klement
Martin Kohút
Diana Kosová
Jozef Kužma
Miroslav Lažo
Igor Liba
Richard Lintner
Ján Lipiansky
Miroslav Lipovský
Michal Longauer
Dušan Mráz
Vladimír Országh
Marcel Ozimák
Richard Pavlikovský
Róbert Rehák
Ľubomír Sekeráš
Rastislav Staňa
Jozef Stümpel
Miroslav Å atan
Jaroslav Šmátrala
Martin Štrbák
Jukka Tiikaja
Zuzana Tomčíková
Marek Trávniček
Miroslav Valíček
Peter Žifčák

 

[Kshahdoo]

Slovakia needs an MHL team with all the best youngsters on it. MHL is a very good development league, probably the best in Europe.

 

[kudla]

Slovakia needs an MHL team with all the best youngsters on it. MHL is a very good development league, probably the best in Europe.

that's exactly what whe should not do...

 

[alko]

Slovakia needs an MHL team with all the best youngsters on it. MHL is a very good development league, probably the best in Europe.

They will spend half the season in the bus. Not a good idea. There was an idea, that Slovan will have some team in MHL. But as always, money money money.
And also if im correct, 2 years ago were Kosice in play. Dont know, if MHL or MHL B. But it was very close. There was already an schedule for this team.
And dont forget this short lasted Budapest team. Was almost full of Slovak players.

 

[Jablkon]

They were saving on those things, but the reason why they did were supposedly the debts of the previous federation leadership. The new president is a manager from the private sector and his tactics in this regard sound like the tactics of a few managers that I have worked with.

Supposedly they went to extremes especially with the u16 and u17 team, but hopefully it will change once they pay the debts and the federation is no longer in a crisis regime.

For example Ciger complained that the players didn't get skates. He was referring to reserve skates and all the players who asked for them got them. Why should they give them out to the players who didn't?

Everyone in Slovak hockey always complains that there is no money, so it's refreshing to see someone actually do something to save some (albeit in a fashion that's a bit overboard).

I dont know. Being financially responsible manager is importat, but to make progress you will need hell of money. Not sure you will find it out in savings.Most likely in new sponozors etc.

 

[BL92]

I hope Slovak hockey can bounce back. Hockey is going to be really boring if former top countries start sinking. There aren't that many countries who are great in hockey to begin with.

 

[MaxV]

I agree, this is a country with a strong hockey history and culture.

They've had some success in soccer recently. I wonder if more resources are going that way and it's taking away from hockey.

 

[Urbanskog]

I hope Slovak hockey can bounce back. Hockey is going to be really boring if former top countries start sinking. There aren't that many countries who are great in hockey to begin with.

Slovakia is unlikely to ever fully "bounce back", their population is shrinking as well.

 

[slovakiasnextone]

I dont know. Being financially responsible manager is importat, but to make progress you will need hell of money. Not sure you will find it out in savings.Most likely in new sponozors etc.

Well they just announced that Kaufland is a new general sponsor for the federation (as well as partnering up wth Tipsport Liga), so it seems that efforts are being made that way as well.

@Urbanskog, while this years' team was certainly terrible it's not really reflective of the state of Slovak hockey. We missed a lot of players which is a luxury that we could never afford due to the realtively low numbers of players. We weren't missing just the old guard but pretty much all of our top young players as well. Furthermore coaching was questionable and there seemsto have been fraction between the NT GM and the players.

We need a capable coach and a GM who will be capable of healing the wounds between the players and the NT. Of course even if that happens Slovakia won't be competing for medals (unless something exceptional happens like in 2012). But realistically if these two criteria are fulfilled avoiding relegation should not be a problem and we should be capable of fighting for a top 8 spot in the coming years.

 

[Jakk123]

Well they just announced that Kaufland is a new general sponsor for the federation (as well as partnering up wth Tipsport Liga), so it seems that efforts are being made that way as well.

@Urbanskog, while this years' team was certainly terrible it's not really reflective of the state of Slovak hockey. We missed a lot of players which is a luxury that we could never afford due to the realtively low numbers of players. We weren't missing just the old guard but pretty much all of our top young players as well. Furthermore coaching was questionable and there seemsto have been fraction between the NT GM and the players.

