Slovak prospects - Top 10 rankings (updated July 3rd)

[hellwar9]

What about Dalibor Dvorsky? Do you think he won't go in 2023?

 

[james12]

Talking about the drafts is irrelevant for the players right now. They're without the international hockey for the entire year (with exception of Mesar, Slafkovsky, Nemec now at WJC). It's nice they play well for their clubs but we don't know their real quality unless they face the best of their class. They're 16yo, 15yo respectively and have very long route prior to draft.

I expect huge influx of 04 players to NA after this season. I can imagine lots of players being picked in CHL draft. This would definitely help them for the NHL draft eventually.

 

[hellwar9]

Talking about the drafts is irrelevant for the players right now. They're without the international hockey for the entire year (with exception of Mesar, Slafkovsky, Nemec now at WJC). It's nice they play well for their clubs but we don't know their real quality unless they face the best of their class. They're 16yo, 15yo respectively and have very long route prior to draft.

I expect huge influx of 04 players to NA after this season. I can imagine lots of players being picked in CHL draft. This would definitely help them for the NHL draft eventually.

I agree. Simon Nemec and Filip Mesar have said several times that they want to go to the CHL leagues next season. I think Adam Sykora and Servac Petrovsky will also go there. Maybe Alex Sotek, who had injuries at the beginning of this season and is coming to form very slowly, but he also has the potential to. Juraj Slafkovsky will probably also go through the draft and keep the CHL as an option if he does not play among men in Finland.

 

[Dirtyf1ghter]

Talking about the drafts is irrelevant for the players right now. They're without the international hockey for the entire year (with exception of Mesar, Slafkovsky, Nemec now at WJC). It's nice they play well for their clubs but we don't know their real quality unless they face the best of their class. They're 16yo, 15yo respectively and have very long route prior to draft.

I expect huge influx of 04 players to NA after this season. I can imagine lots of players being picked in CHL draft. This would definitely help them for the NHL draft eventually.

All players that I quote are way ahead of their age. They are either already better than the best Slovaks aged 18-20 (Elias, Mesar, Nemec, Sykora, Petrovsky) or at the level of the best Swedish and Finnish players of their age (Slafkovsky).

There is more reason to talk about these 2022 Slovak prospects than to talk about 2021 Slovak prospects because they are already better than Alex Geci et al.

This is also the case for the Slovak 2023 prospects which as time goes by, seems to be as interesting as the 2022 promotion.

Dalibor Dvorsky is already the best 2005 player playing in Sweden. Although born at the end of the year Alex Ciernik is at the level of the best Swedishs born in 2004. Sisik and Strbak are at the level of the best Finns born in 2005.

At 15, Ridzon and Molnar are already playing in the Slovakian Extraliga. Zold not yet but in the meantime he is already at the top of the Slovak U20s. All of this is extremely new and extremely striking. Cajkovic at the same age was very far from them. And yet, 4 years ago, he made a lot of talk because he was the only Slovak hope.

Here I am talking about 13 guys. 13 guys born in 2004 and 2005 who are more promising than a 3rd round 2019 at the same age.

Certainly some will crash. But certainly also that other Slovak players will be added to the list.

What's important is to talk about the rebirth of Slovak hockey when those who focus on senior hockey think that Slovakia is no longer a hockey country.

 

[james12]

All the players I quote are way ahead of their age. They are either already better than the best Slovaks aged 18-20 (Elias, Mesar, Nemec, Sykora, Petrovsky) or at the level of the best Swedish and Finnish players of their age (Slafkovsky).

There is more reason to talk about these 2022 Slovak prospects than to talk about 2021 Slovak prospects because they are already better than Alex Geci et al.

This is also the case for the Slovak 2023 prospects which as time goes by, seems to be as interesting as the 2022 promotion.

Dalibor Dvorsky is already the best 2005 player playing in Sweden. Although born at the end of the year Alex Ciernik is at the level of the best Swedishs born in 2004. Sisik and Strbak are at the level of the best Finns born in 2005.

