Latest news with #HlinkaGretzkyCup
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
2025 NHL Mock Draft 1.0: Who do Islanders take with No. 1 pick?
The 2025 NHL Draft is set for June 27-28 in Los Angeles at L.A. Live's Peacock Theater and the New York Islanders will have the No. 1 pick for the first time since selecting John Tavares first overall in 2009. The Islanders were the big winners from the NHL Draft Lottery on May 5, moving up nine spots from No. 10, when they had just a 3.5 percent chance to do so. It's the fifth time in franchise history the Islanders will select No. 1 overall. They also took took goalie Rick DiPietro first in 2000, defenseman Denis Potvin in 1973 and forward Billy Harris in 1972. Advertisement The other big winner from the Draft Lottery was the Utah Hockey Club, who moved up from 14 to 4 after winning the second drawing. As teams prepare for the draft, we take a look at some of the top-rated prospects and predict which names will be selected in the first 16 picks of the first round. Future mock drafts will include playoff teams that didn't participate in the draft lottery. Related: NHL playoff predictions: Picks for every 2nd-round series, 2025 Stanley Cup champion 2025 NHL Mock Draft 1.0 Credit: MIKE COPPER/ERIE TIMES-NEWS / USA TODAY NETWORK 1. New York Islanders: Matthew Schaefer, LHD (Erie Otters, OHL) Schaefer was limited to 26 games this season between the OHL, World Juniors, Hlinka Gretzky Cup, and the CHL-USA Prospects Challenge because of a broken clavicle. Despite his injury, scouts loved what they saw from Schaefer and many consider him to be the best player in this draft class. Schaefer is hard to beat in 1-on-1 situations, and is projected to be a No. 1 defenseman in the NHL sooner rather than later. Schaefer could become the second Erie player to be selected with the first-overall pick after Connor McDavid (2015) a decade earlier. Since 2000, four defenseman have been selected with the No. 1 pick in the NHL Draft: Owen Power (2021, Buffalo Sabres), Rasmus Dahlin (2018, Sabres), Aaron Ekblad (2014, Florida Panthers) and Erik Johnson (2006, St. Louis Blues). Advertisement 'Matthew Schaefer is the No. 1 defense prospect in this Draft Class,' Vice President of NHL Central Scouting Dan Marr said. ' He is the complete package playing a dynamic style that generates results and influences the outcome of games. Schaefere easily projects as a future All-Star in the NHL.' 2. San Jose Sharks: Michael Misa, C/LW (Saginaw Spirit, OHL) Coming off one of the most impressive goal-scoring campaigns ever seen in the OHL, Misa knows where to get the puck and fire at will. Though he has the ability to play both center and wing, Misa projects more as a winger at the NHL level and has the best offensive instincts of any player in this draft. Misa is the first player in Saginaw history to win the Eddie Powers Trophy as the top scorer in the OHL, finishing the regular season with 134 points (62 goals, 72 assists). He tied John Tavares (2006-07) for the most points by an OHL player under age 18 since 2000. Advertisement 'Every time I saw Misa, I was very impressed with that complete game,' Central Scouting associate director David Gregory said. 'I was so impressed with how responsible a center he was on his side of the red line.' 3. Chicago Blackhawks: James Hagens, C (Boston College, NCAA) Hagens was the preseason favorite to be the top overall pick, but dropped partly due to other prospects finding ways to stand out. He had a point-per-game freshman season at Boston College (37 points in 37 games), and also had solid numbers (nine points; five goals, four assists in seven games) to help the United States win the gold medal at the 2025 World Junior Championship. Hagens plays a great two-way game and has the tools to be a No. 1 center on many NHL teams. 