We need a capable coach and a GM who will be capable of healing the wounds between the players and the NT. Of course even if that happens Slovakia won't be competing for medals (unless something exceptional happens like in 2012). But realistically if these two criteria are fulfilled avoiding relegation should not be a problem and we should be capable of fighting for a top 8 spot in the coming years.

You are right that this years' team doesn't fully reflect the state of Slovak hockey, although it should open some peoples' eyes. This is what our Czech league team looks like and some people are able to claim our league is underrated.

As for what Urbanskog said, I totally agree, had we played in the other group, we would have been relegated IMO.

 

[Alessandro Seren Rosso]

that's exactly what whe should not do...

Care to elaborate?

 

[slovakiasnextone]

Care to elaborate?

Not kudla, but there are plenty of reasons. For starters the problems of Slovak hockey start at a much earlier level than u18 or u20.

Then you have the fact that you concentrate a lot of resources into relatively few players (resources that could be used for reforms that would reach a higher number of players). We already kinda have this with the u18 team in junior Extraliga and u20 in Tipsport Liga.

Furthermore these programs concentrate on the wrong goals - i.e. results - they are more focused on maintaining Slovakia's position among the elite at the WJC or u18 IHWC than at developing of skilled players.

Aditionally these kind of teams deplete the quality of the competition in the national youth leagues - combined with the other players already playing in CZE or Sweden making it almost non existant and giving little to no motivation to the players in those.

If Slovakia wants to compete with the elite, the whole system needs to change from one aimed at achieving results to one focused on developing skilled players. It will take years (10 at least), but it's not completely out of the question. Things like the u20 team or an MHL team are just band aids that don't solve anything in the long run.

 

[boyko10]

Can anyone tell what Zaborskys deal is? Did he flat out quit period or is it due to some coach or federation kink that could possibly be worked out?

Just curious I remember when he joined IFK I was half expecting some floaty sniper, but the work he put in was immense. Went through slumps but never ceased to work his butt off. Wish him all the best and would love to see him in the nationals.

 

[Alessandro Seren Rosso]

Not kudla, but there are plenty of reasons. For starters the problems of Slovak hockey start at a much earlier level than u18 or u20.

Then you have the fact that you concentrate a lot of resources into relatively few players (resources that could be used for reforms that would reach a higher number of players). We already kinda have this with the u18 team in junior Extraliga and u20 in Tipsport Liga.

Furthermore these programs concentrate on the wrong goals - i.e. results - they are more focused on maintaining Slovakia's position among the elite at the WJC or u18 IHWC than at developing of skilled players.

Aditionally these kind of teams deplete the quality of the competition in the national youth leagues - combined with the other players already playing in CZE or Sweden making it almost non existant and giving little to no motivation to the players in those.

If Slovakia wants to compete with the elite, the whole system needs to change from one aimed at achieving results to one focused on developing skilled players. It will take years (10 at least), but it's not completely out of the question. Things like the u20 team or an MHL team are just band aids that don't solve anything in the long run.

Tarasenko, Kuznetsov, Gusev, Panarin, Kucherov, Gavrikov, Vasilevsky, Mironov and many others developed just fine in the MHL

 

[slovakiasnextone]

Tarasenko, Kuznetsov, Gusev, Panarin, Kucherov, Gavrikov, Vasilevsky, Mironov and many others developed just fine in the MHL

It's not about doubting the ability of the MHL to develop players. But all the players that you listed were already skilled when they started playing in the MHL which Slovak players aren't at the moment with the exception of those that are already mostly playing abroad. Getting all those players together to ne would not solve anything and would be detrimental as spread over several teams all of them can get top line minutes in their teams.

Getting together those players that aren't playing abroad already would be investing a lot of money into a small group of players (when you look at how much the costs for the logistics of a Slovak team traveling to the other MHL teams alone would cost) with comparetively little benefit. It doesn't matter whether they play in Tipsport Liga, MHL or Swedish juniors or even the CHL. It's still just a band aid that doesn't solve the deeper problems in Slovak hockey.