At 15, Ridzon and Molnar are already playing in the Slovakian Extraliga. Zold not yet but in the meantime he is already at the top of the Slovak U20s. All of this is extremely new and extremely striking. Cajkovic at the same age was very far from them. And yet, 4 years ago, he made a lot of talk because he was the only Slovak hope.

Here I am talking about 13 guys. 13 guys born in 2004 and 2005 who are more promising than a 3rd round 2019 at the same age.

Certainly some will crash. But certainly also that other Slovak players will be added to the list.

What's important is to talk about the rebirth of Slovak hockey when those who focus on senior hockey think that Slovakia is no longer a hockey country.

Thats all alright. I'm just saying that there's still lot of challenges ahead of them. How do they accomodate to NA style of hockey? To what extent will they progress during DY and DY+1? Will they be same competitive in U20 as they are right now? The thing is we cannot predict draft rankings for players like Nemec and Slafkovsky, because ad1 there are 2 seasons till draft ad2 2022 draft will be pretty loaded with talent ad3 we still dont know the real quality and the depth of the class.

Players like Molnar, Ridzon, maybe Jencko are perfect Slovak wise, but they MUST play either senior hockey or CHL in dy.

We Slovaks love to bet a lot so let me do so regarding the players I see as future nhl material as of now(even though it's kinda irrelevant):

Slafkovsky
Nemec
Mesar
Dvorsky

And the rest is a huge POTENTIALLY but definitely not certain.

 

[Dirtyf1ghter]

Analyzing a player's future performance and categorically predicting his rank actually doesn't matter much and no one does. What is interesting (to my point of view) is to predict, from all of these players, how many Slovak players will play in NHL in 2030?

It's not crazy to think that there could be 15/20 if you consider that Slovakia is once again able to supply 2 players per year.

The 2022/2023 promos alone are expected to produce 6 Slovak NHL players. Dvorsky, Salfkovsky, Nemec and Mesar already ensure a minimum of 4.

If I consider Dvorsky as best forward on the Swedish tour for the draft 2023, I'm assuming he's a potential top 10, maybe top 5.

Others look like Round 1/2 at worst. In any case, they look like players who are going to play in NHL.

The question that arose a few months ago was whether there was going to be continuity after 2022. To find out, we have to look at the 15-year-old players. It looks like it does and the Slovak 2023 promo might be better.

In any case Dvorsky seems to be even stronger than Slafkovsky et al. When we talk about Ridzon or Molnar at 15, they are players far ahead of Chromiak and Cajkovic. It is a certain fact, we can say it today. It already gives some idea of their chances of being drafted. I am not saying that there will certainly be 3 Slovak players in the 1st Round 2022/2023 but there will most likely be one and possibly three.

For 2024, no name emerges to date. There may be a drop. But the Czech neighbor, whose level evolutions seem parallel, already announces an extremely promising player (Adam Jecho).

The best 2005 striker playing in Sweden is Slovak.

The best 2006 striker playing in Finland is Czech.

That's all we can say today. And that already means a lot for two nations which are emerging from 15 years of misery and which today produce players who dominate in the two circuits with the highest density of talent.

 

[kudla]

Analyzing a player's future performance and categorically predicting his rank actually doesn't matter much and no one does. What is interesting (to my point of view) is to predict, from all of these players, how many Slovak players will play in NHL in 2030?

It's not crazy to think that there could be 15/20 if you consider that Slovakia is once again able to supply 2 players per year.

The 2022/2023 promos alone are expected to produce 6 Slovak NHL players. Dvorsky, Salfkovsky, Nemec and Mesar already ensure a minimum of 4.

If I consider Dvorsky as best forward on the Swedish tour for the draft 2023, I'm assuming he's a potential top 10, maybe top 5.

Others look like Round 1/2 at worst. In any case, they look like players who are going to play in NHL.

