Welcome to Around the Boards, Velvet Hockey’s guide to the
week that was in the Czech Republic and Slovakia hockey world. This week,
Slovan picked up a new head coach, Zlín continued to struggle and Ryan Hollweg
picked up a ten game ban.
Petri Matikainen
named new Slovan coach
Former Avangard coach Matikainen takes the helm Photo: hcslovan.sk
Despite all the Miloš
Říha was due to return to Slovan, the club announced this week that former
Avangard Omsk head coach Petri Matikainen would take up the post as Slovan
Bratislava head coach. Matikainen, who was previously the assistant coach of
the Finnish side for two years, joins after a disappointing year where he lost
two jobs, one at Avangard Omsk and the other at EBEL club Graz 99ers. The 37
year old left Finland in acrimonious circumstances in 2012, after HIFK sent
players to Espoo Blues in order to secure his services, only for Matikainen to
jump ship to the KHL (Credit to Antti Laurila, @supermurs for that
story).
Slovan’s website quotes General Manager Maros Krajči in saying:
"From the group of candidates for
the position of head coach, we have chosen Petri Matikainen based on excellent
references. He is an experienced Finnish coach, an excellent motivator and
strategist, with the added bonus of experience on the bench at Avangard Omsk.
Our new trainer promises to bring us a more attacking style, especially at
home. A strong Slovan support team is already at Matikainen's disposal today,
ready to do all they can to help him adapt to our country as quickly as
possible."
Matikainen will get his first taste of KHL action later on
Wednesday, as Slovan host Medveščak
Zagreb at the Slovnaft Arena.
Zlín in crisis?
Zlín currently prop up the Extraliga after four straight losses Photo: Jiří Zaňát, hokej.zlin.cz
It has not been a good start to the year for last season’s
champions PSG Zlín. Despite keeping nearly the exact same roster from last
season, it seems that a cloud is hanging over the Moravian club at the moment.
Losses to Extraliga newboys Mladá Boleslav and Olomouc in the opening few games
of the Extraliga season have taken the stuffing out of the champions, who on
Tuesday night, were battered in Sweden 8-0 by Djurgården in the Champions
Hockey League.
Now, there were some mitigating circumstances for the loss
in Sweden, as veterans Petr Čajanek, Petr Leška and Ondřej Veselý did not
travel, but it is endemic of a side whose defence has gone from being feared to
looking as porous as a colander. Luboš Horčička conceded 6 goals on 18 shots
against Djurgården.
In an interview posted on Tuesday, Ondřej Veselý said: ‘It
would be more useful if we regenerate and rest in order to prepare for Friday’s
home game with Pardubice. The worst part is the travel. If we were playing at
home it would be something else. When I woke up at eight am, I remembered the
guys were already on the road for three hours. I felt sorry for them.’
Speaking about his team’s rotten start to the season, where
they currently sit bottom of the Extraliga without a point, Veselý added: ‘Maybe
we underestimated the first games we played against the newcomers. It may be
that in the middle you lose four times in a row. For us it has happened at the
start of the season, and we hope we can improve soon' (source).
Sparta thrash
Slavia while Karlovy Vary get going
Delight at the o2 Arena for Sparta as they thrash city rivals Slavia Photo: Pavel Draslar, hcsparta.cz
Sunday saw the first Prague derby of the season take place,
and it was bad news for Ladislav Lubina, as his charges capitulated in the
first period and went down 5-2 at the o2 Arena against a rampant Sparta side.
Sparta chased Dominik Furch from the game in the first period, as they ended
the first period three goals to the good. After a false start to get the season
underway, it looks like Sparta are starting to fire on all cylinders, as they
have climbed up to 8thin the table. Slavia’s ill-discipline cost
them the points, as Sparta scored three times with the man advantage.
Goaltender Adam Svoboda, said after the game: 'We did not skate. Sparta skated
great. We unfortunately just stood there and then the guys have to take
penalties. If we do not play a disciplined game at 100% for 60 minutes, then we
don’t have a chance against a team like Sparta'.(source).
Another team who had a good week after a rotten start to the
season was Karlovy Vary. The unfancied side from the spa town picked up their
first two wins of the season to get off the bottom of the table. A 4-1 win over
Sparta in Gameday 4 was followed by a close fought 2-1 win over early season
flyers Hradec Kralove. In both games, 23 year old Vladislav Habal was in top
form between the pipes. In the two games this week, he made 75 saves on 77
shots. Habal spent most of last season in the 2.liga with HC Banik Sokolov.
At the top of the table, Litvinov continue to set the pace picking
up two more wins to give them a one point lead over Vitkovice. A Jiří Gula goal
with just 14 seconds left in the third period gave the Bohemian side a 4-3
victory over Mladá Boleslav, before thrashing Kometa Brno 6-1 on Sunday. Vitkovice
also had two wins out of two this week, edging fellow contenders Třinec and
basement dwellers Zlín.
It is starting to look a bit grim for Olomouc though, as the
Moravian newcomers lost to Kometa Brno and Pardubice this week. With only four
points through five games, they have slipped into 13th place in the
early Extraliga table.
Six point night
for Patrik Moskal
In Czech 1.liga news, Salith Šumperk forward Patrik Moskal
made headlines last Wednesday, as he picked up six points (2+4) in his side’s
7-4 victory over Motor Češke Budějovice. Moskal currently has 13 points through
5 games as Šumperk sit 5th in the 1.liga table.
The current pacesetters in the Czech second division are Horácká
Slavia Třebíč, who are undefeated through five games. Hot on their heels are Benátky
nad Jizerou and Stadion Litoměřice, with the latter having a remarkable
defensive record thanks to the early season performances of Tomáš Kral, who has
a save percentage of 96.5% through in the four games he has played for Litoměřice.
Piráti Chomutov have continued their rotten form from last
season in the Extraliga, as they currently sit in 10th place having
lost their last game against Benátky nad Jizerou. The other relegated Extraliga
side, Rytíři Kladno, are searching for consistency but currently sit in 4th
place in the table with three wins from five games. A 5-2 win last Wednesday
was followed up by a lacklustre 2-0 loss to Češke Budějovice.
Player of the
week: Martin Ručinský (HC Verva Litvinov)
Ručinský celebrates with Viktor Hubl, who just recorded his 550th game in a Litvinov jersey Photo: hokej-litvinov.cz
The oldest player in the Czech Extraliga is currently the
best, as 43 year old Martin Ručinský takes this week’s accolade. The former
NHLer picked up six points in two games, including a goal and three assists in
Litvinov’s demolition of Kometa Brno on Sunday. Still, the Olympic gold medal
winner from the 1998 Winter Games in Nagano was coy about his resurgence,
saying, ‘I don’t care that much [about points]. The only points that interested
me today are the three points we got as a team.’ Ručinský almost retired during
the off-season but was convinced to take the ice for one more season by coaches
Radim Rulík and Miloslav Hořava, and the Most native has repaid their faith as
Litvinov currently sit top of the Extraliga table and Ručinský is currently the
Extraliga’s top scorer (source).
Another week and seemingly another ban for HC Škoda Plzeň’s
Ryan Hollweg. The 31 year old American was handed the ban by the ČSLH (Czech
Hockey Association) for his knee-on-knee hit on former teammate Tomáš Vlasák in
the game against Slavia Praha at the o2 Arena on Friday. For Hollweg, it is
another strike on his ever increasing Extraliga rap-sheet. An video of the
incident can be found below:
With the speed that Hollweg barrelled into Vlasák, it is
surprising that the Slavia forward didn’t come off worse for wear, and despite
his lack of injury, Hollweg was still handed the maximum ten game penalty for a
knee-on-knee hit. Quoting from the press release, the ČSLH ruled that Hollweg
had intended to bodycheck Vlasák, but when the latter attempted to dodge the
hit, Hollweg moved to make sure that he connected with Vlasák, with the result
being a knee-on-knee hit.
This is not the first suspension for Hollweg this season, as
he received a one match ban for an altercation in a game against Sparta Praha,
where he gave Slovak forward Martin Reway a hiding in front of the Sparta
bench (see below). This, along with Hollweg’s previous suspensions were taken into account
by the ČSLH in deciding the severity of the ban.
It is interesting to note that in an interview after the game, Vlasák said, “He is not a malicious player. It was a penalty, but I do
not think it was an attempt to injure”
Hollweg has truly made a name for himself
in the Czech Republic in his two seasons
Photo: Milan Podpera, hcskoda.cz
Hollweg, who has over 200 NHL games to his credit, moved to
the Czech Republic in 2012, and has been taken to heart by the Plzeň faithful,
who love his bang and crash style, which few have tried before in the
Extraliga. In his first season with the club, Plzeň won the Czech Extraliga,
and was given a relatively large amount of ice time by the club. Last season it
was a different story, as a serious injury brought an end to the Downey,
California native’s year after only 20 games, in which he tallied four points.
It is unfair to call Hollweg a loose cannon, as consistently
through his Extraliga career, he has been physical but has largely toed the
line. 180 penalty minutes through 60 games before this season is not what one would
call excessive, and it seems that the ČSLH have thrown the book at him.
