Martin Has – McKeen's Hockey

2021-22 TOP 15 PROSPECTS: WASHINGTON CAPITALS – RANK: #28 – TIER VI

McKeen's Hockey — Sat, 11 Sep 2021 12:20:36 +0000

Washington Capitals

#28 Washington - Washington has been trying to add some higher end players of late, but not enough of them. There may not be ten real future NHLers in this system.

Connor McMichael

Connor McMichael

It was an excellent development year for McMichael, especially given the circumstances surrounding his first pro season (thrust into the AHL as a 19-year-old because of the OHL’s cancellation). McMichael finished the season as Hershey’s leading scorer and was subsequently named to the AHL’s All-Rookie team. The 2019 first round selection has put himself firmly in competition for NHL playing time as early as this upcoming season.

The former London Knights star has the potential to be an extremely versatile player. He can play any forward position. He has the intelligence level to play in any situation. And he is a more than competent finisher, due to a great wrist shot and scoring instincts. While he may not project as a first line all-star at the NHL level, he does have a chance of becoming a consistent 20-goal scorer and someone who can play a middle six role for Washington in the near and distant future. Look for him to split the year between the AHL and NHL this upcoming season, likely serving as the Capitals’ top injury call-up. In that situation, he should establish himself as an NHL regular by the time the 2022/23 season comes along. - BO

Hendrix Lapierre

How good it feels to see a healthy Hendrix Lapierre! This past season Lapierre finally managed to distance himself from his previous injuries. Visually, he appeared much better equipped to play a more physically engaged brand of hockey. He was sturdier, stronger and he looked like he had added serious lower body power. It had been a difficult season for everyone last year (COVID-19), but especially so for Lapierre. He earned the nickname "King of Quarantines" after spending 63 days in administrative quarantine during the season, split between the camp for Junior Team Canada, the pro camp in Washington and a return to Chicoutimi with his junior team.

It was an emotional season for the young man from Aylmer, Quebec too. A heartbreaking cut at Team Canada junior selection camp, a surprise invitation to the Capitals camp, a trade after the season (In the QMJHL), etc. His periods of isolation (quarantine) had to be difficult, and it did prevent him from finding consistency early on. But he got better over the year, finally living up to some of his hype. A highly skilled player, Lapierre has the talent to be a top six forward for the Capitals in a few seasons. He will play this year with the AB Titan and should be among the leading scorers in the QMJHL. He just needs another year without injuries. - BB

Alexander Alexeyev

Despite Alexeyev being a first round pick back in 2019 and leaving a very good impression at every level where he has played so far, somehow, he continues to fly under the radar and is rarely mentioned in the conversation as an elite level prospect. Playing on loan to the KHL to start last season, Alexeyev was quick to adjust to the KHL game again after playing in North America the previous four seasons (WHL and AHL). Alexeyev showed that he doesn't have a lot of weaknesses and was very good at finding the balance between the defensive responsibilities and supporting the attack offensively. When the KHL season ended, Alexeyev returned to the AHL a more confident offensive player, which was converted to improved offensive production.

While the Capitals plans are unclear for their bottom pairing this upcoming season, Alexeyev will have to beat out NHL veteran Trevor Van Riemsdyk or fellow prospect Martin Fehevary for a role. He is likely ready to play on the third pairing right away after a very successful 2020/21 season. His potential probably lies on the Capital’s second pairing in the future, where he can play a variety of roles and be a steady presence on the blueline. - VF

Martin Fehervary

A former second round selection by the Capitals in 2018, Fehervary has progressed very well since. The former captain of the Slovak World Junior Team, Fehervary took an unconventional road by playing out of Sweden for the majority of his junior career. However, since signing and coming to play in North America two seasons ago, Fehervary has established himself as one of Washington’s top prospects. In his first pro year, he actually got into a couple NHL games, including a few in the playoffs for the Capitals. Last season, he played strictly in the AHL, but played very well, improving his offensive production, while remaining one of Hershey’s best defensive players.

