Dalibor Dvorský Was A Healthy Scratch Against Latvia; Slovak Coach Explains
On Sunday, Slovakia's chances of advancing to the IIHF World Championship quarterfinals were dealt a fatal blow when the team lost 5-1 to Latvia.
It was somewhat of a surprise when Dalibor Dvorský of St. Louis Blues prospect was not in the Slovak lineup for the game, but it was assumed he must have been dealing with some sort of physical ailment. After the game, however, coach Vladimír Országh revealed that he had benched the 19-year-old winger and explained why.
''Dalo' is a generational talent,' the Slovak coach began, as reported by Dominik Dubovči of Hokej.cz. 'One day, if he does things right and is well-adjusted – which I think he is – he will be the leader of the national team. But we cannot consider young Dalibor a leader right now. He is in his first World Championship and he played in a junior league last year.
'He hasn't grown into that role yet. He still lacks a lot of things to be there. We decided to leave him in the stands because he was struggling with shooting, he wasn't getting chances and he had quite significant problems on defense. He also needs to work on his physical play.
'This is a huge learning process for him. He's great on the power play, but here the opponents read him and quickly got to him. We also want to protect him from the pressure. He understands that, in short, and he'll be ready for the next game. But we can't expect a 19-year-old kid to be a difference-maker here.'
Dalibor Dvorský's Timeline Over The Next Few Days, From AHL to World Juniors At first,
it was uncertain whether he'd be playing. Then he was coming, but nobody was sure exactly when. On Thursday, Dalibor Dvorský revealed to Slovak media his timetable for the next few days.
Dvorský has one assist in five games for Slovakia this tournament, but nobody on the team has more than two points. The Slovaks' struggles are not a big surprise as no full-time NHLers are on the team. The most experienced player on the team is San Jose Sharks prospect Pavol Regenda, who has 19 NHL games under his belt. Dvorský played two for the Blues this season.
There has been a lot of discussion in Slovakia about why Tomáš Tatar, Juraj Slafkovský, Martin Pospišíl and Šimon Nemec are absent this year despite their teams either missing the playoffs or being knocked out in the first round. Slafkovský's war of words with the Slovak Ice Hockey Association and Pospišíl's – and possibly other players' – objections to the inclusion of KHL players on the team get mentioned.
Martin Pospíšil after Olympic qualifiers: 'It was never anything against the players' from the KHL Martin Pospíšil was calm and reflective after Slovakia's 3-1 victory over Kazakhstan on Sunday in Bratislava, which
qualified the team for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy.
'I don't think it's that they don't want to play for us,' said Országh. 'Last year they all came, including for the Olympic qualifiers. This year there were a lot of reasons, but the guys had long seasons, the Olympics are ahead of them... I completely understand them. We talked a lot with the guys and discussed the reasons.'
Országh, 47, was suddenly promoted to head coach of the Slovak team in April after Craig Ramsay had to step aside due to a bout with pneumonia. Országh played 289 NHL games with the New York Islanders, Nashville Predators and St. Louis between 1997 and 2006. He represented Slovakia at five World Championships and the 2004 World Cup of Hockey.
'When my generation played in the NHL, we had the same setup,' said Országh. 'I certainly don't want to make excuses for that. The difference is that there were 30 of us playing in the NHL, so there were always players who could come. We don't have that many hockey players there today.'