It was a nasty knee-on-knee hit, which could have been a lot
worse. It definitely deserved some form of suspension, but I feel that ten
games is somewhat excessive for Hollweg. In addition, Slavia’s Michal Poletín,
who attempted to confront Ryan Hollweg, was handed a fine for his part in the
fracas.
Welcome to the second edition of Around The Boards, Velvet
Hockey’s weekly digest giving the lowdown on all the biggest news from the Czech
and Slovak hockey worlds. Both the Czech and Slovak Extraligas got underway
over the weekend, and there are some unlikely faces at the top of both leagues.
However, the weekend was a tragic one with Slovak hockey.
Slovakia still coming to terms with tragedy
Miroslav Hlinka
Photo: img.cas.sk
It is with great sadness that despite the great action on
the ice this weekend, I begin this week’s Around The Boards dealing with events
that have taken place away from hockey. The Slovak hockey world is without
three major figures this week, as two former players and the long-serving
Slovak national team doctor Vladimir Luptak passed away. Velvet Hockey
discussed this in depth on Monday, following the details of the suicide of
former Nitra player Miroslav Kováčík, two days after Miroslav Hlinka also took
his own life. Hlinka, a World Champion with Slovakia in 2002, was due to take up
the assistant coach’s role at Banska Bystrica.
The news has resulted in a large amount of soul-searching in
both countries, as fans and officials alike attempt to come to terms and
ascertain the reasons behind the tragedy. No news has been forthcoming since Velvet Hockey posted its reaction to the deaths on Monday.
Slovan quickly unravelling
Slovan Bratislava got off to a fantastic start to their
third KHL campaign. Velvet Hockey waxed lyrically about the KHL’s sole Slovak
participant, after the won their first three games of the season. However, the
wheels have come off somewhat this week, as losses to Ak Bars Kazan, Torpedo
Nizhny Novgorod and Severstal Cherepovets, the latter of which was a dire 3-0
defeat on home ice.
Ladislav Nagy continues to lead the line, having scored five
times in six games, but the likes of Michal Vondrka, Rok Tičar and Tomáš Surový
have flattered to deceive in front of goal. Jaroslav Janus got his first action
of the season in Slovan’s shootout loss to Torpedo, and acquitted himself well,
but looked average in their capitulation to Severstal, which leads me to
believe that Johan Backlund will start for Slovan’s next game against CSKA
Moscow, which comes after a brief four game break. Slovan will be boosted by
the return from injury of new defenceman Kurtis Foster, who played for
Medveščak Zagreb last season.
Cancelled games cause problems in CZ and SK
Banska Bystrica got the game postponed, but Zvolen were awarded the three points Photo: TASR
The first weekend in the Czech and Slovak Extraligas brought
some peculiarities, including two games that were postponed whilst in play. In
Slovakia, Zvolen hosted Banska Bystrica on the first gameday of the season, but
the game was postponed with only ninety seconds to go due to flares let off by
the Banska Bystrica fans as Zvolen led 4-3. It was a miraculous comeback by
Zvolen, who had been 3-0 down in the third period, and as tensions ran high in
the Banska Bystrica fan section. The smoke from the flares which were set off
covered the ice in smoke, and despite the officials giving an hour’s grace, the
smoke would not dissipate. Vladimír Baluška, one of the referees, said in an
interview, “We saw how the smoke spread and the situation is unusual and
dangerous meaning we had to interrupt the game as we have to protect the player’s
health. This is the first time we have encountered such a situation.” The SZLH
ruled later that the result would stand, handing Zvolen the 3 points. (source)
Unplayable conditions at the Kajot Arena Photo: Ivo Dostal
Lack of visibility was also the culprit at the Kajot Arena
in Brno, as Kometa’s game against PSG Zlin, which was being broadcast live on
the major sport channel in the Czech Republic (ČT Sport) was brought to a halt
after just 13 minutes. A warm September in both the Czech Republic and Slovakia
has made mist a problem in many arenas. The fog was especially bad at the end
where Kometa were attacking, and Zlin’s goaltender Libor Kašík was notably
animated. There was no score in the game before it was postponed.
Zlín still without a win
Libor Kašík hits the deck in Zlín's season opener
Photo: Jiří Zaňát hokej.zlin.cz
The cancelled game at the Kajot Arena has left Zlín in a
rather sorry state, as the defending Extraliga champions currently sit in 13th
place after three gamedays. The Moravian side started the season in perhaps the
worst possible way, looking average as Extraliga new boys Mladá Boleslav
humiliated them 5-2 at the Zimni stadion Luďka Čajky. It didn’t get much better
on Tuesday, as other Extraliga newcomers HC Olomouc, defeated their Moravian
rivals to claim their first Extraliga win under their belt. Zlín went 2-0 up in
the first period through goals from Bedřich Köhler and new signing Roman Vlach,
but Olomouc rallied back in the third second period to take an unassailable 3-2
lead. Defensively, Zlín look fragile, and that’s not something that you would
have thought after they retained all of their defensive unit bar Petr Zamorský.
Certainly more will be expected from last season’s top Extraliga goalie Libor
Kašík, who has conceded eight goals in two games and a save percentage well
below 90%
Litvinov and Mladá Boleslav impress, while Sparta
splutter
The first three gamedays have left my Extraliga preview
looking rather silly, as two of the teams that I had pencilled in to finish in
the bottom four, are in first and third place respectively. Whilst Zlín’s
goaltending has been a problem, current league leaders Litvinov have arguably
the best goaltender in the Czech Republic. Pavel Francouz, who was Litvinov’s
one shining light in a dreadful season last year, has continued his fine form,
picking up three wins out of three. The 24-year old shutout bottom of the table
Karlovy Vary in the first game, before shutting up shop in the shootout as the
side from North Bohemia defeated both Plzeň and Třinec. Both victories are
massive scalps for a side desperate to get back into the playoffs.
Mladá Boleslav yet to lose in the Extraliga this year
Photo: Jan Pavlíček, bkboleslav.cz
Despite all of their summer signings, it is the old boys at
Mladá Boleslav who are leading the charge. The 1.liga champions have taken to
the Extraliga like a duck to water, and have won two games out of three in what
was an incredibly tricky start to their return to the Czech top flight. Their
aforementioned win against Zlín was followed by a loss in Pardubice, but on
Monday the side got their first win against Sparta at the Tipsport Arena in
their history. Former Sparta captain Michal Broš had a goal and an assist and Tomáš
Klimenta bagged a brace as Mladá Boleslav battled to a 4-3 victory. Tomáš Hyka
and Dominik Pacovský have struggled to adapt to their new surroundings though,
as Mladá Boleslav’s two major summer acquisitions only have one point between
them so far.
Sparta’s loss to Mladá Boleslav sums up what has been a
so-so start to the season. Despite sitting top of an extremely tight Group G in
the Champions Hockey League, Sparta have already lost two games this season,
with Mountfield Hradec Kralove picking up a solid 3-1 victory on home ice
against last season’s regular season champions. The pieces are there but it
doesn’t seem that Josef Jandáč has
worked out how best to use his abundance of talent. As defenceman Michal
Barinka said following the loss to Mladá Boleslav, “We have to start
from zero. The results will come.” Sparta will be hoping that the results will come, especially with the first Prague derby of the season being on Sunday.source)
Zvolen leading the way
In Slovakia, the surprise
league leaders after four games is Zvolen, who are the only team in both
countries to still have a 100% record. In front of goal, Zvolen have been
imperious, netting 13 times in the three games. Most remarkably, the team
already has twelve different goal scorers to its name, as Andrej Podkonický is
the only player to have found the back of the net twice. Despite their loss to
Zvolen, Poprad are currently in second place, a remarkable achievement for a
club dogged by financial uncertainty. The side from the Tatras has gone through
a number of difficult years especially following the failed Lev Poprad project,
are at least doing the business on the ice. Tomáš Sýkora already has three
goals to his name. Defending champions Košice sit in third place after three
games where they have only conceded eight goals.
Player of the week:
Michal Hlinka
Photo: sportky.sk/SITA
Michal Hlinka (HK Dukla Trenčín)
Any other week would’ve been Litvinov’s goaltender Pavel
Francouz, but special mention must go to Michal Hlinka, the son of Miroslav
Hlinka. The 21-year old forward has dealt with the death of his father like a
man far beyond his years, and continues to train and even featured for the club
in Tuesday’s victory against Skalica. Richard Lintner, who plays for Dukla and
was a national team teammate with Michal’s father for a number of years said, “We,
Dukla, are Michal’s second family and we stand by him and will try to create
the conditions to help him as a young male support his family.” All games in
Slovakia were marked by a moment of silence before faceoff on Tuesday. (source)
Play of the week:Ladislav Nagy (Slovan Bratislava)
This week, we turn to the KHL and Ladislav Nagy’s beautiful coast-to-coast goal
against Ak Bars Kazan. Sadly, Slovan couldn’t pick up the win, losing 4-3 in a
close fought game, but this goal by Nagy will live long in the memory.