The 6’2, 203lbs defender is a rock in the defensive end. His defensive instincts are sound. He brings a physical element. His high-end mobility makes him a suffocating presence and someone who should be able to at least fill a shutdown role at the NHL level. However, Fehervary’s confidence in using his plus skating ability to start the breakout and his confidence in his puck handling abilities have grown considerably in the last calendar year. He appears primed for an NHL role as early as this season, but he will need to beat out veterans like Trevor Van Riemsdyk and Matt Irwin for a spot on the third pairing. Fehervary projects as a second pairing defensive anchor and a long time NHL defender. - BO

Aliaksei Protas

A year after a breakout campaign with the Prince Albert Raiders of the WHL, hulking Belarussian forward Aliaksei Protas followed that up with a very strong performance in 2020/21. His 10 goals in the KHL for Dinamo Minsk were tied for the most by any U20 player in the top men’s league with Columbus first round pick Yegor Chinakhov. Following the KHL season, he joined Hershey of the AHL and performed admirably in a smaller sample size. Then to close out the year, he played for Belarus at the World Championships.

The 6’6, 215 lbs center is an absolute load to handle down low for opposing defenses, as he dominates the cycle game and works his way to the net. Not really your typical power forward, Protas relies more on his skill and puck protection ability to create in traffic. The key for him is to continue putting in the work to improve his skating ability. He will likely spend the entire upcoming season in the AHL, adjusting to the pace and strength of the pro game in North America. Protas projects as a middle six forward for Washington but will likely require several years of development before being ready for a full-time role. - BO

Garrett Pilon

Slow and steady wins the race. That saying certainly personifies Pilon’s professional development thus far in Washington’s system. The former WHL standout (and son to former NHL pugilist Rich Pilon) has slowly improved over the course of three seasons with Hershey of the AHL, finally breaking through as a top contributor last season. As a reward, Pilon was even given a small taste of NHL action. Now eligible for waivers this season, the Capitals will have a decision to make this training camp.

The highlight of Pilon’s game has always been the stocky center’s two-way play and awareness on the ice. A high-end playmaker, he has finally gained the confidence to be more creative at the AHL level and has learned how to control the pace from the middle, becoming a difficult player to separate from the puck. The finer points to his game, like his faceoff ability, strong neutral zone play, and positional versatility, make him a great candidate to earn a depth role on the Capitals this season. Given his progression, it seems unlikely that the Caps would risk sending him through waivers unless he really struggles at training camp. His upside may not be significant, but he does have the potential to be a high-end checking line player or depth option moving forward. - BO

Vincent Iorio

A 6’3, right shot defender, Iorio was a rock for a strong Brandon Wheat Kings team this past season. A late born ‘02, Iorio emerged as an all-situations, minute-cruncher for Brandon, anchoring the second pair behind New York Rangers first round pick Braden Schneider. Iorio is the modern day shut down defender, blending size, mobility, and physicality to stymie attackers. Using his strong four-way quickness, Iorio is aggressive in defending transitional attacks, stepping up early to angle attackers off, always minding a tight gap. Iorio is also a highly intelligent defender who makes a good outlet pass and possesses good awareness at both ends of the ice. This is what allows him to excel at the WHL level in all situations.

That said, Iorio’s game does appear to have some limitations. His even strength production was pretty limited, with the majority of his points coming on the powerplay. He is at his best when he keeps things simple because he does not possess the creativity or hands to be a topflight puck mover. The Capitals are likely hoping that Iorio’s offensive skill set can continue to blossom with Brandon and that he can eventually become a really solid #4 defender for them in the future. - McKeen’s Draft Guide 2021

Brent Johnson

Johnson is a toolsy defender, who even likes to play rough, despite his clear size disadvantage. He throws his body around, gets involved in scrums regularly, and often defends with an ornery edge. That said, Johnson’s best strengths come in the offensive end. His speed allows him to drive the transition, and he looks impressive carrying the puck up the ice. He isn’t the type to engage very deep in the offensive zone, but can control play rather well from the point, with quick and accurate puck movement from high to low, or a solid shot. Even though he comes across as an offensive-minded defender, he is not absent in his own zone, and played a regular shorthanded role for the Stampede of the USHL last year.

There is a valid question of how effective he can remain at higher levels against more uniformly bigger and stronger players, but Johnson has a dynamic element that is worth gambling on, especially if his lack of a high-level resume means he will have more to show in the coming years, which will include time playing collegiately for North Dakota. He will look to bounce back this year as a freshman after shoulder surgery ended his season in 2021. - McKeen’s Draft Guide 2021

Kody Clark

When the Capitals took Kody, the son of Toronto Maple Leafs legend Wendell Clark, in the second round in 2018, the hope was that he could develop into an elite power forward not all that dissimilar from their very own Tom Wilson. Unfortunately, the offensive side of things has been fairly slow to develop. Clark never reached the point per game mark in the OHL before graduating to the AHL and his first pro season was fairly underwhelming. However, Clark’s sophomore effort last year did show marked improvement from an offensive perspective, suggesting that there could be hope yet for him to become an NHL player.

