Honestly, he won't even sniff the WC roster. Way too many players in front of him.
and i have such feeling, than we can throw also Stefan Ruzicka away ... I think last season he wasn't satisfied, when he must fight on his roster spot, so he declined.
It´s kind of sad that our best player will most probably be "the 12th player" to use some soccer terminology (which number could we use in hockey btw?)-the fans, isn´t it?
and i have such feeling, than we can throw also Stefan Ruzicka away ... I think last season he wasn't satisfied, when he must fight on his roster spot, so he declined.
From my understanding he also declined the invitation to Arosa Cup? He was originally on the roster, but then wasn´t on the final one and he wsn´t injured as he played in Spartak´s exhibition game against Russia U20 played around that time. Can´t be that his team wouldn´t release him either as his teammate Baranka played at the AC.
I thought about my selection of players and the result is here
1.
In first group are players that must be there, if they'll be available. It' a core of our NT. In my opinion these players are NHL-ers except Svatoš, Tatar and Bližňák plus our old heroes from KHL - Demitra, Šatan and Stümpel.
2.
In second group are players that should be there, if they'll be in good shape. I think these players are all the other players from the 2010 Olympics - Bartečko, Zedník, Radivojevič, Hossa Marcel, Cibák, Baranka and Staňa.
3.
Third group consists of young players with high potential. I think Hanlon has to remember his main aim he announced when he get a job in Slovakia. In my opinion at least one of these young player has to be there even when we will have the best possible roster -Pánik, Tatar, Viedenský, Bližňák, Janus, Hudáček, Záborský.
I thought about my selection of players and the result is here
1.
In first group are players that must be there, if they'll be available. It' a core of our NT. In my opinion these players are NHL-ers except Svatoš, Tatar and Bližňák plus our old heroes from KHL - Demitra, Šatan and Stümpel.
2.
In second group are players that should be there, if they'll be in good shape. I think these players are all the other players from the 2010 Olympics - Bartečko, Zedník, Radivojevič, Hossa Marcel, Cibák, Baranka and Staňa.
3.
Third group consists of young players with high potential. I think Hanlon has to remember his main aim he announced when he get a job in Slovakia. In my opinion at least one of these young player has to be there even when we will have the best possible roster -Pánik, Tatar, Viedenský, Bližňák, Janus, Hudáček, Záborský.
3.
Third group consists of young players with high potential. I think Hanlon has to remember his main aim he announced when he get a job in Slovakia. In my opinion at least one of these young player has to be there even when we will have the best possible roster -Pánik, Tatar, Viedenský, Bližňák, Janus, Hudáček, Záborský.
I thought about my selection of players and the result is here
1.
In first group are players that must be there, if they'll be available. It' a core of our NT. In my opinion these players are NHL-ers except Svatoš, Tatar and Bližňák plus our old heroes from KHL - Demitra, Šatan and Stümpel.
2.
In second group are players that should be there, if they'll be in good shape. I think these players are all the other players from the 2010 Olympics - Bartečko, Zedník, Radivojevič, Hossa Marcel, Cibák, Baranka and Staňa.
3.
Third group consists of young players with high potential. I think Hanlon has to remember his main aim he announced when he get a job in Slovakia. In my opinion at least one of these young player has to be there even when we will have the best possible roster -Pánik, Tatar, Viedenský, Bližňák, Janus, Hudáček, Záborský.
4.
All the other players.
I changed a little bit lines and this is my result:
1st line:
Radivojevič 2 - Demitra 1 - Pánik 3
I think there's no question about 1st line center.
If Hossa and Kopecký will play NHL playoff, then Hanlon has to find wingers for Demitra. In my opinion Šatan has got better chemistry with Stümpel or Handzuš. So my decision would be reunite Radivojevič with Demitra as it was in Minessota Wild. I think Radivojevič can play defensive LW, the same what Kopecký did for us at the Olympics or Tomáš Rolínek has done for Czechs last years.
Pánik is little version of Marián Hossa and I think Demitra can make him twice better than he's now. I would take Pánik instead of Tatar, because he's more complete player.
2nd line:
Zedník 2 - Stümpel 1 - Šatan 1
Stümpel is a good center for 2nd line, a bit slow, but he's got great vision and he's 1st class play-maker. I think he's got good chemistry with Zedník (you know thanks to Florida Panthers and NT). Zedník is great 2-way LW. I think there's no question about connection of Šatan and Stümpel.
3rd line:
Nagy 4 - Handzuš 1 - Bartečko 2
Michal Handzuš is ideal example of NHL 3rd line center. If some team want to succeed, it must have this type of player. There's good chemistry between Nagy and Bartečko, because they has played together in Poprad and Modo this year and they know each other well. Maybe they can remind their St. Louis Blues period of lives.
4th line:
Surový 4 - Cibák 2 - Hossa Marcel 2
I think Cibák is a good 4th line center. I would take him instead of Kukumberg, Mikúš Juraj, Zagrapan, Viedenský or Somík, because he's suited for this role. Well, a lot of people don't like the way, Marcel Hossa play, but I think he should be there in the 4th line at least. Surový is doing well this year in Dinamo Riga but I hope, he won't cut Halák's head.
13th forward:
Tatar 3
Tatar is one dimensional young player that needs to develop more. He can play in some periods of games.