 

[slovakiasnextone]

By the way, mainly Slovak posters, you can read the summaries of the meetings of the Executive Committee of the federation here: http://www.hockeyslovakia.sk/sk/clanok/zapisnice

There are some interesting tidbits. For example that Svehla gave up his member ship of the EC as of May 31st. Next meeting is on the 24th.

You ca also find the proposed changes if the national junior/youth competitions. It says that only clubs that are able to field all of 5sht, 6sht, 7sht and 8sht can compete in those competitions. That seems kinda stupid given the amount of recently funded clubs that don't fulfill the criteria.

The u20 team will continue in Tipsport Liga next season while tbe u18 NT in u20 Extraliga will cease to exist.

I.liga teams will have a limit of 3 foreigners per team and it will be mandatory for them to field 7 u23 players. All I.liga teams recieved 10 000 euro donation from the federation for hockey equipment.

And Igor Nemecek gets to be the chairman of the organization committee both for the 2019 IHWC and the inline Worlds.

 

[tobu]

Slovakia is unlikely to ever fully "bounce back", their population is shrinking as well.

I believe this is false. The population of Slovakia has a net positive growth, though its very close to zero, but still net positive. Also the number of registered hockey players is growing.

 

[Milos Krasic]

They've had some success in soccer recently. I wonder if more resources are going that way and it's taking away from hockey.

They have two really good players in Hamsik and Kucka, but I don't see more than that.

 

[IHaveNoCreativity]

The U20 and U23 rule is going to be huge, Germany soccer model there.

 

[alko]

And Igor Nemecek gets to be the chairman of the organization committee both for the 2019 IHWC and the inline Worlds.

So, we will see his face again and again and again... Never ending story.

 

[tobu]

So, we will see his face again and again and again... Never ending story.

While I am glad he is not the boss anymore, it is ok he still gets to participate in things, because we all due respect, he and his team did a great job with the IHWC tournament when it was over here, so why not use his skill where it is useful instead of completely getting rid of him.

 

[slovakiasnextone]

The U20 and U23 rule is going to be huge, Germany soccer model there.

Not sure what you mean with u20 rule. There have been no changes, the u20 team will continue although I'm not sure where they will play. It has been proposed that they play in I.liga (second highest competition) all regular season long.

As for the u23 rule as mentioned this is a rule for the 2nd highest league. The drop off between the quality of top league Tipsport Liga and 1.liga is huge. It's not like the difference between SEL and Allsvenskan, so I have some doubts about the potential of 1.liga becoming some kind of development league for Slovakia. It's mainly aimed at giving a chance to the many players who give up on hockey after juniors.

There are no plans for a young players minimum/foreigner limit for the top league Tipsport Liga.

So, we will see his face again and again and again... Never ending story.

If him getting to be chairman of those tourney is the biggest prize that had to be paid for getting some of the new people into Slovak hockey I don't feel it's so bad.

And as tobu mentioned he has the experience and contacts within IIHF.

 

[meangene]

I understand that Czechia and Slovakia are different countries with different cultures , and that there's an intense amount of pride in both the Czech and Slovak players that play for their respective countries, but if either nation is to return to true glory on the international stage, I feel like combining both nations into one team for international tournaments is the best hope for a return to prominence.

As it stands right now, neither SLO or CZE federations are strong enough to compete with the development of RUS, SWE, or even FIN. But combined? I think a united Czech/Slovak team would be legit contenders at most international tournaments.

 

[zorz]

I understand that Czechia and Slovakia are different countries with different cultures , and that there's an intense amount of pride in both the Czech and Slovak players that play for their respective countries, but if either nation is to return to true glory on the international stage, I feel like combining both nations into one team for international tournaments is the best hope for a return to prominence.

As it stands right now, neither SLO or CZE federations are strong enough to compete with the development of RUS, SWE, or even FIN. But combined? I think a united Czech/Slovak team would be legit contenders at most international tournaments.

I have better idea. Let's create united EU team!