An intense physical competitor, Clark is a human missile on the forecheck. He knows his role on the ice is to cause havoc by driving the net and by forcing turnovers on the opponent’s side of the ice. While Clark is not likely to be a Tom Wilson type, he could still be a serviceable checking line player for the Capitals in a couple of seasons. Washington will be looking for Clark to continue to show improvement offensively this season in the AHL before earning a look the following year (when he is waivers eligible in 2022/23). - BO

Brett Leason

It’s been quite the meteoric rise for Leason, who was passed over twice in the NHL draft before his skating caught up to the rest of his game and he exploded on the scene in 2018-19 with a monster season that included a point-per-game stint at the world junior under-20 tournament. This resulted in Leason hearing his name called in the second round of the draft by the Washington Capitals. Since then, while the pandemic has perhaps stalled the development of many other prospects around him, Leason has continued to blossom, with two successful seasons in the AHL with the Hershey Bears. Last year was another step forward, with 20 points in 33 games for the big winger.

Leason brings size, scoring punch and the motor of a player half a foot shorter. His skating continues to improve, and his hockey sense allows him to be effective with or without the puck. He uses his massive frame well and distributes the puck well, to go with an NHL-calibre shot. He could stand to be even more physical and continue to improve his first three steps. Already 22-years-old, it would be easy to discount Leason as a potential middle-six winger at best in the NHL, but he continues to make inroads and has beaten the odds thus far. With a fairly thin prospect cupboard in front of him, it’s not a stretch to think Leason could see a cup of coffee in the NHL this upcoming season, if the stars align. - AS

Axel Jonsson-Fjallby

The upside may not be incredibly high, but Jonsson-Fjallby’s talents as a forechecker and penalty killer can be used at the NHL level. After parts of three seasons at the AHL level, the time is now for the Swedish spark plug to earn a fourth line role for the Capitals this season.

Mitchell Gibson

A former fourth round pick, Gibson had a solid freshman season for Harvard two seasons ago, establishing himself as the program’s starter. However, due to the pandemic, Harvard did not play last season, leaving Gibson with nowhere to play. He will look to get his development back on track this season as he re-assumes the starter’s role on what should be a strong Crimson team.

Garin Bjorklund

Bjorklund had an excellent post draft season with Medicine Hat (WHL) last year, as he emerged as one of the top netminders in Western Canada. Bjorklund has the skill set to be an NHL netminder and worked hard to correct some technical flaws to become a more consistent performer. He should be a contender for the WHL’s goaltender of the year this season.

Martin Has

The plan for Has was to have him play a full season in the OHL last year, after a partial year prior to that. But the pandemic had other plans and as such, Has played sparingly outside of a few international appearances for the Czech Republic (including the World Juniors). The stay-at-home defender can be an asset in the defensive end because of his strong transitional defensive ability, however his play with the puck needs to improve. His playing location this season remains a mystery, especially since he has not yet been signed by the Capitals.

Beck Malenstyn

The previous season was not a good one for the competitive and physical, former WHL winger. An achilles tear ended his season before it began and has even put the start of this season in jeopardy. Malenstyn will look to bounce back strong at some point with Hershey. He still possesses the potential to be an impact fourth liner for the Caps.

WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP – CZECH REPUBLIC: Solid Core of WJC Returnees in Tough Group

Derek O'Brien — Wed, 23 Dec 2020 21:00:42 +0000

National junior head coach Karel Mlejnek named the Czech Republic’s preliminary 45-man roster for the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship at a press conference on Wednesday (Dec. 2, 2020). As expected, the list includes 10 returnees from last season’s team and nine players who have been drafted by NHL teams.

In a group that includes Russia, Sweden, the USA and Austria, the Czechs are projected to finish fourth and advance to the quarter-finals. Whatever they achieve beyond that would be a pleasant surprise.

With the unusual circumstances that have affected all teams in the tournament to varying degrees, the Czech Republic was hit hard by a second wave of COVID-19 in the autumn, resulting in a shutdown of all organized sports for much of October and November. Furthermore, many teams have been forced to quarantine for additional time due to localized positive tests. While all of the team’s CHL-based players have returned home, some have been limited to only a handful of games.