Predicting Slovakia's 2026 Olympic roster By winning their group at the final round of qualifying this past weekend, the
Slovaks have qualified for the men's ice hockey tournament at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Forbes
28 minutes ago
- Forbes
USA Gymnastics President Li Li Leung To Step Down After Guiding Post-Nassar Reform
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - JUNE 30: President and CEO of USA Gymnastics Li Li Leung (C-R) poses with ... More (L-R) Hezly Rivera, Joscelyn Roberson, Suni Lee, Simone Biles, Jade Carey, Jordan Chiles and Leanne Wong after they were selected for the 2024 U.S. Olympic Women's Gymnastics Team on Day Four of the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Gymnastics Trials at Target Center on June 30, 2024 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by) USA Gymnastics announced Thursday that President and CEO Li Li Leung will step down at the end of the year. This will mark the end of her nearly six-year tenure at the helm, during which Leung guided the organization after the Larry Nassar scandal. Hired in March 2019, the organization credits Leung's leadership for catalyzing a 'historic turnaround" and 'cultural transformation' within the sport. Leung helped the organization rebound from the blows dealt by the Nassar sexual abuse scandal, helping place athlete wellbeing and safety at the forefront. In December 2020, USA Gymnastics established its Athlete Bill of Rights, considered one of the 'first of its kind in sport,' demonstrating a commitment to 'a culture of athlete support and safety driving organizational decision-making." Leung's organization also introduced mental health visits to the National Team program Under the addition, USA Gymnastics now covers costs for regular visits to mental health providers for National Team athletes and coaches. Leung issued the following statement: 'The opportunity to lead USA Gymnastics has been the honor and privilege of a lifetime. Thanks to the dedication of the entire gymnastics community, we are now in an incredible position as we turn our attention to the L.A. Olympic Games. The last several months have been a time of great reflection, and I know that now is the right time to pass the torch to the next leader, with the sport and organization thriving. I wanted to ensure the board has the opportunity to conduct a thorough search and also give my successor a long runway into the 2028 Olympic Games. I'm going to take some time to reset before determining what is next, and I look forward to USA Gymnastics accomplishing great things in 2025 and beyond.' During her tenure, USA Gymnastics surged to success on the medal podium, most notably with 11 medals at the 2024 Olympic Games. In addition to her role with USA Gymnastics, Leung was the recipient of multiple honors in sport. In 2020, Leung was voted vice chair of the NGB Council of the U.S. Olympic sport governing bodies, and was elected to the Executive Committee of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) in 2021. Leung was named a Sports Business Journal 'Power Player' in 2020 and an SBJ Gamechanger in 2024. In 2023, she was recognized on the 2023 A100 list as one of the country's most impactful Asian Americans. She would later be named a 2025 WISE Woman of the Year. Chair of the USAG board of directors, Kathryn Carson, attested to the impact of Leung's leadership. 'Li Li was the right leader at the right time for USA Gymnastics and accomplished in six years what many thought was not possible," Carson said. 'Her deep passion for gymnastics and extraordinary dedication to leading transformation has positioned USA Gymnastics to move boldly toward LA28. With this strong foundation, we are confident we will identify a leader to build on Li Li's legacy.' With a home Olympic Games on the horizon in 2028, USA Gymnastics now commits to securing a replacement in the organization's pivotal quadrennium. The organization 'has engaged CAA Executive Search to lead the search for Leung's successor,' and intends to identify a new president and CEO prior to Leung's departure at 2025's close.
Yahoo
37 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Li Li Leung, who led USA Gymnastics in the wake of the Nassar scandal, to step down in December
Li Li Leung, who deftly guided USA Gymnastics back from the brink of collapse in the wake of the Larry Nassar sexual abuse scandal, is stepping down at the end of the year. The decision, which USA Gymnastics announced Thursday, comes with the organization in a far different place than it was when Leung took over in the spring of 2019. Back then, it was fighting battles on multiple fronts, and the long-term survival of one of the U.S. Olympic movement's marquee programs was hardly assured. USA Gymnastics had filed for bankruptcy just months before Leung's arrival in the hopes of reaching settlements in the dozens of lawsuits it faced from women who blamed it for failing to supervise Nassar, a former national team doctor who sexually abused them under the guise of medical treatment. The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee was in the process of stripping USA Gymnastics of its status as the national governing body for the sport. Sponsors fled. Most importantly to Leung, a former college gymnast, the trust between the organization and its stakeholders — from athletes to parents to coaches — appeared irrevocably broken. Through a mixture of empathy, savvy and commitment, it's not that way anymore. The lawsuit was settled in late 2021. The USOPC eventually halted the decertification process. High-profile corporate partners reengaged and, in some instances, even expanded their relationship. More vitally, the daunting culture shift USA Gymnastics faced as it tried to remake itself more athlete-focused has found firm footing. Throw in a dazzling performance at the Paris Games last summer by the women's Olympic program and a resurgent one by the men, and Leung knew it was time to make a choice she called 'difficult' and 'bittersweet' but also necessary. 