WJC 2013 Roster
 

So what do you think of this years WJC? I think it could be pretty good for us. But even though our team should be strong, I don't see any weaker team from the TOP5 (even if there isn't a lockout anymore). But still, if not semifinals I expect at least close games with both Sweden and Finland in the preliminary round and in the quarterfinal (I assume we'll get there by beating Switzerland).

And the roster could be:

Goaltenders:

Patrik Bartosak (Right now I'd prefer him as a numer 1)
Matej Machovsky (I guess number 2 but should be competing for number 1 position as well)
Jaroslav Pavelka / David Honzik (could surprise and compete for higher positions when he is healthy and ready to play) / Patrik Polivka / Marek Langhamer
also Daniel Dolejs making some good numbers in Prvni liga.


Defenders:

David Musil
Marek Hrbas
Petr Sidlik
Tomas Pavelka
Michal Plutnar
Richard Nedomlel (if he is allowed to play - I'm not sure)
maybe Jan Kostalek
than I don't know there is no defenseman regularly playing in Extraliga this year which isn't good.


Forwards

Tomas Hertl
Martin Frk
Dmitrij Jaskin
Radek Faksa
Matej Stransky (same case as Nedomlel - don't know here)
Tomas Hyka
Lukas Sedlak
Matej Beran

these 8 (7 if Stransky isn't allowed) above should be certain to be in the roster.

then I think these could be there:

Tomas Rousek
Richard Nedomlel
Petr Beranek
Dominik Simon

Jakub Vrana also has a slight chance to get there (not big though).

Not sure about the rest. Clearly, there won't be many players from our domestic leagues this year, which is a little disadvantage for us as a european country giving that this years WJC will be held in Russia (european ice).

Anyway, pretty solid team. Especially offense is very good. Goaltending should be alright. Defense is a weakness, although Sidlik, Pavelka and Hrbas are kind of productive this year in CHL (not sure about their defensive game - never seen them in CHL).

Any thoughts on this topic?
This roster is mostly based on statistics and things I've read about the players. I'm not an expert, just interested fan :)

tbh when I look at that roster I think one thing for defence and goalies both... man will that be a slow-skating team. :help:

Jan Stencel could also make the team. hes a 17 year old defencemen playing in the czech elite league. He has very good stats.

http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=101097

Aaaaand Vrana better make the team!! hes sooooo good!!! I really want to see how good he could do in that tournament.

I'd also love to see Vrana, but a team with depth like the Czech Republic really can find more experienced players to fill the spots. Maybe we'll see him as the 13th forward or an injury replacement, but I'd have to think that some of the bottom 6 will be filled with guys from the Czech league.

If Stransky is able to play I think the top 6 is pretty much set:

Jaskin-Hertl-Hyka
Stransky-Faksa-Frk

After that I'd assume that the bottom 6 would include Sedlak and Beran, as well as a combination of '93 born players from the Czech league:

Brezina
Rousek
Kralik
Svihalek
Dolezal
Nemec

Guys like Machac, Vrana, Kubalik, etc. will likely be considered, but since they're either young, play outside of the Czech Republic, or both, they're unlikely to make the team.

On defense assuming that Nedomlel is allowed to play the defense should be:

Musil-Pavelka
Hrbas-Zadrazil
Nedomlel-Kostalek
Chalupa/Kokes

In net I think it's safe to say the fight is between 4 guys:

Machovsky
Honzik (if back from injury)
Langhamer
Bartosak

- The Czech's should have a good team this year. The top 6 forwards can compete with most of the top nations in the world. The PK can be set around two very good penalty killers in Faksa and Sedlak, while the PP will have snipers like Frk and Stransky, big bodies in Beran and Jaskin, and playmakers in Hertl, Hyka and Faksa.

- The goaltending should be solid, but not as good as last season.

- I think the defense may be the weak spot, but Musil proved last year that he's more than capable of being a defensive force for 25+ minutes each game and if he's able to play, Nedomlel should add some physicality, size and toughness to the backend. Hrbas is a good puck mover and Kostalek is apparently really climbing the charts.

All in all I say this team should press for a medal. They're very skilled up front and the goaltending seems solid. This team should easily finish ahead of the Slovaks, Swiss, Germans and Latvians and could beat out the Finns to finish second in the division. Unfortunately, I don't see them beating Sweden, but weirder things have happened. This is a good team and with a core of Hertl, Faksa, Frk, Jaskin and Musil anything can happen.

very good team! my darkhorse for medals.

None of these players are great skaters though, same with Beran and a few others it matters on big ice. This is my concern for this team.

The Czech Republic hasn't been known to produce good skaters in recent years. Hyka and Sedlak are nice exceptions and Faksa is a very solid skater. Hertl, Frk and Stransky are average speedwise, but strong skaters who can make up with what they lack in speed in their skill sets. Jaskin and Beran aren't very fast, but both are skilled and big. Jaskin has the frame and skillset (although not the mean streak yet) of an NHL powerforward.