While the Czech national junior team hasn’t played this season, save for a three-game series with Slovakia back in July, 10 junior-aged players were named to the Czech senior men’s team that competed at the Karjala Cup in Finland in November.

The last two years, the Czechs were led by Anaheim Ducks prospect Lukas Dostal in goal, but he’s too old this year. Last season, Dostal missed a couple of games due to injury, which gave Lukas Parik and Nick Malik an opportunity to get into some game action. The three goalies on the roster this time will be Parik, Malik and Jan Bednar, but the starting job is wide open.

Last year’s young defense corps will be this year’s gain, with four returning defenSemen – Martin Has, Karel Klikora, Simon Kubicek, and Radek Kucerik. But the most interesting names on defense from a scouting perspective are 17-year-olds Stanislav Svozil and David Jiricek. Both were born in 2003 but their birthdays mean Svozil will be eligible to be drafted in 2021 and Jiricek in 2022. Additionally, both played at the Karjala Cup and Mlejnek indicated they both have a good shot at making the team.

“Based to their play so far, their chances are very high,” Mlejnek said at the press conference. “I don’t think they seemed out of place at all at the Karjala by being so young. They adjusted to the opportunities they were given and played with confidence. We believe that they will continue to prove that throughout December.”

Up front, the consensus top two lines based on Mlejnek’s lines in July and at the Karjala Cup in November consist of Jan Mysak centering Pavel Novak and Adam Raska and Jaromir Pytlik between Michal Teply and Filip Koffer. Novak – a 2002-born Minnesota Wild prospect – and Koffer will be playing in their first WJC while the other four all return from last year. After the top six, the talent up front drops off significantly. Marcel Barinka, who spent the past two seasons with the Halifax Mooseheads, had a solid shot at being the third-line center but declined the invitation to camp, having just signed with German club Kolner Haie and wanting to have a good camp there in anticipation of a December 17 opening to the DEL season.

201105 Ishockey, Karjala Tournament, Tjeckien - Sverige: Jan Mysak #44, CZE during Icehockey Beijer Hockey Games match between Czech Republic - Sweden at the Hartwall Arena on 05. November 2020 in Helsinki, Finland. (Tomi Hänninen/Newspix24)
© Bildbyrån - COP 211 - SWEDEN ONLY

Lukas Parik, G

While it’s not totally clear who the Czechs’ starting goalie will be, national team general manager Filip Pesan may have tipped his hand when he named Parik to the Karjala Cup roster. He played in one game there and stopped 27 of 30 shots against a Russian team that consisted exclusively of junior-aged players and will largely be the same squad that the Czechs will face in Group B in Edmonton. The other two goalies in contention are Nick Malik and Jan Bednar, who are both a year younger. At 6-4”, Parik is a big goalie who relies on his size and positioning to stop pucks, in contrast to the equally big but more acrobatic Bednar.

Martin Has, D

Has has only played in a couple games this season for second-division HC Benatky nad Jizerou, making this the first time he has played for a club in his home country since he was 16. The Washington Capitals‘ draft pick has spent two seasons with Tappara Tampere‘s junior squad in Finland, where his mobility and hockey sense were occasional issues. Has played last season in the OHL with the Guelph Storm. The right-shot defenseman is an intriguing blueliner with a promising tool set, but he looks very raw at the moment. At his first WJC he had a solid tournament with three points in six games, and will be heavily relied upon this time around.

Simon Kubicek, D

Kubicek is a very well-rounded two-way defender who plays physical and is tough to compete against in the defensive zone, although it has been noted that his speed needs to improve if he wants to make it to the next level, which may be why he was passed over in the 2020 Draft. The late-born 2001 has been a standout the last two years for Seattle and played well at the World Juniors for the Czechs, and they will count on him to be even better this season. So far he has spent this season with HC Stadion Litomerice in the Czech second division, where he has played on the team’s top defensive pair.

Stanislav Svozil, D

A potential first-round pick for the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, Svozil debuted in the Extraliga last season as a 16-year-old and didn’t look out of place in the pros, tallying five points in 41 games. This year, he has become a regular on the Kometa Brno defense and made his senior national team debut at the Karjala Cup, although that hasn’t translated into offensive production. While not particularly big for a defenseman at 6-1” and 172lbs, he is known for his speed, allowing him to contribute offensively without sacrificing anything on the back end. Being 10 months older than fellow 17-year-old Jiricek, Svozil probably has a slightly better chance of making the team.