1st D pair:
Jurčina 1 - Sekera 1
There's no question about this pairing. At the Olympics they were really great and this year they are doing well in NHL.
2nd D pair:
Obšut 4 - Baranka 2
I would take this two defenders, because they were team-mates for a long time in Spartak Moscow. It could work.
3rd D pair:
Podhradský 4 - Sersen 4
Well, these former Slovan Bratislava players are doing well this season in KHL. Podhradský is more offensive while Sersen is a bit more defensive defender. Sersen played good for NT this year on tourneys.
7th D:
Graňák
A good puck-moving defender, but he has got some defensive issues.
Goalies:
Halák 1 - Hudáček 3 - Staňa 2
Well, I hope all the opposite players will be Halaked in Bratislava. As a back-up goalie I would take Hudáček instead of Staňa, because through the whole his career he's a great goalie with great numbers, he's young, has got a lot of potential and he has to move forward.
Seriously? Radivojevič on your first line? The guy that has been piss poor on the NT ever since he´s playing in Europe and additionally now is piss poor even in Spartak on KHL. You have Tatar as the 13th forward as a "one dimensional player", yet you have still Pánik on the top line, who has always been slacking out on D more than Tatar. Not even talking about the fact that Tatar is playing his 3rd straight season against men including a short span in the NHL, while Pánik has been only playing junior and has been incredibly streaky in that. And I actually think that Pánik should be on the team, but that explanation you have for Tatar being the 13th forward is really poor. Especially when you have Branko on the 1st line.
Seriously? Radivojevič on your first line? The guy that has been piss poor on the NT ever since he´s playing in Europe and additionally now is piss poor even in Spartak on KHL. You have Tatar as the 13th forward as a "one dimensional player", yet you have still Pánik on the top line, who has always been slacking out on D more than Tatar. Not even talking about the fact that Tatar is playing his 3rd straight season against men including a short span in the NHL, while Pánik has been only playing junior and has been incredibly streaky in that. And I actually think that Pánik should be on the team, but that explanation you have for Tatar being the 13th forward is really poor. Especially when you have Branko on the 1st line.
Yes, I'm serious. I got Tatar - Demitra - Pánik as a 1st line in previous post, but there would be a big question: Who the hell would help to defenders of this 3 players? The best choice for me would be to switch Tatar for Radivojevič. He's not very skilled player, but he work hard every second of the time on ice. As I said, he got some chemistry with Demitra and he's defensive responsible = good defensive LW = his main aim wouldn't be to collect point per game. I think you underestimate Radivojevič a bit, e.g. you say "now is piss poor even in Spartak on KHL". Well, he's a captain of Spartak Moscow and he's the best scorer of Spartak at the moment.
Second point. Why do I still have Pánik on the first line and not Tatar? Did you watch last World hockey championship? I think there is answer for this. Pánik was defensively way better than Tatar and he was the best player of the team with +3 in+/- and the only player in +. He got great weight for his age (92 kg / 203 lbs).
PS: Did you watched the games when Tatar were playing for Detroit Red Wings? Did you hear what Mike Babcock said about Tatar? He said something like he's a kid. I think that's true, e.g. his weight 80 kg / 176 lbs.
I really wish we could get our Olympic lineup together for this tournament. If they'd play the same way, we would definitely get a medal. I don't think we really want to be in the relegation round when playing in our own country, which I think will happen with our players available.
Problem is, even if they would want to come, I think most will be in the playoffs. And most are on teams who are capable of getting out of the first round. But that is right now, there is still a lot of hockey to be played in the NHL before the tournament starts.
I really wish we could get our Olympic lineup together for this tournament. If they'd play the same way, we would definitely get a medal. I don't think we really want to be in the relegation round when playing in our own country, which I think will happen with our players available.
Problem is, even if they would want to come, I think most will be in the playoffs. And most are on teams who are capable of getting out of the first round. But that is right now, there is still a lot of hockey to be played in the NHL before the tournament starts.
I would be very happy for Olympic roster and I think Glen Hanlon would be too. However I think you are a bit pessimist. Even our European roster is good and they should make quarterfinal, but real problem is our future after this Championship. A lot of gold boys will end their careers in NT.
PS: The greatest victory for Slovakia would be when president of Slovak ice hockey association, mister communist, spy, thief and fink Široký flies away to a country far and far away and takes with him all his chums.
I would be very happy for Olympic roster and I think Glen Hanlon would be too. However I think you are a bit pessimist. Even our European roster is good and they should make quarterfinal, but real problem is our future after this Championship. A lot of gold boys will end their careers in NT.
PS: The greatest victory for Slovakia would be when president of Slovak ice hockey association, mister communist, spy, thief and fink Široký flys away to a country far and far away and takes with him all his chums.
Who wouldn't be happy for the Olympic roster?
But I'm not a pessimist, I'm just looking at it realistically based on the last couple years.
2008 – Finished in 13th place
2009 – Finished in 10th place
2010 – Finished in 12th place
We're lucky to still be in the top division. Most of the players in the rosters I've seen are getting to the end of their careers, which is why I think they should push our NHL stars to say something along the lines of "if I drop out of the playoffs, I'll be on the first flight to Bratislava." We NEED to show something on this tournament since it is at home, because our international hockey future is not looking bright at all.
(Besides Sekera & Jurčina)
A lot of gold boys will end their careers in NT. 
