Hradec Králové to host 5-team U18 tournament in February

The IIHF World U18 Championships will run April 14 to 24 in Crimmitschau and Dresden, Germany. For hockey fans in Northern Bohemia, they will have a wonderful opportunity to see some of the world's top prospects play in the nearby German state of Saxony, and cheer for their national team as well. Before that tournament takes place, however, fans in Eastern Bohemia will have a chance to witness a tune-up event.

From February 9 to 13, Hradec Králové will play host to a 5-team, round-robin tournament. The host Czech team will welcome the U18 national teams from Finland, Russia, Sweden, and the United States.

Dmitrij Jaškin. Photo: Pavel Vrtiška, hc-slavia.cz.

The most notable name on the Czech roster is Dmitrij Jaškin, the only member who plays regularly in the Czech Extraliga. Jaškin was named to the preliminary roster of the country's U20 team, but was injured in late November and forced to miss the World Junior Championships in late December and early January. He returned to the Slavia Praha lineup last week.

At the World Championship tournament in April, all teams will have the opportunity to augment their rosters with players from North American junior teams who have been eliminated from their respective leagues' playoffs. Some Czechs who might have the opportunity to play are defenceman David Musil of the Vancouver Giants and right winger Martin Frk of the Halifax Mooseheads. In that tournament, the Czech Republic will play in a group based in Dresden against Canada, Finland, Norway, and Sweden.

From the Czech Ice Hockey Association's website, cslh.cz, here is the roster of the Czech team that will compete in the tournament, February 9 to 13 at ČEZ Stadion in Hradec Králové:

Goaltenders: Patrik Bartošák (Vítkovice), Jaroslav Pavelka (Hradec Králové), Jiří Sýkora (Kladno).

Defencemen: Tomáš Pavelka (Vítkovice), Štěpán Jeník, Antonín Růžička (both Slavia Praha), Petr Šidlík, Vojtěch Zadražil (both Jihlava), Tomáš Kvapil (Lulea, Sweden), Ondřej Starý (Pardubice).

Forwards: Michal Švihálek, Tomáš Rousek, Lukáš Sedlák (all České Budějovice), Dmitrij Jaškin, Tomáš Hertl, Tomáš Moravec (all Slavia Praha), Matěj Beran (Lulea, Sweden), Petr Koblasa (Karlovy Vary), Radek Faksa (Třinec), Tomáš Hyka (Mladá Boleslav), Jakub Matai (Litvínov), Ondřej Hampl, Zdeněk Doležal (both Sparta Praha).

Substitutes: Marek Červený (Hradec Králové), Václav Tomek (Slavia Praha), Michael Janota (Zlín), David Březina (Pardubice), Michal Gutwald (Kladno), Jakub Šrámek (Litvínov), Jakub Faschingbauer, Martin Váchal (both Plzeň), Lukáš Kříž (České Budějovice).

Coaches: Jiří Šolc, Martin Hosták

Team Manager: Martin Hosták 
Goaltending coach: Marcel Kučera 
Physician: Dr. Petr Čech 
Treasurer: František Ptáček

Here is the schedule of the tournament in Hradec Králové:

Wednesday, Feb 9:
15.00 Czech Republic – Finland
18.30 USA – Sweden

Thursday, Feb 10:
15.00 Russia – USA
18.30 Sweden – Finland

Friday, Feb 11:
15.00 Sweden – Russia
18.30 Czech Republic – USA

Saturday, Feb 12:
15.00 Finland – Russia
18.30 Czech Republic – Sweden

Sunday, Feb 13:
13.30 USA – Finland
17.00 Czech Republic – Russia