Jan Mysak, C

A second-round pick of the Montreal Canadiens in this year’s NHL Draft, 2002-born Mysak will be expected to carry the offensive load for the Czechs in his second World Junior Championship. After scoring at better than a point-per-game clip last season for Hamilton in the OHL, he is back home in Litvinov this season but has been held pointless in his first nine games of the season, averaging about 14 minutes per game on the Extraliga’s lowest-scoring team. Internationally he has shown a scoring touch, with four points in three games for the U20 national team back in July, and an assist in two games for the senior men’s team in November. In these games, he has mostly been centering a line with speedy, undersized wingers Pavel Novak and Adam Raska.

Michal Teply, LW

Teply is another player who has seen limited action back home in the Czech Republic after playing last season in the CHL, coming from the Winnipeg Ice to Mlada Boleslav and Litomerice, where he has played only a handful of games so far. He is a skilled and instinctive offensive-minded player whose passing skills and vision are his biggest strengths. He makes the right choices with the puck and his overall skill level is very high. He has a good, accurate wrist shot and the potential to be a good goal-scorer at the pro level. At 6-3” and 192lbs, he is one of the biggest forwards on this Czech team. In pre-tournament games, Teply has been playing the left side with Jaromir Pytlik and Filip Koffer.

Jaromir Pytlik, C

A member of the Soo Greyhounds now playing for HC Litomerice in the Czech second division, Pytlik is another returning player and top-six forward on this team. Last season, he began the tournament on a line with Jan Jenik but that lasted all of 15 seconds before the team’s star forward went down with a knee injury. After that, the Czech forward lines were a mess and Pytlik played a depth role. He is a mature two-way forward who plays a very heavy, pro-ready game. The versatile New Jersey Devils prospect excels playing through traffic, prolonging possession along the wall, and finishing off plays tight to the crease. He competes hard at both ends and shows high-end anticipation as a defensive forward and penalty killer.

Adam Raska, RW

After spending last season with the Rimouski Oceanic, tallying 21 points and 37 penalty minutes in just 35 games and then getting drafted by the San Jose Sharks, Raska has returned to the club that developed him, split this season so far between Trinec in the Extraliga and second-league affiliate Frydek-Mistek. Raska was a depth forward at last year’s WJC but will be a top-six forward this year, lining up on Mysak’s right side, where he should get a chance to display his goal-scoring touch. While somewhat undersized at 5-10” and 168lbs, he plays bigger than his size, not shying away from the physical play, which should only improve as he bulks up.

Goaltenders:
Lukáš Pařík (Benátky nad Jizerou), Jan Bednář (Karlovy Vary), Nick Malík, Tomáš Suchánek (both Frýdek-Místek), Šimon Zajíček (Litvínov).

DefenSemen:
Karel Klikorka (Mladá Boleslav), Martin Hugo Haš (Benátky nad Jizerou), Michal Hrádek (Pardubice), Stanislav Svozil (Kometa Brno), Adam Rutar (Olomouc), David Jiříček, Vladimír Kremláček (both Plzeň), Ondřej Baláž, Michael Krutil, Šimon Kubíček, Jan Mlčák, Daniel Poizl (all Litoměřice), Radek Kučeřík (Přerov), Jiří Suhrada (Zlín).

Forwards:
Adam Najman, Jakub Rychlovský (both Liberec), Michal Gut (Sokolov), Martin Beránek (České Budějovice), Jonáš Peterek, Adam Raška (both Frýdek-Místek), Jakub Brabenec (Kometa Brno), Sebastián Malát (Plzeň), David Vitouch (Sparta Praha), David Jindra, Filip Koffer, Martin Lang, Pavel Novák, Filip Přikryl, Jaromír Pytlík, Michal Teplý, Matěj Toman (all Litoměřice), Jan Myšák (Litvínov), Ivan Ivan (Vítkovice), Martin Ryšavý (Přerov), Radek Mužík (Lulea, Sweden), Theodor Pištěk (Örebro, S), Ondřej Pšenička (Waterloo, USHL).

