Friday, June 22, 2012

Czech NHL Draft preview

This weekend, the best undrafted junior-aged hockey talent in the world collectively has its hopes and dreams focused on Pittsburgh, site of this year's NHL Entry Draft. A number of talented Czechs are expected to be taken, led by Radek Faksa and Tomáš Hertl, who were also both taken in the first round of last month's KHL Entry Draft.

Faksa and Hertl are successful products of the two paths that young Czech players must choose between when deciding what is best for their future. The choice is often a difficult one, and the argument over which is best can go on endlessly. Faksa plays for the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League, part of the Canadian junior system, while Hertl just won the Rookie-of-the-Year award in the Czech Extraliga, where he played for Slavia Praha.

Though there has not been a Czech first-round pick since Jakub Voráček in 2007, there is a chance their could be three taken this year. In addition to Faksa and Hertl, Martin Frk of the Halifax Mooseheads is highly-ranked.

I previewed the top domestic-based Czech players for HockeysFuture.com and, to avoid being redundant, I won't re-type it, but link to it here. Also included my preview is Nathan Walker, who is not Czech by nationality, but has played in Vítkovice for the past six seasons and is ranked 25th among European-based skaters.

From hokej.cz, here is a list of all Czech prospects that have been ranked by Central Scouting Services, divided into four categories.

Czechs ranked among North American-based skaters:

  7. Radek Faksa    C     Kitchener (OHL)
 20. Martin Frk     RW    Halifax (QMJHL)
 45. Tomáš Hyka     RW    Gatineau (QMJHL)
 97. Matěj Beran    C     P.E.I. (QMJHL)
156. Tomáš Pavelka  D     P.E.I. (QMJHL)
163. Dominik Volek  C/RW  Regina (WHL)
182. Michal Plutnar D     Tri-City (WHL)
190. Patrik Machač  C     Brampton (OHL)


Czechs ranked among North American-based goaltenders:

 8. Patrik Bartošák    Red Deer (WHL)
14. Matěj Machovský    Brampton (OHL)
22. Roman Will         Moncton (QMJHL)
27. Jaroslav Pavelka   Windsor (OHL)


Czechs ranked among European-based skaters:

  5. Tomáš Hertl         C   Slavia Praha
 26. Erik Němec          C   Vítkovice
 38. Aleš Kilnar         LW  Vítkovice
 39. Jakub Ižacký        LW  Třinec
 40. Petr Koblasa        RW  Karlovy Vary
 41. Richard Nejezchleb  RW  Slavia Praha
 60. Ronald Knot         D   Slavia Praha
 62. Martin Procházka    LW  Sparta Praha
 71. Tomáš Nosek         LW  Pardubice
 75. Matěj Zadražil      LW  Karlovy Vary
 76. Adam Hawlik         D   Pardubice
 81. Ondřej Slováček     RW  Vítkovice
 86. Libor Šulák         D   Tatranskí Vlci (MHL)
 91. Jan Bittner         D   Litvínov
 95. Karel Plášil        D   České Budějovice
118. Jiří Sekáč          LW  Lev Poprad (KHL)


Czechs ranked among European-based goaltenders:

  5. Marek Langhamer     Pardubice


Czechs drafted in 2011 (10):
David Musil, Dmitrij Jaškin, David Honzík, Dominik Uher, Lukáš Sedlák, Matěj Stránský, Daniel Přibyl, Richard Nedomlel, Petr Plaček, Ondřej Palát.

Czechs drafted in 2010 (5):
Petr Straka, Jakub Culek, Radko Gudas, Petr Mrázek, Adam Polášek.

Czechs drafted in 2009 (3):
Andrej Nestrašil, Roman Horák, Tomáš Vincour.

Czechs drafted in 2008 (3):
Tomáš Kundrátek, Michal Jordán, Tomáš Kubalík.

Czechs drafted in 2007 (5):
Jakub Voráček, Michal Řepík, Vladimír Růžička, Ondřej Roman, Radim Ostrčil.

Czechs drafted in 2006 (8):
Michael Frolík, Jiří Tlustý, Tomáš Káňa, Michal Neuvirth, Ondřej Fiala, David Květoň, Jakub Kovář, Martin Látal.

Czechs drafted in 2005 (13):
Martin Hanzal, Jakub Kindl, Petr Kalus, Ondřej Pavelec, Radek Smoleňák, Jakub Vojta, Vladimír Sobotka, Tomáš Pöpperle, Tomáš Pospíšil, Tomáš Kudělka, Marek Kvapil, Lukáš Vantuch, David Kuchejda.

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