'The organization is in a great place right now,' Leung told The Associated Press. "I feel comfortable about being able to hand it over in this situation, in this position, to my successor who can then build on all the achievements we've had so far.' While Leung stressed she isn't burned out, she added she'd 'like a little bit of a rest." She also wants to ensure whoever follows her will have plenty of runway ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. 'From a timing perspective, it would be completely unfair of me to say to the (USA Gymnastics board of directors) in 2027: 'Hey I'm out. Now you have to figure out how to get us to LA," she said. 'A significantly stronger position' The search for her replacement will begin immediately. Leung, who said she is firmly committed to finishing out the year, will be part of the hiring process for a job that looks far more desirable now than it did six years ago. 'Li Li leaves USA Gymnastics in a significantly stronger position than when she joined, with a promising trajectory towards LA 28,' USOPC CEO Sarah Hirshland told the AP. 'Her leadership faced numerous challenges, yet she demonstrated remarkable resilience and strength, along with unwavering support for the athletes.' When Leung was hired, she was the fourth person to hold the titles of CEO and president in two years. She never put a timeline on how long she might stay, though she believes her departure showcases just how stable things have become. 'It's a sign of good organizational evolution to have new leadership come into place and have new perspectives and innovative thinking,' she said. Leung leaned heavily into both when she ran into what was essentially a burning building. During her first week on the job alone, a tractor-trailer carrying equipment to a national training camp flipped over and she was told there was only about six weeks' worth of cash flow in the bank. It was daunting to be sure, but Leung said she had 'zero buyer's remorse." 'It's been difficult at times, but there has never been a day that I thought 'We can't do this,'' she added. Accomplishing the 'impossible' Leung might have been one of the few. Yet her experience as a gymnast gave her a perspective that those who preceded her did not. Where others had been almost standoffish with sexual abuse survivors out of fear of legal retribution, Leung led with empathy that wasn't merely performative. The organization established an Athletes Bill of Rights in 2020. It later expanded mental health care services for both athletes and their coaches and created a new funding structure designed to give national team members more equity. Even some of USA Gymnastics' most visible critics took notice. Two-time Olympic champion Simone Biles, who publicly identified herself as a Nassar victim in 2018 and frequently called out the organization's leadership for a series of missteps, told the AP in 2024 that she had noticed a positive shift inside USA Gymnastics because those in power had 'stepped up to the role' and 'put in the work.' It's that shift that Leung is most proud of as she eyes a break. She had no idea how long she would stay when she came on board. Given the organization's tenuous position at the time, she didn't have the luxury. 'For me, it was about putting the big building blocks in place (and) accomplishing the things that were mission critical," she said. "Cultural change is the most difficult type of change to implement, because you have no idea how long it takes.' Leung understands that kind of change has no finish line. Yet when she walks out of her office in Indianapolis for the last time later this year, it will be far closer than when she walked into it. 'A lot of people said it was total career suicide (when I came on),' Leung said. "I thought the exact opposite of that. I think, obviously a lot of people thought it was an impossibility, (but) we've been able to accomplish what people thought was impossible.' ___ AP National Writer Eddie Pells contributed to this report. ___ AP Olympics:
38 minutes ago
Li Li Leung, who led USA Gymnastics in the wake of the Nassar scandal, to step down in December