2021 World Junior Championship: Czech Republic Training Camp Roster Preview

Derek O'Brien — Fri, 04 Dec 2020 17:42:22 +0000

The last two years, the Czechs were led by Anaheim Ducks prospect Lukas Dostal in goal, but he’s too old this year. Last season, Dostal missed a couple of games due to injury, which gave Lukas Parik and Nick Malik an opportunity to get into some game action. The three goalies on the roster this time will be Parik, Malik and Jan Bednar, but the starting job is wide open.

Last year’s young defence corps will be this year’s gain, with four returning defencemen – Martin Has, Karel Klikora, Simon Kubicek, and Radek Kucerik. But the most interesting names on defence from a scouting perspective are 17-year-olds Stanislav Svozil and David Jiricek. Both were born in 2003 but their birthdays mean Svozil will be eligible to be drafted in 2021 and Jiricek in 2022. Additionally, both played at the Karjala Cup and Mlejnek indicated they both have a good shot at making the team.

Up front, the consensus top two lines based on Mlejnek’s lines in July and at the Karjala Cup in November consist of Jan Mysak centering Pavel Novak and Adam Raska and Jaromir Pytlik between Michal Teply and Filip Koffer. Novak – a 2002-born Minnesota Wild prospect – and Koffer will be playing in their first WJC while the other four all return from last year. After the top six, the talent up front drops off significantly. Marcel Barinka, who spent the past two seasons with the Halifax Mooseheads, had a solid shot at being the third-line center but declined the invitation to camp, having just signed with German club Kolner Haie and wanting to have a good camp there in anticipation of a December 17 opening to the DEL season.

Jan Mysak during the ice hockey quarter final game in The IIHF U18 World Championship between Sweden and The Czech Republic
Photo: Jonas Forsberg / BILDBYRÅN

Lukas Parik, G

Martin Has, D

Simon Kubicek, D

Stanislav Svozil, D

Jan Mysak, C

Michal Teply, LW

Jaromir Pytlik, C

Adam Raska, RW

Goaltenders:
Lukáš Pařík (Benátky nad Jizerou), Jan Bednář (Karlovy Vary), Nick Malík, Tomáš Suchánek (both Frýdek-Místek), Šimon Zajíček (Litvínov).

Defencemen:
Karel Klikorka (Mladá Boleslav), Martin Hugo Haš (Benátky nad Jizerou), Michal Hrádek (Pardubice), Stanislav Svozil (Kometa Brno), Adam Rutar (Olomouc), David Jiříček, Vladimír Kremláček (both Plzeň), Ondřej Baláž, Michael Krutil, Šimon Kubíček, Jan Mlčák, Daniel Poizl (all Litoměřice), Radek Kučeřík (Přerov), Jiří Suhrada (Zlín).

Forwards:
Adam Najman, Jakub Rychlovský (both Liberec), Michal Gut (Sokolov), Martin Beránek (České Budějovice), Jonáš Peterek, Adam Raška (both Frýdek-Místek), Jakub Brabenec (Kometa Brno), Sebastián Malát (Plzeň), David Vitouch (Sparta Praha), David Jindra, Filip Koffer, Martin Lang, Pavel Novák, Filip Přikryl, Jaromír Pytlík, Michal Teplý, Matěj Toman (all Litoměřice), Jan Myšák (Litvínov), Ivan Ivan (Vítkovice), Martin Ryšavý (Přerov), Radek Mužík (Lulea, Sweden), Theodor Pištěk (Örebro, S), Ondřej Pšenička (Waterloo, USHL).

2018 Hlinka Gretzky Cup Review

Vince Gibbons — Tue, 18 Sep 2018 12:17:57 +0000

This year I was fortunate enough to fill my August with a bit of high end hockey as the Hlinka/Gretzky tournament made its North American debut in Edmonton and Red Deer. While I didn’t get to the Edmonton games I watched the medal round on TV and watched a very entertaining pool in Red Deer in which the Russians outclassed the rest. I will only comment on players that I have seen live at the tournament so I will not have anything about the young Swedes who took the tournament by storm (Lucas Raymond, Alexander Holtz, Tobias Bjornfot), the Slovaks lead by Maxim Cajkovic or the Swiss who had a weaker roster than usual. I will speak on Canada though as I watched them in an exhibition game and all through the medal round.