The question that arose a few months ago was whether there was going to be continuity after 2022. To find out, we have to look at the 15-year-old players. It looks like it does and the Slovak 2023 promo might be better.

In any case Dvorsky seems to be even stronger than Slafkovsky et al.

For 2024, no name emerges to date. There may be a drop. But the Czech neighbor, whose level evolutions seem parallel, already announces an extremely promising player (Adam Jecho).

The best 2005 striker playing in Sweden is Slovak.

The best 2006 striker playing in Finland is Czech.

That's all we can say today. And that already means a lot for two nations which are emerging from 15 years of misery and which today produce players who dominate in the two circuits with the highest density of talent.

Dvorsky is 15 years old. I really dont know how can anyone talk about "nhl material", when nobody knows if he even someday becomes a pro player. This kind of pressure does nothing good for the kids, even though I agree that as of today, they look very promising.

 

[Dirtyf1ghter]

Contrary to what we think, there are not so many surprises. A player who establishes himself as the best forward of his generation in Sweden at 15 is automatically a top prospect currently. It would take a dramatic tumble for him not to be selected in 30 months.

I'm looking the Slovak U12 team 5 years ago, almost the same names stand out : Slafkovsky, Petrovsky, Mesar, Sykora and Dvorsky, outclassed by one year.

What is interesting is that the best Czechoslovakian talents manage to dominate in the best youth leagues in the world.

You can be skeptical about a player's success, but overall there won't be a curse that will hit all Czechoslovak prospects. There is no doubt that the Slovakian players born in the 2000s will be much stronger than those born in the 1980s and the 1990s. Among them, there will inevitably be some who will be drafted in the 1st round and who will become immense players.

It is by far the best generation to have started to be formed after the break-up of Czechoslovakia, which turned out to be a real breakthrough for Czechoslovakian hockey.

This means that these two countries are starting to materialize the investments made at the beginning of the last decade.

It reminds me of Finland 8 years ago. In 2012 Finland was weaker than Czechia is today. Finland only produced goalies, there were only 4 defenders in NHL with the top 2 being 37 and 38 years old. Among forwards, only Selanne and the Koivu brothers were really good. Again I'm talking about two players who were 42 and 38 years old.

If we trusted the seniors, Finland seemed dead. But if we trusted teenagers, we could already see a better future. It was not possible to say for sure who these players would be. It was possible to say that Finland would be much stronger in 2020.

8 years later, Finland has doubled its NHL player count, players who are bound to be under 27 for the most part and the number of Finnish players drafted each year has stabilized at around 20.

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

Agree with your assessment but think the timeline is a bit off. Decline in Czech junior had already started in early 2000's - with players heading elsewhere - at a time when Sweden, and soon after that Finland, had already begun shifting their models to development. Remember Nuori Suomi was heavily criticized in some circles at the time it was introduced but the results were encouraging. This has been especially beneficial since the Finnish junior league has taken a hit given the top end players who are now in North America (either junior or US college) and those playing in the expanded Liiga or Mestis at home.

Contrary to what we think, there are not so many surprises. A player who establishes himself as the best forward of his generation in Sweden at 15 is automatically a top prospect currently. It would take a dramatic tumble for him not to be selected in 30 months.

I'm looking the Slovak U12 team 5 years ago, almost the same names stand out : Slafkovsky, Petrovsky, Mesar, Sykora and Dvorsky, outclassed by one year.

What is interesting is that the best Czechoslovakian talents manage to dominate in the best youth leagues in the world.

You can be skeptical about a player's success, but overall there won't be a curse that will hit all Czechoslovak prospects. There is no doubt that the Slovakian players born in the 2000s will be much stronger than those born in the 1980s and the 1990s. Among them, there will inevitably be some who will be drafted in the 1st round and who will become immense players.

It is by far the best generation to have started to be formed after the break-up of Czechoslovakia, which turned out to be a real breakthrough for Czechoslovakian hockey.

This means that these two countries are starting to materialize the investments made at the beginning of the last decade.