This week’s pick of the action:
Friday: Mladá Boleslav vs Litvínov (16:30 GMT)
Saturday: Slovan Bratislava vs CSKA Moscow (16:30 GMT)
Last week Velvet Hockey brought you part one of it's 2013/14 Czech Extraliga preview, looking at the teams who (in the author's opinion) will make up the bottom half of the league. A week on, and it is time to turn to the contenders. From the tradition of Sparta Praha to the youthful Hradec Králové franchise, read below for all the summer news and line-up discussion.
HC Sparta Praha – Is this the year?
Last season: 1st
Last season’s top scorer: Petr Ton (40yo, 50GP 35+32 +27)
Last season’s top goaltender: Tomáš Pöpperle (44GP 1.61GAA
93.6%)
Oh Sparta. Another season where they looked invincible in
the regular season, only for it to unravel in the playoffs. It has now been
seven years since they last won the Extraliga title, and the Tipsport Arena
faithful are starting to get restless. Coaches have come and gone, and one must
imagine that Josef Jandáč is on a short leash and the bosses will not be
forgiving if results don’t go their way.
Will Jaroslav Hlinka thrive without Ton?
Photo: Atte Rissanen, CHL
There is a new dawn at Sparta. Gone is long time hero Petr
Ton, Tomáš Rachůnek has moved to Metallurg Novokuznetsk and Tomáš Pöpperle will
no longer tend the Sparta net after he signed with KHL newcomers HK Sochi. Joining
from Slovak champions HC Košice is Rastislav Staňa. The veteran shot stopper
was in inspired form with Košice, posting a 94.4% save percentage in the
playoffs. Staňa has never played in the Czech Extraliga before, but has a
wealth of SHL and KHL experience and will surely be an asset at this level.
Sparta have taken the adage of offence wins games but
defence wins championships, as they have assembled what looks to be the best
defence in the Czech Republic. The signings of Marek Ďaloga, Michal Barinka and
Juraj Mikúš are a sign of shrewd recruitment, and means that it is going to be
very difficult to score goals past Sparta this coming season. Karel Pilář, Jan
Svrček and Jan Piskaček remain from last season’s roster, forming an incredibly
promising top six.
Up front, the task has been to replace the goals lost by the
departure of Petr Ton. Sparta look to be doing this by committee rather than
the signing of one star player. Imports Robert Sabolic and Zack Torquato will
add some welcome scoring touch, while Martin Réway, one of the most hyped
Slovak prospects in recent years, joins Sparta at the tender age of 19 instead
of returning to the QMJHL.
37 year old Jaroslav Hlinka may notice a downturn in his
form with the loss of top line partner Petr Ton, but look for the former
Karlovy Vary pair of Petr Kumstát and Lukáš Pech to add more points than they
did last season. 6‘6‘‘ forward Kumstát tallied 18 goals in 2013/14, edging
closer to the 27 goal career high he posted in 2011/12 with Karlovy Vary, which
made Sparta so adamant to bring him and Pech to the Czech capital. Tomáš
Rolínek will captain the side, the former Metallurg Magnitogorsk forward finally
settling back in the Extraliga, while Jan Buchtele and new signing Lukáš Cingel
will be on task to add further scoring depth. Buchtele scored 35 points in his
first season with Sparta in 2013/14
With a number of top players entering their second seasons
with the club following the rebuild in 2013, I can see Sparta being even more
dominant this season, and with a strengthened back end, it could very easily be
their year.
One to watch: Martin Réway (Forward. Last season – Gatineau Olympiques:
43GP 20+42 +13)
Martin Réway will look to impress with Sparta
Photo: Vaxjo Lakers, CHL
The former Sparta Praha junior has returned ¨home¨ as the
Montreal Canadiens draft pick has put pen to paper to sign with Sparta and get
his first taste of professional hockey. At 19 years of age, Réway still has a
number of years of development ahead, and the raw skill that the Prague born
forward has is off the charts. He may need a few years to truly make the jump
from junior to professional hockey, but his prolific junior career is sign that
Réway is one of the top European prospects at present. 10 points in 5 games at
the World Junior Championships went a long way to earning Réway a call up to
the Slovakia senior team for the senior World Championships, where he scored
three points in seven games. He has made a positive start to his Sparta career,
tallying two assist in the club’s first two Champions Hockey League games.
Predictions:
Position: 1st
Top scorer: Jan Buchtele
MVP: Rastislav Staňa
HC Oceláři Třinec – New arena, same goal
Last season: 2nd
Last season’s top scorer: Martin Růžíčka (28yo, 52GP 26+29
-8)
Last season’s top goaltender: Šimon Hrubec (43GP 2.15GAA
92.5%)
Třinec celebrate winning the Steel Cup.
Photo: Marian Ježowicz, hcocelari.cz
Třinec come from one of the smallest markets in the
Extraliga, but have consistently produced Extraliga contenders for a number of
seasons. A true hockey town, the new Werk Arena was presented to the team this
off-season, and is a brand new facility to replace the crumbling old rink.
It is a new look team for the new rink as well, as it is out
with the old and in with the new. Martin Růžíčka, who broke Ziggy Pálffy’s Extraliga
playoff points record on the way to the 2011 title, leaves after signing a two
year contract with Traktor Chelyabinsk. Radek Bonk, Jan Peterek and Václav Varaďa
have called time on their careers, while David Květoň has signed with Mladá
Boleslav.
Goaltending is the only area where there is some stability,
as Třinec will put their faith in Šimon Hrubec, who impressed in his first
season as an out and out starting goaltender. You have the sense that it is
Peter Hamerlík’s last chance to prove himself at the Extraliga level this
season, as the 2011 championship winning goaltender really struggled last
season.
Will the grass be greener on the other side for Žejdl?
Photo: Marian Ježowicz, hcocelari.cz
Třinec have crafted a whole new forward line-up for the
2014/15 season, headlined by the Extraliga return of Zbyněk Irgl. The 33 year
old Czech national team regular has not played in the Extraliga for seven
years, after leaving Vitkovice, and moves to Třinec after scoring 20 points
with Dinamo Minsk last season. Irgl still has plenty of gas in the tank, and
while I think he will be a key part of Třinec’s success next season, fans will
have to be patient as veterans returning to the Extraliga have often needed a
season to become re-accustomed with the league.
Tomáš Plihal signs after a successful spell in Finland,
while Vladimir Dravecký and Kamil Kreps will be looking for some stability in
their careers with Třinec. Dravecký is a player I rate highly, and believe he
should’ve got more of a chance at Slovan than he did. He was over a point per
game with Swiss NLB side Ajoie last season, and he can really contribute up
front. Another major summer signing is Lukáš Žejdl, from Slavia Praha, who I
think is one of the best young forwards in the Extraliga.
Despite all the signings, it could be 32 year old centre Jiří Polanský who is the vital piece of the Třinec puzzle. Two straight seasons of 46 points show that he is truly in the prime of his career, and 5 points in the opening 2 games of the Champions Hockey League season show that the Brno native shows no sign of slowing down.
On the blueline, Rostislav Klesla makes his return to Třinec
calling time on his 654 game NHL career. Klesla looked rather uninspired when
he played for Třinec during the 2012 lockout, so the Steelers, who won the apt-named
Steel Cup in August against Košice and Severstal Cherepovets, will be hoping
for better things from their marquee blueline signing. Klesla will join the
likes of Marek Trončinský, who gained notoriety during pre-season for scoring
this goal during pre-season.
With the addition of Klesla, Třinec have a very
strong defence on paper, and Lukáš Galvas, Tomáš Linhart and young
gun Vladimir Roth all have the experience and quality to deliver
another title to Moravia.
One to watch: Lukáš Žejdl (Forward. Last season – Slavia Praha:
47GP 6+20 +2)
Maybe it’s the Slavia fan in me, but Žejdl, in my opinion, is
a top quality young forward who should be getting first line minutes this
season. After scoring 26 points with Slavia last season, the big bodied
physical forward made the move to the east to play for Třinec, where I think if
given top six time, he’ll top 30 points, although that will change if he is
forced onto the third line by the log jam of forwards.
Predictions:
Position: 2nd
Top scorer: Jiří Polanský
MVP: Jiří Polanský
PSG Zlín – Looking for the illusive repeat
Last season: 3rd (But won the Extraliga playoffs)
Last season’s top scorer: Petr Leška (38yo, 52GP, 6+38 +8)
Last season’s top goaltender: Libor Kašík (24GP 1.88GAA
93.6%)
Pre-season has been kind for Zlin so far
Photo: Jiří Zaňát, hokej.zlin.cz
Ten years after the Moravian club won their first Extraliga
title, PSG Zlín reclaimed the Czech crown in style, mauling Kometa Brno in the
2014 Final. Captain Petr Čajanek lifted the Masaryk Cup to the delight of the
Zimni Stadion Ludka Čajky, and capped what was a majestic year for the team
that plays in blue and yellow.