Team Canada

Dylan Cozens uses his size very effectively all over the ice. He is particularly dangerous along the wall where he can engage physically and make skilled plays towards the net. His speed is impressive on the rush and he uses his frame to protect the puck when he drives the net. High end vision and playmaking as well as being a good right shot round out his offensive skills. He is also good in the faceoff circle making him a very attractive guy near the top of most draft boards. His controversial goal in the semifinal against the USA shows his ability to find space and open ice and his ability to get off his shot off under pressure.

Alexis Lafreniere, despite being one of the youngest 2001 born players in the tournament, stood out as one of the most dynamic. There is elite playmaking, vision and skating. He can control the puck in all circumstances and handles puck pressure extremely well. The poise he displays with the puck on his stick is a treat to watch. He led the tournament in scoring and is likely first overall in the 2020 draft.

Kirby Dach has a good frame and was very successful slotting out on the wing despite being a natural center. The vision and playmaking skills at top speed are what impress the most with Dach. His shot has been an underutilized part of his game but he has a great one and it was on display in this tournament. He protects the puck extremely well and is capable of beating players one on one. He has good hands and his vision is exceptional.

Bowen Byram has shown more dynamic qualities to his game then in my viewings from last season. He was willing to make plays with the puck on his stick while holding the blue line that I had not seen in him last season. He created a number of opportunities for his teammates by making smart puck plays, looking off defenders and then making a tape to tape pass. In addition to that he is a minute munching defender who controls his gaps very well and closes out his opponents well in his own zone. He is stable and reliable in his own zone and can carry the puck out or deliver a perfect pass to his outlet guy. His confidence in his offensive game this year over last was the most noticeable.

USA

Josh Groll earned more minutes game by game with his very effective North/South game. Groll was relentless on the fore-check, creating opportunities by throwing his body around recklessly. He was quick to loose pucks and created constant pressure that few defenders were able to handle. As the tournament wore on he established himself on the PK with his good puck pursuit and active stick. He showed good chemistry with another surprise performer in Nicholas Robertson.

Robertson was able to show his good finishing qualities and nose for the net leading the American squad with 4 goals. His effort around the ice made him an in your face player throughout the tournament. His first step quickness made him elusive along the wall where he was able to cycle the puck almost at will with his linemates. While the USA may have had more skilled players on the roster, Robertson was able to carve out a top six role for himself through his play. On the PK he battled hard to get out to the points to take away shots.

Mitchell Miller impressed as an undersized puck moving defender with a bit of an abrasive side. His most noticeable skills were his passing and vision as he was able to move the puck around the offensive zone really well. He showed some great vision setting up a few goals on the powerplay. In his own zone he competed hard despite being a bit overmatched physically and finished his checks when he had the chance. He got caught up a couple of times but he was quick to hustle back where his skating showed well. His anticipation was very noticeable in pinching off zone exits. He used speed to put opposing wingers under pressure as they tried to exit the zone, which created turnovers that he quickly turned to the offensive by moving the puck.

Arthur Kaliyev showed some very good one on one skills with the puck. A few times he blew by defenders wide leading to great scoring opportunities. His scoring totals don’t reflect the number of chances he created as he played both distributor and finisher for his line. He is able to use his size well and can control loose pucks with his long reach. He skates well for a player of his size and uses that size effectively as he goes to the net.

Russia

Vasili Podkolzin was for my money the most dynamic player in the tournament. He was a constant threat to score with his high speed zone entries catching defenses flat footed throughout the entire tournament. His agility was impressive as he could go inside out or outside in on defenders while carrying the puck. Despite leading the tournament in goals his vision was impressive as he led teammates into open space with passes or put pucks just beyond defenders reach enabling his teammates to get possession. He created 2 on 1s down low by dragging the defender wide and putting the puck into the slot for a trailer. He was dangerous on the cycle as he could stop, start and shed contact very well. His release was very quick and his shot was very accurate. He scored from distance, on one-timers, off the rush, a breakaway, or carrying the puck out from behind the net. He showed a complete offensive tool kit. On the other side of the puck he was exposed a bit for not picking up his man but he was pretty good in the neutral zone rushing the puck carrier or forcing deep dump ins with his pressure.

Yaroslav Likhachyov has great hands and puck handling skills. He carries the puck through the neutral zone extremely well and can make quick plays and reads as he always seems to have his head up. He is able to cradle loose pucks very well as he reacts so quickly to the play in front of him. He has very good agility and speed that defenders in his age group really struggled to handle. He will take the puck to the net and still can make plays as he approaches the net. His passing skills are high end as he consistently made saucer passes onto his teammates’ tape.