It reminds me of Finland 8 years ago. In 2012 Finland was weaker than Czechia is today. Finland only produced goalies, there were only 4 defenders in NHL with the top 2 being 37 and 38 years old. Among forwards, only Selanne and the Koivu brothers were really good. Again I'm talking about two players who were 42 and 38 years old.

If we trusted the seniors, Finland seemed dead. But if we trusted teenagers, we could already see a better future. It was not possible to say for sure who these players would be. It was possible to say that Finland would be much stronger in 2020.

8 years later, Finland has doubled its NHL player count, players who are bound to be under 27 for the most part and the number of Finnish players drafted each year has stabilized at around 20.

 

[Elvs]

What about Dalibor Dvorsky? Do you think he won't go in 2023?

What do you mean? He's on the list. I didn't make any major changes yet as most players had barely played this season when I last updated the rankingss, and the league which Dvorsky is playing in isn't likely to resume anytime soon. I plan to update the rankings after the WHJC.

 

[Dirtyf1ghter]

What do you mean? He's on the list. I didn't make any major changes yet as most players had barely played this season when I last updated the rankingss, and the league which Dvorsky is playing in isn't likely to resume anytime soon. I plan to update the rankings after the WHJC.

He was talking about my list and indeed I forgot to mention Dvorsky. This shows how much the situation will change for the Slovaks from 2022. Because for 2021 and the years before, it was more difficult to find selectable players than to forget them.

 

[hellwar9]

1:15:45 talking about Oleksii Myklukha (2021), Juraj Slafkovsky (2022) and Simon Nemec (2022)

 

[pgfan66]

As the OP is 1.5 years old now and I don’t think anyone’s actually published a ranked list here since then: how would you rank the players in the 04 and 05 classes today? Who do you see in the NHL draft and who could even be succeeding in the CHL if they came over?

 

[hellwar9]

As the OP is 1.5 years old now and I don’t think anyone’s actually published a ranked list here since then: how would you rank the players in the 04 and 05 classes today? Who do you see in the NHL draft and who could even be succeeding in the CHL if they came over?

As for me:

04's:
1.Simon Nemec
2.Juraj Slafkovsky
3.Filip Mesar
4.Alex Ciernik (late 04)
5.Servac Petrovsky
6.Adam Zlnka
7.Rastislav Elias
8.Adam Sykora
9.Patrik Gabriel
10.Alex Sotek
HM's: Peter Repcik, Zigmund Zold (late 04), Samuel Honzek (late 04), Jan Korec (late 04)

Nemec, Mesar, Petrovsky and Zlnka have already confirmed that they are interested in going to the CHL next season, so we will see. Interest from the CHL is also about Slafkovsky, but if he gets a chance in Finland at the men's level, he will probably stay there. As for the NHL draft, so difficult to estimate, will depend on their D seasons. But the trio of Slafkovsky, Nemec and Mesar should be sure.

05's:
1.Dalibor Dvorsky
2.Ondrej Molnar
3.Jakub Chromiak (late 05)
4.Maxim Strbak
5.Frantisek Ridzon
6.Samuel Sisik
7.Daniel Alexander Jencko
8.Roman Kukumberg
9.Leo Eperjesi
10.Milan Tadeas Jobek
HM's: Viliam Kurila, Adam Cedzo,

 

[alko]

7.Daniel Alexander Jencko
.
.
10.Milan Tadeas Jobek

Interesting that many young Slovak players do have 2 names.

Not only this two but for example:
Daniel Vladimir Tkac
Alex René Bartakovics
Jozef Viliam Kmec
Alex František Kupka
Matúš Lukáš Lavička

Im asking: Why?