Li Li Leung, who deftly guided USA Gymnastics back from the brink of collapse in the wake of the Larry Nassar sexual abuse scandal, is stepping down at the end of the year. The decision, which USA Gymnastics announced Thursday, comes with the organization in a far different place than it was when Leung took over in the spring of 2019. Back then, it was fighting battles on multiple fronts, and the long-term survival of one of the U.S. Olympic movement's marquee programs was hardly assured. USA Gymnastics had filed for bankruptcy just months before Leung's arrival in the hopes of reaching settlements in the dozens of lawsuits it faced from women who blamed it for failing to supervise Nassar, a former national team doctor who sexually abused them under the guise of medical treatment. The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee was in the process of stripping USA Gymnastics of its status as the national governing body for the sport. Sponsors fled. Most importantly to Leung, a former college gymnast, the trust between the organization and its stakeholders — from athletes to parents to coaches — appeared irrevocably broken. Through a mixture of empathy, savvy and commitment, it's not that way anymore. The lawsuit was settled in late 2021. The USOPC eventually halted the decertification process. High-profile corporate partners reengaged and, in some instances, even expanded their relationship. More vitally, the daunting culture shift USA Gymnastics faced as it tried to remake itself more athlete-focused has found firm footing. Throw in a dazzling performance at the Paris Games last summer by the women's Olympic program and a resurgent one by the men, and Leung knew it was time to make a choice she called 'difficult' and 'bittersweet' but also necessary. 'The organization is in a great place right now,' Leung told The Associated Press. "I feel comfortable about being able to hand it over in this situation, in this position, to my successor who can then build on all the achievements we've had so far.' While Leung stressed she isn't burned out, she added she'd 'like a little bit of a rest." She also wants to ensure whoever follows her will have plenty of runway ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. 'From a timing perspective, it would be completely unfair of me to say to the (USA Gymnastics board of directors) in 2027: 'Hey I'm out. Now you have to figure out how to get us to LA," she said. The search for her replacement will begin immediately. Leung, who said she is firmly committed to finishing out the year, will be part of the hiring process for a job that looks far more desirable now than it did six years ago. 'Li Li leaves USA Gymnastics in a significantly stronger position than when she joined, with a promising trajectory towards LA 28,' USOPC CEO Sarah Hirshland told the AP. 'Her leadership faced numerous challenges, yet she demonstrated remarkable resilience and strength, along with unwavering support for the athletes.' When Leung was hired, she was the fourth person to hold the titles of CEO and president in two years. She never put a timeline on how long she might stay, though she believes her departure showcases just how stable things have become. 'It's a sign of good organizational evolution to have new leadership come into place and have new perspectives and innovative thinking,' she said. Leung leaned heavily into both when she ran into what was essentially a burning building. During her first week on the job alone, a tractor-trailer carrying equipment to a national training camp flipped over and she was told there was only about six weeks' worth of cash flow in the bank. It was daunting to be sure, but Leung said she had 'zero buyer's remorse." 'It's been difficult at times, but there has never been a day that I thought 'We can't do this,'' she added. Leung might have been one of the few. Yet her experience as a gymnast gave her a perspective that those who preceded her did not. Where others had been almost standoffish with sexual abuse survivors out of fear of legal retribution, Leung led with empathy that wasn't merely performative. The organization established an Athletes Bill of Rights in 2020. It later expanded mental health care services for both athletes and their coaches and created a new funding structure designed to give national team members more equity. Even some of USA Gymnastics' most visible critics took notice. Two-time Olympic champion Simone Biles, who publicly identified herself as a Nassar victim in 2018 and frequently called out the organization's leadership for a series of missteps, told the AP in 2024 that she had noticed a positive shift inside USA Gymnastics because those in power had 'stepped up to the role' and 'put in the work.' It's that shift that Leung is most proud of as she eyes a break. She had no idea how long she would stay when she came on board. Given the organization's tenuous position at the time, she didn't have the luxury. 'For me, it was about putting the big building blocks in place (and) accomplishing the things that were mission critical," she said. "Cultural change is the most difficult type of change to implement, because you have no idea how long it takes.' Leung understands that kind of change has no finish line. Yet when she walks out of her office in Indianapolis for the last time later this year, it will be far closer than when she walked into it. 'A lot of people said it was total career suicide (when I came on),' Leung said. "I thought the exact opposite of that. I think, obviously a lot of people thought it was an impossibility, (but) we've been able to accomplish what people thought was impossible.'