Daniil Gutik was a force to be reckoned with throughout this tournament. Few teams save Canada had players with his combination of size and skill set. He was very dangerous along the wall and getting the cycle game started. His linemates were the beneficiaries of his good work down low as he was able to constantly move pucks out to the slot. He has great control of his body and absorbs contact while maintaining possession of the puck. He made a few high skill plays like a give and go off the boards then driving to the net that show he has good hockey sense. He used his body effectively but was not a big hitter.

Finland

Patrik Puistola was the most dangerous forward that Finland had on the roster. He went long stretches of games being contained but when he got his opportunities - especially off the rush - he was a deadly finisher. He has a long lean frame that he uses well to generate puck speed when shooting from distance. His skating is fine for his skill set by he doesn’t really have that dynamic speed or puck handling that would make him an elite forward.

Leevi Aaltonen was the most consistent Finnish forward for generating offense. He showed flashes of high end speed and agility on a few chip and chase plays along the wall. He also drives the net well but he does shy away from contact. He is a natural shooter and is willing to release the puck from anywhere to get it on net. I like the approach in some cases but his teammates weren’t driving to the net without the puck too much so it often went for naught.

Mikko Kokkonen is a smooth skating puck carrying defenseman that I thought struggled throughout the tournament. In part this is a weaker Finnish age group than the past few seasons so he had less to work with. He lost his cool a couple times and took bad and untimely penalties that pushed a one goal deficit to two. That being said, when he had space he was dangerous both with his excellent rising wrist shot from the point, or his ability to move the puck up through the neutral zone. His ability to dance along the offensive blue line is great to watch as he can make the opponent over-pursue or rotate, both of which creates passing or shooting lanes that he is able to exploit.

Czech Republic

Michal Teply impressed with his puck possession skills and his dogged effort in on the forecheck. There is not a lot of high end skill in his game but his size, frame and competitive edge made him the most noticeable player on most of his shifts. Along the wall he can use his body effectively to control the puck or separate his man from it. His hockey sense was impressive being on the right side of his man, knowing who to pick up on the back check, but also in his ability to get to open space and then use that space to create opportunities.

Martin Has is a large lean defender who has some nice offensive tools. He has a real seeing eye shot that beats the first defender over and over. His passing from the offensive blue line is good as well as he can play the top of an umbrella and feed passes all over the ice. His wrist shot has a lot of power and he is able to pick his spots through traffic. He is pretty effective defensively and can use his size to stick check and close gaps quickly. He needs to work on his skating but he can move around the ice ok for a man of his size.

This is by no stretch an exhaustive list of players who performed well at the Hlinka/Gretzky Cup but more a list of the players who stood out the most in my viewings and who have earned the standing of prospects to follow through the course of the upcoming year. Not all of these players have high end offensive upside but there was something noticeable about them most nights in the rink that stood out in a positive way that should garner more attention as their respective seasons begin.

Martin Has – McKeen's Hockey

2021-22 TOP 15 PROSPECTS: WASHINGTON CAPITALS – RANK: #28 – TIER VI

WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP – CZECH REPUBLIC: Solid Core of WJC Returnees in Tough Group

Lukas Parik, G

Martin Has, D

Simon Kubicek, D

Stanislav Svozil, D

Jan Mysak, C

Michal Teply, LW

Jaromir Pytlik, C

Adam Raska, RW

2021 World Junior Championship: Czech Republic Training Camp Roster Preview

Lukas Parik, G

Martin Has, D

Simon Kubicek, D

Stanislav Svozil, D

Jan Mysak, C

Michal Teply, LW

Jaromir Pytlik, C

Adam Raska, RW

Goaltenders: Lukáš Pařík (Benátky nad Jizerou), Jan Bednář (Karlovy Vary), Nick Malík, Tomáš Suchánek (both Frýdek-Místek), Šimon Zajíček (Litvínov).

2018 Hlinka Gretzky Cup Review

Team Canada

USA

Russia

Finland

Czech Republic

Goaltenders:
Lukáš Pařík (Benátky nad Jizerou), Jan Bednář (Karlovy Vary), Nick Malík, Tomáš Suchánek (both Frýdek-Místek), Šimon Zajíček (Litvínov).