It is perhaps unsurprising given Zlín’s devotion to
developing home-grown talent, that only a few players have left the club during
the summer months, and most have moved on to better leagues. Antonin Honejsek
has earned himself a contract in Finland, whilst the New York Rangers signed
young defenceman Petr Zámorský, who at 22 years of age, made his World
Championship debut for the Czech Republic this year. Zlín moved quickly,
penning a deal with veteran defenceman Tomáš Žižka. The 34 year old former
NHLer has consistently been one of the top two way defencemen in the Czech
Republic for a number of years. Radim Tešařík, after three seasons with Zlín,
retires from the game on a high after winning his fifth Extraliga title.
Jiří Marušák will therefore anchor the defence, and his
veteran presence will be necessary to help the next generation of Zlín
blueliners. Martin Matějiček, Dalibor Řezníček, Patrik Urbanec and Tomáš
Valenta are all in their early twenties and have the potential to form a true
dynasty of Czech hockey. What makes it all the more special, and what makes
Zlín such a likeable club, is that all of these defencemen are from the Zlín
region and most were products of Zlín’s youth system.
Also a Zlín junior, Libor Kašík was voted the Czech
Extraliga’s best goaltender after posting a 93.6 save percentage in the regular
season, which he almost matched in the playoffs. The 22 year old goaltender,
who had only played a handful of senior games before last season, truly shone
in his first full senior season. Like Plzeň’s Matěj Machovský, Kašík may suffer
a sophomore slump, but the ever reliable Luboš Horčička is arguably the
Extraliga’s best backup goaltender. People thought Zlín would be in trouble
following the departure of Jakub Sedláček to the KHL, but in Kašík, they may
have uncovered an even better goaltender.
Libor Kašík was voted the Extraliga's best goaltender last season
Photo: Pavel Hrabovský, hokej.zlin.cz
Up front, what would a Zlín team be without Petr Leška and
Jaroslav Balaštík. Now 38 and 34 respectively, these two have been the first
names on Zlín’s team sheet for nearly a decade, bar Balaštík’s sabbatical with
Mláda Boleslav. Leška, who continues to top 40 points each season, is the true
face of Zlín hockey, and while the goal scoring touch is starting to leave him,
he is still one of the premier playmakers in the Czech Republic. Petr Čajanek
returns, and last season’s top playoff scorer has finally become the Extraliga
player Zlín needed him to be following his return from the KHL in 2011. Ondřej
Veselý, Petr Holík and Bedřich Köhler provide an ample secondary scoring touch,
while the signing of Roman Vlach, the son of head coach Rostislav Vlach from
Karlovy Vary should easily cover the goals lost by the departure of Honejsek.
All in all, I don’t think Zlín will be able to consistently
win enough games to finish top of the regular season table, but I think they
have an incredibly good chance, come playoff time, to challenge for the repeat.
One to watch: Petr Holík (Forward. Last season: 51GP 7+16
-4)
Now 22 years of age, Holík may be small in stature, but his
high skill level certainly makes up for any deficit in height. The Zlín native
dropped off slightly following his 35 point 2012/13 season, but still tallied
23 points and made his Czech senior debut in the Euro Hockey Tour. If paired
with sharpshooter Roman Vlach, look for Holík to be pushing 30, if not 40
points this season.
Predictions:
Position: 3rd
Top Scorer: Petr Leška
MVP: Petr Leška
HC Pardubice – Charging up the table
Last season: 7th
Last season’s top scorer: Tomáš Nosek (21yo, 52GP, 19+25
+44)
Last season’s top goaltender: Július Hudáček (28GP 2.39GAA
92.3%)
What has gone wrong at Pardubice? The 2012 Extraliga
champions have been simply awful in the last two seasons, and it’s up to head
coach Zdeněk Venera to turn the tide and make Pardubice championship contenders
once again. It has been a rough few seasons for Pardubice in the transfer
market, as the likes of Petr Koukal, both Jan Kolářs and Robert Kousal have all
been snapped up by KHL teams, and it has happened again this offseason. Last
season’s top scorer Tomáš Nosek, still only 21 years of age, has been signed by
the Detroit Red Wings after going undrafted in the last few seasons.
Tomáš Halasz has big skates to fill at Pardubice
Photo: hcpce.cz
Fortunately, Nosek is the only big time player to be leaving
Pardubice, as they have managed to retain a strong core of young forwards now
entering their prime. Lukáš Radil, Tomáš Zohorna and Radoslav Tybor are three
great players to build around, whilst retaining the services of (forward) Jan
Kolář was vital after the 33 year old failed to crack the KHL. Radovan Somík
also remains, now entering his 8th season with Pardubice. Look for Radil to
continue his development into one of the leading scorers in the Extraliga, as
the 24 year old tallied 32 points and earned his Czech Republic national team
debut last season.
Tomáš Marcinko is Pardubice’s big money forward signing,
with the Slovak national team forward, who played at the Olympics, joining the
club to provide a solid two way centre who works hard at both ends of the ice.
Pardubice don’t need Marcinko to be a 30 goal scorer, they simply need him to
be a solid pivot, which Pardubice have somewhat lacked over recent years.
Pardubice will go into the 2014/15 with a brand new tandem
in goal though, as Tomáš Halasz and Slovene national team goaltender Robert
Kristan join from Olomouc and Nitra respectively. Halasz, who helped Olomouc
gain Extraliga promotion last season, has already impressed in a Pardubice
jersey, especially after his miraculous performance in the Champions Hockey
League against Linkoping. Kristan, the
definition of a journeyman joins after a very solid season with Nitra in
Slovakia. This new look tandem should certainly do better than the trio of
Hudáček, Salfický and Martin Růžíčka. The latter, who backstopped Pardubice to
the 2012 title, will look for pastures new following his release after over a
decade with his home-town club.
I think the losses of Jiří Vašiček and Marek Ďaloga will be a big blow to Pardubice’s blueline,
but with Aleš Píša, Václav Kočí, Václav Benák and Blaz Gregorc returning, the
Bohemian side should still be in good hands, and that’s before we even mention
the return of one of Pardubice’s favourite sons, Petr Čáslava. The 34 year old
defenceman has spent the last four seasons in the KHL, and returns after a
pretty poor season captaining Severstal Cherepovets. The mammoth blueliner will
not only be a rock on the blueline but will add some necessary scoring on the
powerplay
Player to watch: Radoslav Tybor (Last season: 44GP 16+8 +11)
Slovak forward Radoslav Tybor. One to watch
Photo: hcpce.cz
At 24 years of age, Radoslav Tybor will enter into his
second full season with Pardubice, and the Slovak forward who earned a spot on
the World Championships team this year will look to improve as he carves out a
niche as one of the Extraliga’s most feared snipers. The Trenčín native brings
speed along with his deadly accurate shot, as Linkoping found out in the CHL. I
think he’ll break 20 goals this season if he stays injury free.
Predictions:
Position: 4th
Top scorer: Lukáš Radil
MVP: Petr Čáslava
HC Kometa Brno – Ensuring stability
Last season: 6th
Last season’s top scorer: Vojtěch Němec (28yo, 50GP, 20+18
+6)
Last season’s top goaltender: Marek Čiliak (36GP 2.14GAA
91.3%)
The team from the Czech second city has come a long way in
the past five years. Replacing Znojmo who sold their Extraliga licence in 2009,
Kometa have been the one team in recent memory which has come up from the
1.liga and truly shown itself to be competitive. Kometa have made it to the
Extraliga final twice in the past three seasons, but have fallen both times at
the final hurdle. It has been agony for some of the most passionate fans in the
Czech Republic, but a sign of how far hockey in Brno has progressed over the
past decade.
Brno's home-town hero in pre-season
Photo: Vladimir Koláček, hc-kometa.cz
Last season saw Kometa lose in the final to Zlín, once again
beating Sparta Praha on their march through the playoffs after finishing in 6th
place. It was a strange season, as while Kometa’s big names really struggled to
find any sort of scoring form, a number of players had their breakout seasons.
Most notably, Vojtěch Němec, who at 28 years of age, had previously only
managed to score 8 points in a season. However, the Češka Lipa native, more
accustomed to spending time in the 1.liga, truly shone scoring 38 points as
well as a further 14 in the playoffs.
Alongside Němec was Vilem Burian, who was also another
1.liga regular before tallying 21 points last season. Up front, Kometa have one
of the deepest forward line-ups on paper, as Tomáš Svoboda and Jan Hruška have
provided ample secondary scoring to the likes of Jakub Svoboda and Hýnek
Zohorna over recent years. Last season was one to forget for the latter two
forwards, as Svoboda only managed 25 games in an injury plagued season, whilst
Zohorna could only muster 13 points last season. If Svoboda and Zohorna can
turn things around, Kometa may be on to a winner, and that is even before we
have discussed Kometa’s two big money summer signings.