All in all I think this team will be good enough. Hertl was one of the most skilled players taken in 2012 and Faksa is big, strong and can rack up points while playing excellent defense. Adding a sniper like Frk, the skill of Stransky, the capabilities of Jaskin and the speed of Hyka and this team is looking very good.

I'm more worried about the lack of speed on the back end, but I think if Kostalek, Pavelka and Hrbas make the team that they should be average in that aspect. That being said Musil will be playing the most difficult minutes and although he lacks foot speed he makes up for it with his positioning and his defensive abilities. He's the defensive cornerstone to the Czech team so if they play a conservative game he'll keep them defensively sound.

This team is objectively still significantly behind the Russians, Swedes, Americans and Canadiens in terms of ability. I'd also argue Finland has a significantly stronger squad which is much more suited to the European ice.

So on paper whilst this years rendition looks stronger, i still think when we compare it to the competition, they will struggle. Not to say they cannot cause an upset or go quite far, but we must also be realistic.

That's pretty much what I am thinking. Even though I guess I am a bit more optimistic but yeah, you're right.
I think it would be one of the best teams on tournament like ten years ago when junior development programs in Canada, USA or Sweden weren't at their best times. Now the competition is just too strong. This team is solid and without a doubt one of the strogest czech junior teams for some quite time. But it is still not good enough to be true competitor for a medal. I guess.
Still, we could surprise few people.

What I like the most about this year is the fact that our defense is practically set already at this point. Can't see Hrbas, Košťálek, Musil, Nedomlel, Pavelka and Šidlík not being there. And that's a good thing to build on. IMO there is really no reason not to be optimistic as you rightly said this is the best group in a quite long time, so it seems to be justified to expect corresponding result from them.

I'm not sure Sidlik makes it this year. They'll almost certainly take a guy playing in the Czech league who's a right handed shot like Zadrazil.

Another good news. Jaskin and Frk seem to be picking their game up lately. Let's just hope everybody stays healthy this time.

You're right. Right handed D will be there for sure.

I've just noticed that Petr Stloukal is playing in the second finnish league and putting up good numbers. 2 assists for him today (has 12 points out of 15 games).
I don't know how good that league is but I guess it's not worse than our second league.
Maybe a guy we can also consider.

as bottom six forward

I guess you know vast majority of players from group A. Do you agree that Czech team has more talent than Latvia and Switzerland? And do you see any chance they could finish better than 3rd in that group?

agree but will be very tough game with Swiss. On theother hand, on good day we have certain chance with Finns.

Many of you says that you are affraid of the defensive site of our defenders...
And how about Kvapil, witch plays in the MHL, or Ruzicka Slavia (Was called as a best defending defender in U18 WCH in 2011) or especialy Jeník now in Kaprat Oulun (was in Slavia, playing more then 25mins per game...)

Yes, there are better guys you have mentioned (nedomlel, sidlik) hows are better to offensive. But look what happen in U18 2011 when those guys played there. In the game with Finland (to remember 10mins to go CZE was on the top by 1 goal but then just the "best" players played - just the offensive part of the players and we were hitted by 2 gols in 1 min and went home without anythink. Who can remember me can say that it is true!). So I think that no one of us wants this to happen again. We dont need just a ofensive guys but we need also a realy good defence with a great heart wich those three i wrote above are!!!

I think there is enough space for all types of defensemen. Forwards won't score against strong teams without support. There should be no discussion about Musil, Nedomlel and Pavelka IMO, the rest is debatable.

[QUOTE=Siftak;56039989]Many of you says that you are affraid of the defensive site of our defenders...
And how about Kvapil, witch plays in the MHL, or Ruzicka Slavia (Was called as a best defending defender in U18 WCH in 2011) or especialy Jeník now in Kaprat Oulun (was in Slavia, playing more then 25mins per game...)

Did you want to write the worst defending D?
Both Ruzicka and Kvapil are terrible.
I expect Kvapil on final roster though as he is Prerost´s nephew.

By the last informations Nedomlel will NOT be even in the first list...
Prerost doesnt like him...

http://www.cslh.cz/clanek/915-sirsi-...let-v-ufe.html

What the hell is that??? The defenders... Patrik Urbanec - WHAT? Vojtěch Zadražil - WHY???? Tomáš Pavelka - WHAT THE HELL???

And Jenik just in the sub and Unfoutunatelly my informations about Nedomlel was true...

Did Prerost finaly got stupid???

Czech hockey is going down the toilet because of these coaches. Is he retarted? Holding grudges against two of their top available prospects (Nedomlel and Stransky) and not allowing them to play? Childish.

No Nedomlel and Stransky on the roster is killing me a don't understand it :shakehead I really feel sorry for those kids.
Also, too bad Kostalek isn't there..

jesus christ that's just pathetic... pavelka is ok though. he's producing well.