 

[Favin]

As for me:

04's:
1.Simon Nemec
2.Juraj Slafkovsky
3.Filip Mesar
4.Alex Ciernik (late 04)
5.Servac Petrovsky
6.Adam Zlnka
7.Rastislav Elias
8.Adam Sykora
9.Patrik Gabriel
10.Alex Sotek
HM's: Peter Repcik, Zigmund Zold (late 04), Samuel Honzek (late 04)

Nemec, Mesar, Petrovsky and Zlnka have already confirmed that they are interested in going to the CHL next season, so we will see. Interest from the CHL is also about Slafkovsky, but if he gets a chance in Finland at the men's level, he will probably stay there. As for the NHL draft, so difficult to estimate, will depend on their D seasons. But the trio of Slafkovsky, Nemec and Mesar should be sure.

05's:
1.Dalibor Dvorsky
2.Ondrej Molnar
3.Jakub Chromiak (late 05)
4.Maxim Strbak
5.Frantisek Ridzon
6.Samuel Sisik
7.Daniel Alexander Jencko
8.Roman Kukumberg
9.Leo Eperjesi
10.Milan Tadeas Jobek
HM's: Viliam Kurila, Adam Cedzo

This is helpful list, thanks for posting.
I keep seeing Nemec's name, and hearing great things, but never seen him play. Would be great to see him in CHL next season.
What sort of player is he? Any comparable NHL player?

 

[kudla]

This is helpful list, thanks for posting.
I keep seeing Nemec's name, and hearing great things, but never seen him play. Would be great to see him in CHL next season.
What sort of player is he? Any comparable NHL player?

He is a great puck-moving D who has a very good vision. I've heard comparisons to Dante Fabbro and Tyson Barrie

 

[hellwar9]

Adam Sykora has moved to HK Levice, which also plays slovak lower tier man hockey league and in the last 5 matches he scored 1 goal and 4 assists (i'm also counting today's match, which is not over yet, maybe some points will be added). So for now he has 14 points for 18 matches. Pretty good statistics, the league certainly has similar, maybe a little higher level than the junior leagues in the world, and a similar level as the Austrian Alps hockey league played by Julian Lutz. And he is September 2004, one of the youngest players for draft 2022. It will be really interesting to watch the Slovak 2004s next season.

 

[mirec04]

Another promising 2004 born defensman Marian Mosko has just won the USHS Prep's championship as the first Slovak in the history. IMHO, he is the second best 2004 born D-man after Simon Nemec.

 

[hellwar9]

Another promising 2004 born defensman Marian Mosko has just won the USHS Prep's championship as the first Slovak in the history. IMHO, he is the second best 2004 born D-man after Simon Nemec.

Yes, I would add that he had 2 goals and 10 assists in 12 matches.

Samuel Urban today made his debut in the slovak lower tier man hockey league. For now, he is probably the best goalkeeper of 2005 birthyear. He had 100% saves percentage and 35 saves.

 

[pgfan66]

Another promising 2004 born defensman Marian Mosko has just won the USHS Prep's championship as the first Slovak in the history. IMHO, he is the second best 2004 born D-man after Simon Nemec.

Is that because there aren’t any NHL prospects in the Slovak 04 D class after Nemec or do you actually think Mosko is good? Can you tell me more about him?

 

[mirec04]

Is that because there aren’t any NHL prospects in the Slovak 04 D class after Nemec or do you actually think Mosko is good? Can you tell me more about him?

I have seen Marian playing only few times. But from seen I can tell you that he impressed me. I am not sure how he progressed in one year but hopefully he moved little bit further.

 

[james12]

Is that because there aren’t any NHL prospects in the Slovak 04 D class after Nemec or do you actually think Mosko is good? Can you tell me more about him?

He's puck moving D with very good skating and agility. Though he's not so physical yet, he uses his body well and efficiently. Has all preconditions to be drafted at some point, but although has to work hard.

 

[hellwar9]

Scott Wheeler ranked Juraj Slafkovsky and Simon Nemec as Top-10 challengers and Filip Mesar as an honorable mention in this early review for 2022 draft:
NHL Draft 2022: Wheeler's early look at the top 22 prospects

 

[JotAlan]

The under-18 lost three of four games to the Czech Republic. Were Czechs trained in 2003?