Petr Ton crashes to the ice during the Rona Cup
Photo: Vladimir Koláček, hckometa.cz
Firstly, following his bust up with head coach Josef Jandáč,
where the Sparta coach benched his top scorer in Game 7 of the playoff semi-finals,
Petr Ton has added insult to injury by joining Kometa Brno. Ton, who was the
Extraliga’s top scorer after racking up a massive 67 points in 50 games last
season, will fit right in on Kometa’s top line, alongside other new signing
Tomáš Vincour. The native Brňák struggled to match the high expectations placed
on him at Ak Bars Kazan last season, and leaves the KHL to sign for his
hometown team. If he stays for the whole season (he has KHL and NHL out clauses
in his contract), look for Vincour to be top of the scoring charts. Vincour
scored three goals for Kometa as they romped to victory in the Rona Cup in
Slovakia a few weeks ago. The team scored fifteen goals in three games to take
home the famous pre-season tournament. Most recently, a 2-2 draw with Slovan
Bratislava certainly highlights Kometa’s credentials.
Kometa’s forward line-up is as good as any in the Extraliga,
but unfortunately, their defence just does not stack up to the other top
contenders. Tomáš Žižka has moved to Zlín but has been replaced by Františk
Ptáček, and while Jozef Kováčík and Petr Kuboš provide a strong back line, it
just lacks the defensive quality needed to lift the Extraliga title. Another
area where Kometa will falter will be in goal, and not just because they have
Martin Falter. Marek Čiliak was the starter last season, and a 91.3 save
percentage will simply not cut it if Kometa want to raise the Masaryk Trophy.
At 24 years of age, it is a make or break season for the Slovak netminder.
Player to watch: Michal Kempný (Defenceman. Last season:
51GP 7+8 +10)
At 23 years of age, Kempný, in my opinion, is one of the
elite offensive defencemen in the Czech Extraliga. I saw a lot of him during
his loan spell with Slavia in 2012/13, and in all honesty he impressed me more
than Petr Kadlec, and his booming shot is a vital asset on the powerplay. With
the added firepower Kometa have added up front, look for Kempný’s point totals
to increase further.
Predictions:
Position: 5th
Top scorer: Petr Ton
MVP: Tomáš Vincour
HC Škoda Plzeň – The rebuild continues
Last season: 3rd
Last season’s top scorer: Radek Duda (35yo, 47GP 17+24 +6)
Last season’s top goaltender: Matěj Machovský (36GP 1.67GAA
93.6%)
Jozef Balej powers away in pre-season
Photo: Milan Podpera, hcskoda.cz
A couple of teams each year notice a significant drop off in
performance in the Czech Extraliga. Last season, Litvínov fell from 6th to
11th, while Kladno were 7th placed finishes in 2012/13, before being relegated
last season. Plzeň, who were champions in 2013, had a strong season in 2013/14,
finishing in 3rd place with an aging roster. Head coach Milan Razym, who won
the Extraliga in his first season with Plzeň, has a lot of work to do to
prevent what I predict will be a tougher season this time round.
It is definitely a case of out with the old and in with
the...still quite old. Radek Duda, Martin Straka and Tomáš Vlasák have all left
the club in one way or another this summer, with 37 year old defenceman Petr
Kadlec being one of the Plzeň’s major summer acquisitions. Kadlec has over
1,000 games to his credit with Slavia Praha before leaving in June. The signing
of Lukáš Pulpan from Chomutov may also turn out to be a shrewd piece of
business.
In the wake of these losses, Plzeň’s forward line up looks
decidedly weakened. The elder statesmen, Václav Pletka and Ondřej Kratena
remain after positive seasons for both, but at 35 and 37 years of age
respectively, one might assume their performance will start to wane. Pavel
Kašpařík and Tomáš Sýkora are also entering the twilight of their careers, but
may still have one or two good seasons left in them. Additionally, the defence
has taken a blow, as Tomáš Frolo, Tomáš Slovak and Jiří Hanzlík have all left,
leaving Kadlec as the only defenceman over the age of 30.
Plzeň celebrate a victory over Nurnburg in pre-season
Photo: Milan Podpera, hcskoda.cz
Razym has worked to add immediate replacements, bringing
back Nick Johnson who impressed in his first spell with the club, as well as
veteran Slovak forward Jozef Balej, but the bulk of recruitment has been
focused on younger players. Dominík Kubalik and Matěj Beran both join Plzeň
upon completion of their Major Junior careers, whilst the signing of former
Sparta Praha forward Dominík Simon, who scored a beautiful penalty shot at the
2014 World Junior Championships to beat Canada, may turn out to be one of the
signings of the season.
The true wildcard in Plzeň’s lineup will be 21 year old
goaltender Matěj Machovský. The Opava native joined Plzeň after a three year
spell with the Brampton Battalion in the OHL, and in his debut season in the
Extraliga was simply faultless, finishing the season with the Extraliga’s top
save percentage. Machovský backed up Patrik Bartošák at the 2013 World Juniors
in Ufa, but took to the Extraliga like a duck to water. I think Machovský will
struggle to replicate his numbers from 2013/14, and with Lukáš Mensator as his
backup, any poor form will have direct consequences on the team’s result.
One to watch: Dominík Simon (Forward. Last season – Sparta
Praha: 47GP 7+4 +5)
Simon is one of a number of young, exciting Czech forwards who
have somewhat gone under the radar but look set to have great European careers.
The 20-year old Prague native, a product of the Sparta system, has represented
the Czech Republic at every youth level, and was the second top scorer for the
Czech Republic at the 2014 World Juniors with 4 points in 5 games. Most
notably, he scored this to beat Canada at the 2014 World Junior Championships
Watch for Simon to be one of the breakout stars in the
Extraliga this season if he can get quickly accustomed to Milan Razym’s system.
Predictions:
Position: 6th
Top scorer: Vacláv Pletka
MVP: Matěj Machovský
HK Hradec Králové – Sophomore Slump
Last season: 5th
Last season’s top point scorer: Jiří Šimánek (35yo, 47GP
25+17 +19)
Last seaon’s top goaltender: Pavel Kantor (45GP 1.80GAA
92.4%)
Rastislav Dej made the move from Karlovy Vary last summer
Photo: Stanislav Souček, hkmountfield.cz
The MOUNTFIELD franchise upped sticks in summer last year,
moving their franchise from Češke Budějovice to Hradec Králové in the wake of
financial issues. While it left a void of hockey in CB, which thankfully was
replaced by the Motor franchise, for HK it was a great move for a city which
has been looking for top level hockey for a number of years. Last season’s
fifth placed finish was a remarkable achievement, helped by an incredible
defensive effort which saw the side have the second best defensive record in
the Extraliga last season. A quarter-final loss against eventual champions PSG
Zlín was unfortunate, with Zlín winning three of these games in overtime. In
fact, HK went to overtime 17 times in the regular season alone in 2013/14.
Captain Jiří Šimánek was the symbol of HC MOUNTFIELD’s
resurgence last season, and showed what a fresh start can do, as the 35 year old veteran
centre scored 42 points and earned himself a spot back in the Czech Republic
national team after an absence of three years. Jaroslav Kudrna also turned back
the years last season, scoring 34 points in just 35 games after a disappointing
year in Liberec last season. Both Šimánek and Kudrna return and are joined by
new summer signings Dávid Skokan and Roman Kukumberg. Skokan impressed last
season for Slavia, scoring 18 points and being a reliable two way player, and
Kukumberg joins HK after a three year spell with Slovan Bratislava, two of
those being in the KHL. However, behind these four and Tomáš Mertl, I think HK
are a little light up front. Rastislav Dej is a solid two way player, but is
never going to be troubling the top points scorers.
Slovak NT regular René Vydarený impressed last season
Photo: Stanislav Souček, mountfieldhk.cz
Therefore, it is integral that HK continue playing their
defensive brand of hockey instilled by coach Peter Draisatl, father of 2014 NHL
Draft first rounder Leon. The Slovak trio of Peter Frühauf, Peter Mikuš and
René Vydarený were in top form last season, providing a solid backbone to which
protect Pavel Kantor. The 23-year old was tasked with replacing Jakub Kovář in
the CB net, but looked out of his depth in 2012/13. However, with a solid
defence in front of him, Kantor looked every bit the Extraliga starter many
predicted him to be from his days in the Češke Budějovice system. HK have also
made strides to make their defence even better. Tomáš Slovak joins from Plzeň,
along with Jiří Vašíček, who in my opinion is one of the premier two way
defencemen in the country. Completing HK’s top six is Bohumil Jank, one of the
best young Czech defencemen.
With only two wins out of five in pre-season, I think that
on paper Hradec Králové have strengthened, but I can see them just falling
short of last year’s standards. I think they lack depth up front, and are relying
on players who perhaps overachieved last year. They will still make the
playoffs, but will have to go through the play-ins
One to watch: Bohumil Jank (Defenceman. Last season: 24GP
1+2 +1)
Jank is not one to watch in terms of excitement, as the 22
year old blueliner plays a no-nonsense defensive brand of hockey. However the
Milevsko native brought through the CB system has represented his country at
every junior age level and his great performances last season were rewarded with
his senior team debut in the Euro Hockey Tour. Standing at 6’2’’, Jank is the
sort of defenceman that teams win with, and he is only going to get better.
We are now under a month away until the puck drops for the
2014/15 Czech Extraliga season, and with most team’s transfer business
completed, what better time to offer a comprehensive preview of the coming
year. With two new teams and a host of new faces, it is sure to be one of the
best seasons yet.
Slavia Praha – How
to solve a problem like Lubina?
Last season: 10th
Last season’s top
scorer: Jaroslav Bednář (37yo, 47GP 12+27 +12)
Last season’s top
goaltender: Dominík Furch (48GP 2.37GAA 91.5%)
Slavia will need a stellar season from Dominík Furch
Photo: Martin Prokop, hc-slavia.cz
Backroom drama is
nothing new to Slavia Praha. The recent ownership debacle looks to have sorted
out as Vladimír Pitter seems to be a stabilising force, however, the infighting
has taken its toll. Legendary head coach Vladimír Růžička has left the club,
taking up the post as Czech Republic head coach full time. A host of other
players have left, including defenceman and captain Petr Kadlec, who had played
over 1000 games for Slavia. Vladimír Růžička jr., David Skokan, Petr Jelínek,
Lukáš Žejdl and Lukáš Krenželok have also left for other teams.
I won’t make any
apologies for being a Slavia fan, and although I can see that there are many
holes to fill on the roster, I have a sneaky suspicion that Slavia will better
last year’s performance which saw them lose to Pardubice in the play-ins. In
goal, Dominík Furch enters his second season as an out and out starter since
Miroslav Kopřiva’s departure. Furch, who has been playing with the senior
Slavia team since he was 16, has a wealth of experience and I think can better
last year’s save percentage.
Petr Kadlec may
have gone and Pavel Kolářik is nearly out of the door, but in new captain David
Štich and the resurgent 6’8¨ giant Juraj Valach, Slavia have two of the
breakout defencemen from last season’s Extraliga. Valach had 22 points and
anchored Slavia’s powerplay, and if the Slovak blueliner can get close to that
total this season, it will go a long way to replacing Kadlec’s production.
Returning to Slavia after a year on loan with Třinec, Daniel Krejči is one of
the best young defencemen in the country, and I can see him racking up big
minutes. Slavia’s defence has been on fire in pre-season so far, as they have
won all seven games, including three shutouts. Three of these victories have
come against KHL teams, whilst Slavia also were victorious in the Hockeyades
tournament in Switzerland, where Slavia beat Geneve-Servette and Fribourg
Gotteron. Furch has been in inspired form, picking up three shutouts along the
way.
48 points at 39 years of age, Bednář will be the go to guy once again for Slavia
Photo: Martin Tellinger
Up front, Slavia
have a massive task ahead to replace the loss of four quality Extraliga
forwards. Tomáš Vlasák is the marquee signing, as the 39 year old joins after 7
successful seasons with Plzeň. Reuniting the successful Tomica – Bednář –
Vlasák line will pay dividends for Slavia, while new signings Janos Vas and
Erik Weissmann will hopefully replace some of the goals lost. Jaroslav Bednář’s first
full season with Slavia since 2008/09 highlighted just how good of a player he
is, as his 48 points were invaluable to the club. Bednář is the definition of a
franchise forward, able to play both on the powerplay and penalty kill.
With Vladimír Růžička jr’s tryout at Dinamo Riga being
unsuccessful it remains to be seen if he will return to the club he’s played
his whole career at so far. Slavia will be reliant on a number of youth team
graduates taking on a greater role this coming season. Michal Poletín, Pavel
Klhůfek and Daniel Vrdlovec can all contribute at the Extraliga level and will
need to for Slavia to be successful.
Slavia’s preseason has been clouded by the protests by the
fanclub over the appointment of Ladislav Lubina as head coach. Banners
proclaiming ‘Lubina Ven’ (Lubina out) have been present at Slavia games and a
petition containing nearly 1000 signatures is currently being shared online. I
think that on the ice, Slavia have a great looking team full of promising young
players. If they can for once sort out things behind the scenes, who knows,
maybe they can spring a shock.
Player to watch: Daniel Krejčí (Defenceman. Last season:
45GP 3+8 -1)
I think Krejčí is one of the best young defencemen in the
Extraliga at the moment. The 22 year old impressed last season after being
loaned out to Třinec and returns to his parent club with the expectation that
he will be playing big minutes. Standing 6’3’’, Krejčí can use his size to his
advantage and has above average skating which makes him a solid contributor at
both ends of the ice.
Predictions: Position: 8th
Top Scorer: Jaroslav
Bednář
MVP: Jaroslav
Bednář
Bílí Tygři Liberec – The Post-Nedvěd era
Last season: 9th
Last season’s top scorer: Petr Nedvěd (42yo, 49GP 19+31 -3)
Last season’s top goaltender: Marcel Melicherčík (30GP
2.59GAA 90.9%)
Liberec are still yet to taste Extraliga glory
Photo: Jiří Princ, hcbilitygri.cz
One man does not make a team, but Petr Nedvěd’s ¨retirement¨
sees a huge hole opened in the Liberec roster. The veteran forward was Liberec’s
top scoring forward for five years in a row, and has been the heart and soul of
the White Tigers for a number of years, sadly though, he was unable to deliver
an Extraliga title, and for the last couple of seasons Liberec have really gone
downhill.
So who is going to replace Nedvěd? Well, it looks like it’s going
to be more of a group effort than anything. It was key for Liberec to keep hold
of Martin Bartek, whose 28 goals were the second most of any player in the
Extraliga last season, although, he did have the perfect set up man in Nedvěd.
Liberec raided Slavia for the pair of Petr Jelínek and Lukáš Krenželok, and
while both will be good for 20 points or so, they are at best second liners and
will struggle to have the game-breaking impact Nedvěd had. Liberec will be
hoping that in his second full season with the club, Petr Vampola will get more
than his 30 points last season, as Vampola has all the tools to be one of the
Extraliga’s top scorers. Furthermore, the three Tomáš‘ (Urban, Filippi and
Bulík) can be relied on to score points at the Extraliga, while young Michal
Buliř is continuing to grow into a solid second liner.
Much like Vitkovice, Liberec scored goals last year and will
continue to do so. However, defensively Liberec were all at sea last year,
conceding 155 goals in the regular season, more than relegated Kladno. So how
has this been rectified? Well, Jirí Hunkes, the core of the defensive unit, has
left for the new Extraliga central, Lada Togliatti. Hunkes was one of the
premier two-way defencemen in the Extraliga, and left a massive void. Liberec
picked up Martin Skoula who most recently played for Slovan, but having watched
many Slovan games over the last two years, I can’t really say that I rate the
former Minnesota Wild blueliner. The signing of Michal Plutnar from the CHL is
a solid pick up and he’ll get regular ice time.
Martin Bartek's goals will be crucial for the White Tigers
Photo: Jiří Princ, hcbilitygri.cz
In goal, the Marek Schwarz experiment failed once more, and Marcel
Melicherčík tried admirably to provide a solid presence in goal, but it was a
smart deadline pick up by the White Tigers to sign veteran Slovak goaltender
Ján Lašák. The former Pardubice goalie who backstopped Slovakia to the 2002
World Championship goal was remarkable in his 8 games towards the back end of
last season, posting a 94.9% save percentage. He struggled in the playoffs and
these numbers are by no means sustainable. Liberec have struggled so far in
pre-season, winning only one of their five games, including a 6-2 spanking at
the hands of Třinec, which Lašák was between the pipes for.
Player to watch – Tomáš Filippi (Forward. Last season – 38GP
11+10 -1)
Out of Liberec’s young forwards, I think Filippi has the
best potential. The speedy forward who can play both centre and wing scored
four goals at the WJC in 2012 and since returning from a two year spell in the
QMJHL has been a consistent scorer. Injuries restricted him to only 38 games
last year, but with a clean bill of health and a bigger role to play now that
Nedvěd has moved on, I think the 22 year old will break out and get close to 40
points this season. He needs to work on using his 6‘1‘‘ frame more to his
advantage, but Filippi is a name to remember, having made his Czech national
team debut this year in the Euro Hockey Tour.
Predictions: Position: 9th
Top Scorer: Martin Bartek
MVP: Petr Vampola
HC Vitkovice STEEL – Home isn’t where the heart is
Last season: 8th
Last season’s top scorer: Ondřej Roman (25yo, 51GP 13+35
+12)
Last season’s top goaltender: Filip Šindelář (24GP 2.66GAA
91.3%)
Richard Stehlík headlines a
depleted defensive unit
Photo: Petr Kotala, hc-vitkovice.cz
How does a team with the best away record in the Extraliga
finish in 10th place last season? Vitkovice, hailing from Ostrava, managed this
feat as they won only 12 games at the ČEZ Arena despite winning well over half
of their games on the road. Still, an eighth place finish was commendable and
they swept Liberec in the play-ins before losing to Sparta in the first round
of the playoffs. So why am I predicting them to finish in 10th and barely
scrape into the play-ins this season?
Vitkovice have ended up losing half of their defensive core
this summer, leaving almost bare bones at the back. Karol Sloboda (Lada
Togliatti), Tomáš Kudělka (Pelicans) and Michal Barinka (Sparta) have all
departed, and the remaining unit anchored by veteran Richard Stehlík isn’t
exactly impressive. The signing of Slovak prospect Peter Čerešňák is a positive
step, but the 21 year old is not going to have an easy ride and will be thrust
into big minutes almost instantly. Vitkovice are an incredibly youthful team,
and it will be good to see the likes of Jan Štencel, Marek Bail and Lukáš Klok
following the departure of the three aforementioned defencemen. (Edit: Early in September, Vitkovice agreed a deal with Třinec for the transfer of Lukáš Zib. Now 37 years of age, Zib has been one of the best Extraliga defencemen in the last decade, and is a solid signing after the defensive losses Vitkovice have suffered this summer.
At least the Ostravans have managed to keep a hold of all of
the top scoring forwards. Ever present captain Jiří Burger enters his 14th
season with the club, and the 37 year old centre shows no sign of slowing down,
coming off a 40 point season last year. Burger is a tireless worker at both
ends of the ice. Ondřej Roman has been a valuable addition since his return
from North America in 2012. The 25 year old top scored for Vitkovice with 48
points last season, but is known for his streakiness. Vitkovice have a fearsome
top six in all as Vladimír Svačina, Rudolf Huna, Peter Huževka and Roman Szturc
all impressed last season, making Vitkovice the third top goal scorers in the
Extraliga last season. Couple that with the addition of exciting prospect
Patrik Zdráhal, Vitkovice will score goals this season.
Slovak forward Michal Vandas scored 15 points in his
debut season for Vitkovice.
Photo: Petr Kotala, hc-vitkovice.cz
Goals were never Vitkovice’s problem. It was throwing away
leads and an average defensive record. The loss of their top three defenceman,
not only from a skill point of view, but also their experience, has not been
replaced at all. The likely starter in the cage for Vitkovice is Filip Šindelář,
who is more a backup than a starter in my opinion. He split most of last season
with Daniel Dolejš, who at 20 years old was back up for the Czech Republic at
the 2014 World Junior Championships. Dolejš featured 20 times for the Vitkovice
senior team last season, and a 91% save percentage was remarkably impressive
for his first taste of Extraliga action. I would not be surprised if Dolejš has
replaced Šindelář by starter as the end of the season.
Player to watch: Erik Němec (Forward. Last season – 36GP 8+9
+6)
I think Němec will be one of the breakout stars in the
Extraliga this season. The 20 year old centre is another product of the
Vitkovice system, and he impressed in his debut Extraliga season, especially in
the playoffs as he scored 6 points in 8 games. He has continued this in
pre-season, scoring one goal and assisting on three through six games.
Alongside other young forwards Lukáš Kucsera and Petr Kolouch, Němec could be a
mighty surprise for Vitkovice’s already strong looking offence.
Predictions: Position: 10th
Top Scorer: Ondřej Roman
MVP: Jiří Burger
HC Verva Litvinov – Searching for optimism
Last season: 11th
Last season's top scorer: Viktor Hübl (36yo, 46GP 14+24 -8)
Last season’s top goaltender: Pavel Francouz (48GP 2.02GAA 93.2%)
Can Radim Rulík turn around Litvínov's downward spiral?
Photo: hokej-litvinov.cz
Where to start with Litvínov? A consistently mid-table team
a few years ago, things have been bleak as of late. They have been featured the
relegation play-outs for the last few years, and in all honesty, things look as
bleak as the North Bohemian landscape they are situated in. The Czech Extraliga
has been a league for old men for a while, but Litvínov have taken the biscuit
in recent years. Last season’s roster featured former NHLers Martin Ručinský
and Jiří Šlegr, both now 43 years of age. Šlegr, had played five games in 3
years since ¨retiring¨ in 2010, but returned to play 28 games in the 2013/14
season. He’s back full time next season, although the whereabouts of Ručinský
are yet to be confirmed.
Viktor Hübl leads the charge, but at 36 years of age, his
career is starting to wind down. He is still a valuable first line centre, but
will need more help from his teammates if Litvinov want to return to the
playoffs. If there is a crumb of comfort, it is that Litvinov had many players
who underachieved last season compared to their 2012/13 efforts. Juraj Majdan,
the speedy 22 year old Slovak, went the whole 2013/14 goalless after posting 31
points in 48 games the year before. Majdan returned to form in the relegation
playoffs, scoring six times in six games. František Lukeš followed up his 54
point season in 12/13 with a paltry 23 points. Litvínov have players who have a
proven track record in the Extraliga, and if they put it together then they
will do well. However, behind these three, Robin Hanzl will score points, but
there is very little in the way of secondary scoring on the roster. Litvínov
will also be hoping that former KHL and SHL forward Kamil Piroš will finally bring his scoring touch to
the Extraliga.
Jiří Šlegr. The Nagano Gold Medalist will play his
first full season since 2008/09, now 43 years of age
Photo: hokej-litvinov.cz
Litvínov
desperately needed to bring in 1 or 2 scoring forwards this summer, but their
business has been somewhat disappointing. The addition of Kamil Kubát (Sparta)
to the blueline is a good pick up, but that is about it. There have been
rumours abound that both Ručinský and former Liberec forward Petr Nedvěd will
join the club before the start of the season, which would be a welcome boost.
If
there is one area where Litvínov don’t need improvement, it is between the
pipes. They can count themselves very lucky that Pavel Francouz has decided to
sign on for another season, although I don’t think it is too long before KHL
clubs come sniffing for the 24 year old Plzeň native. His statistics are
remarkable for a goalie on an 11th placed team, and he is easily in
the upper echelons of Extraliga goaltenders. Francouz is the sort of goalie to
give his team a chance every game, but far too often Litvínov’s anaemic offence
let him down.
One to watch: Juraj Majdan (Forward. Last season – 41GP 0+3
-9)
This is a bit of a weird one, but I think that this season
is going to be Majdan’s year. It could just be that his 31 point season in
2012/13 was a flash in the pan, but the speedy winger is the most exciting
player on Litvínov’s roster, and I think his six goals in six playoff games
will the confidence boost that the Slovak forward needs going into the coming
season. Paired with Hübl, Majdan will score goals.
Predictions: Position: 11th
Top scorer: František Lukeš
MVP: Pavel Francouz BK Mláda Boleslav – Safe for now
Last season: 1.liga Champions
Last season’s top scorer: Tomáš Klimenta (30yo, 49GP 22+36
+39)
Last season’s top goaltender: Michal Valent (31GP 1.66GAA
94.3%)
Mláda Boleslav were a class above in the 1.liga
Photo: Jan Pavlíček, bkboleslav.cz
While I criticised Olomouc for their lack of signings, Mláda
Boleslav look to have learned from their last experience in the Extraliga,
which resulted in three painful years at the bottom of the table. Mláda
finished 19 points clear of Olomouc last season averaging nearly four goals
scored a game. The core of this was the front trio of Tomáš Klimenta, David
Výborný and Michal Broš, who all remain with the club going into their second
foray in the Extraliga. Milan Toman, who had 31 points in 41 games from the
blueline also remains, leaving Mláda a solid core on which to build on.
The Jaromir Balaštik experiment failed in 2011/12 for Mláda,
so it is good to see that this time round they have looked to invest in
promising younger talent rather than old veterans. The signings of promising
young Czech forwards Tomáš Hýka and Dominík Pacovský are a great coup for the
club, with Pacovský having a proven record with Sparta Praha before his season
spent with HC Lev Praha. Also joining Mláda this summer is former Třinec
forward David Květoň, which could arguably be their signing of the summer. He
will be looking to bounce back from a poor season which resulted in him scoring
19 points following his return from Finland.
Mláda have impressed so far in pre-season.
Photo: Jan Pavlíček, bkboleslav.cz
Ctirad Ovčačík and Michal Barta will help bolster the
blueline, along with 23 year old defenceman Matěj Stříteský who joins from
Litvinov. Mitja Robar, who was part of the Slovene Olympic squad has also
joined the team from Krefeld in the DEL. Mláda are definitely built to score
goals rather than keep them out and I think their blueline unit will struggle.
However, I think they have enough firepower to keep them out of the relegation
playouts.
Michal Valent will have to be in top form though, and while
his statistics in 1.liga last season for Mláda were exemplary, the 28 year old
Slovak will be hoping that he can play a lot better than he did when he was
Mláda’s goalie in their last Extraliga stint. It remains to be seen whether or
not Valent will be the reliable goaltender that Mláda need to push on. This
perhaps explains the signing of Dukla Jihlava youngster David Rittich. After a
very solid season with the third best team in the 1.liga last season, Rittich
has been Mláda’s go to goalie in pre-season so far, and has picked up two
shutouts already.
Player to watch: Tomáš Hýka (Forward. Last season -
Färjestad: 40GP 4+5 -5)
The above statline may not been impressive, but the 21 year
old Mláda Boleslav native returns to the Czech Republic following a very
successful junior career with Gatineau in the QMJHL. Hýka was almost signed to
an entry level contract following an impressive stint at the Philadelphia
Flyers, but elected to move to Sweden last season. Hýka is an offensive dynamo,
and his speed and scoring touch will be a welcome addition to Mláda’s ranks.
Out of any of the teams in the bottom half of the table, Mláda out of any have
the potential to surprise. However, I think their defence and goaltending will
see them scrapping it out towards the bottom of the table.
Predictions:
Position: 12th
Top Scorer: David Květoň MVP: David Výborný
HC Energie Karlovy Vary - Another season of struggles
Last season: 12th
Last season’s top scorer: Martin Zaťovič (29yo, 50GP,
20+17 -1)
Last season’s top goaltender: Tomáš Závorka (52GP 2.52GAA
91.5%)
It has been a rough few years for Karlovy Vary
Photo: Kateřina Macečková, hokejkv.cz
It was not too long ago that Karlovy Vary were in the
Extraliga Finals two seasons in a row. However, it has been five years now
since the Spa team has come close to repeating their triumph. In fact, it has
now been five years since KV have made it to the Extraliga play-ins (Played
between the 7th-10th ranked teams to decide who gets the
final two playoff places), let alone the playoffs. The rebuild began in earnest
last season, as star forwards Lukáš Pech and Petr Kumstát left to join Sparta
Praha, while a whole host of loan players were signed in order to get KV back
to the playoffs, but it didn’t work as they finished in a disappointing 12th
place.
It is another fresh start for KV as five of their six top
scorers last season will not feature on the 2014/15 roster. Martin Zaťovič
(Lada Togliatti), Roman Vlach (Zlín), Petr Pohl (Eisbären Berlin), Marek
Hovorka (Chomutov) and Michal Gulaši (Södertälje) have all departed, with
Stanislav Balan being the one remaining forward of any note. The only area
where there appears to be any sort of stability is in goal, as Tomáš Závorka
will likely retain the starter’s position with Vladislav Habal and David Honzík
backing up. Závorka had a so-so 2013/14 in comparison to his first season as a
starter the year before. A 91.5 save percentage is not going to cut it if KV
want to be contenders for playoff action this coming year.
So if there has been a massive exodus from KV this summer, how
come they have been able to beat Plzeň, Litvínov and the KHL’s Medveščak Zagreb
in pre-season? Well, in the latter game, new signing Radek Duda scored
twice, once on a goal assisted by Balán before burying a penalty shot. Like him
or loath him, Duda is going to score points at the Extraliga level. The now 35
year old winger, who has tossed away the #69 along with mirrored visor, joins
after a near point per game season with Plzeň. The journeyman forward has been
given the captaincy at KV and will be relied on to lead the charge back to the
playoffs. Although, part of me doesn’t think that Duda is going to be the best
captaincy in all honesty.
Joining Duda and Balan up front is Juris Štāls, who joins
from a near point-per-game season with Poprad in the Slovak Extraliga. Veteran David
Hruška also joins after scoring 32 points for Chomutov last season, but the
scoring depth then drops off. There is a glut of young forwards who may be able
to have a breakout season, mainly graduating from the KV team in the MHL. Look
for Martin Kohout,Jakub Flek and Tomáš Harkabus to have their first real taste
of Extraliga action this coming season.
Radek Duda, now at his seventh Extraliga club
Photo: Kateřina Macečková, hokejkv.cz
If anywhere, KV have bolstered their blueline, the two
biggest signings being Radek Deyl from HC Košice and Jēkabs Rēdlihs from Dinamo
Riga. Whether or not they will be able to right the sinking ship remains to be
seen, especially with the departure of Radim Bičánek. However, Deyl has been on
the cusp of the Slovak national team for two seasons, and Redlihs has over 150
KHL games to his credit.
Player to watch: Radek Duda (Forward. Last season: 47GP
17+24, 141PIM, +6)
It couldn’t be anyone else really. Duda always draws
attention, and he can still produce at the Extraliga level. He will more than
likely be KV’s top scorer and he can be guaranteed to get himself into trouble
at some point this season. The Duda sideshow rolls on to KV, and to be honest
with his antics it is no surprise it has been 11 years since he has tasted
Extraliga glory.
Predictions:
Position: 13th
Top Scorer: Radek Duda
MVP: Radek Duda
HC Olomouc – Tough Beginnings
Last season: 1.liga Runners up – Promoted in Extraliga
playout
Last season’s top scorer: Denis Kindl (22yo, 52GP 16+31
+26)
Last season’s top goaltender: Tomáš Halász (25GP 1.62GAA
94.3%)
I love to see an underdog do well. I really do. However, one
look at the HC Olomouc roster for the coming season and it is clear that this a
good 1.liga squad, but it just won’t cut the mustard at Extraliga level.
Olomouc’s roster last season was heavily reliant on loan talent. For example,
top scorer Denis Kindl joined the team on loan from Třinec, and the 22 year old
will play for his parent team this coming season. Additionally, Olomouc’s top
player in the playoffs, forward David Ostřížek, has signed for Kometa Brno full
time after also coming from Třinec. To be fair to them, Olomouc have managed to
sign Jan Knotek full time from Havlíčkův Brod, while Rostislav Marosz, who had
11 points in the 1.liga playoffs, signs for another season on loan. However,
the loss of Kindl’s points up front will be a massive blow for Olomouc, and
none of their summer signings seem to suggest that these points will be
replaced.
Tomáš Vošvrda returns to the Extraliga
Photo: Karolina Martinková, hc-olomouc.cz
Pavel Patera, now 42, leaves Rytiři Kladno following their
relegation and is Olomouc’s marquee summer signing. He picked up 26 points for
Kladno last season and no doubt his two way game will be valuable for the club,
but I doubt he will match his points target last season. Jakub Matai, the 21
year old Czech forward who split last season between HC Lev Praha and HC
Litomeřice in the 1.liga is a good signing and he will relish his first crack
at the Extraliga. His points totals were rather disappointing for Litomeřice (7
points in 18 games), but his KHL experience will be vital. If one of these
forwards can strike up a partnership with Radim Kucharczyk, then maybe Olomouc
will be on to a winner.
In goal, Tomáš Halasz, who was on loan from HC Košice, has
joined Pardubice, leaving Tomáš Vošvrda and new signing Jíři Trvaj. Vošvrda had
near identical statistics to Halasz in the regular season, but the former was
disappointing in the post-season. Vošvrda has extensive Extraliga experience,
having been 1b to Marek Pinc at Liberec. Pinc’s tendency for playoff meltdowns
saw Vosvrda feature in the post-season heavily for Liberec over the course of
three seasons, however, he has struggled to hold down an Extraliga starting
post. Trvaj has already picked up a 31 shot shutout in a pre-season victory
against Pardubice last week, and is still one of the best ‘one game goalies’ in
the Extraliga. Olomouc have picked up another victory over Pardubice and also
have a win over Dinamo Minsk to their credit so far in pre-season, but this has
been juxtaposed with a loss at relegated Chomutov.
Jakub Herman wheels away in celebration
Photo: Zdeněk Polák, hc-olomouc.cz
The defence has been strengthened with the signing of
Finnish defenceman Joni Tuominen, a 31 year old veteran has extensive Liiga
experience. At the
time of writing, Olomouc have also announced the signing of 36 year old Pavel
Skrbek, who has played the majority of his career in the SHL. It is a fantastic
coup for Olomouc and he easily slots in as their number 1 for the coming
season. However, one player won’t solve all of Olomouc’s problems and they will
be hoping that some of their younger talent steps up to the plate. It remains
to be seen whether Czech U18 representative Alex Rašner will play with the
senior team in the coming season, while up front, a number of players will be
getting their first taste of action. Roman Rac and Lukáš Králík will be relied
on to contribute, and Olomouc will need them to get on the board if they have
any hope of not being bottom of the table.
One to watch: Jakub Herman (Forward. Last season: 48GP 16+13
+12)
Out of Olomouc’s young forwards, Herman in my opinion, is
the one who will have the best season. He has had two solid seasons with
Olomouc since joining in 2011, and the former U18 national team player will be
looking to get somewhere close to his 16 goal tally from last season. The
goal-scoring forward will have to quickly get up to speed in the Extraliga, and
with some work on his skating I think he has the potential to hold down a
regular spot in the Czech top flight.
Predictions:
Position: 14th
Top Scorer: Radim Kucharczyk
MVP: Pavel Skrbek
So with the bottom half of the table covered, the time comes to look at the championship contenders. Check back next week, when Velvet Hockey will bring you the run through of the top teams in the Czech Republic for 2014-15. Will Pardubice bounce back? How will Hradec Kralove do in their second season? Will Sparta dominate for a second season? Velvet Hockey will have the answers.