4. Utah Hockey Club: Porter Martone, RW (Brampton Steelheads, OHL) Martone possesses an excellent combination of skill, size (6-foot-3, 208 pounds) and power to have a long NHL career. He fell just short of 100 points (98) in his third OHL campaign, but he was entertaining every night for the Steelheads. Martone is a future top-six forward who can finish plays and play a physical game. Advertisement Also Read:: NHL Games Today: 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs Schedule, Dates, Times, and Results 5. Nashville Predators: Anton Frondell, C/RW (Djurgardens, Allsvenskan) Injuries derailed the early part of the season for Frondell, but he returned to finish with one of the most productive seasons by a U-18 player in Allsvenskan (second-tier Swedish league) history. Frondell is an intriguing prospect with experience down the middle and on the wing. He has a fantastic shot release and is improving at attacking the puck. Frondell established himself as a potential top-5 pick after making up for lost time. 6. Philadelphia Flyers: Victor Eklund, RW (Djurgardens, Allsvenskan) Eklund seemed to always be involved in the puck play at the World Juniors, when he had six points (two goals, four assists) in seven games for Sweden. Eklund makes things happen with the puck that very few can. He has decent strength for a 5-foot-11, 161-pound frame. Eklund needs work defensively, but it shouldn't keep him from playing high up in the lineup. His skating also continues to get better. 7. Boston Bruins: Caleb Desnoyers, C (Moncton Wildcats, QMJHL) Desnoyers is a safe bet to become a two-way, top-six forward. Though he's not huge (6-foot-2, 172 pounds), Desnoyers plays physically, and is one of the smarter centers in this draft with his playmaking ability. He might not be the flashiest, but Desnoyers' ability to stay calm under pressure is an intangible teams can win with at the NHL level. 8. Seattle Kraken: Jackson Smith, LHD (Tri-City Americans, WHL) Smith is considered by many to be the second-best defenseman in the draft. Smith has so many things going for him, not the least of which is being a physical 6-foot-3 defender who skates well with great mobility. 9. Buffalo Sabres: Jake O'Brien, C (Brantford Bulldogs, OHL) O'Brien has the skills to be an impressive center in the NHL. He fell just short of 100 points with 98, and showed steady improvement as the season wore on. He has the work ethic and ability to be effective in all three zones. Advertisement Also Read:: NHL free agency: Top forwards available in 2025, including Mitch Marner 10. Anaheim Ducks: Justin Carbonneau, RW (Blainville-Boisbriand Armada, QMJHL) Carbonneau's game should translate to the NHL given his high-end attributes. He's a great skater with an excellent shot release who loves to make big, flashy plays. His willingness to do whatever it takes to generate offense will pay off for NHL teams. 11. Pittsburgh Penguins: Roger McQueen, C (Brandon Wheat Kings, WHL) McQueen may be a risky pick given his small sample size — he played just 20 games between the regular season and playoffs. But McQueen was productive, physical, fast and has plenty of skill. He's also 6-foot-5, scouts like that. He can intimidate, shoot, and pass all in the same shift. McQueen's pure talent is undeniable, and his upside should overcome concerns about a recent back injury. 12. New York Rangers: Kashawn Aitcheson, LHD (Barrie Colts, OHL) Rangers general manager Chris Drury has an interesting decision to make with this pick. As a result of a trade to acquire J.T. Miller, the Rangers can either keep this selection and trade an unprotected 2026 first-round pick to the Penguins, or give them this pick and retain their own first-rounder next year. Advertisement If the Rangers choose to keep the 2025 first, they can look to restock the prospect pipeline and Aitcheson has the potential to be an intimidating force in the NHL. He gives opponents nothing to work with, and his physicality is the biggest attribute of his game. He's a brutal player who is willing to get involved with just about anyone, registering 88 penalty minutes in the regular season. For teams looking to get tougher to play against, Aitcheson's raw talent and pure tenacity will be tough to pass up. 13. Detroit Red WIngs: Radim Mrtka, RHD (Seattle Thunderbirds, WHL) Mrtka began the season in the top professional league in Czechia before moving to the WHL, ahead of the World Juniors. He's a big 6-foot-6 defenseman with mobility, offensive skill and other elements to make him an effective NHL blueliner. 14. Columbus Blue Jackets: Brady Martin, C (Soo Greyhounds, OHL) Martin's game transcends the score sheet, as his play away from the puck is a major asset. He hits everyone in sight, and battles hard for the puck, never giving up on a play. A gamer, a winning player. 15. Vancouver Canucks: Logan Hensler, RHD (University of Wisconsin, NCAA) Once projected to be a potential top-5 pick in this draft, Hensler apparently was passed by other top prospects this season. Scouts want to see more from the 6-foot-2 mobile blueliner. He has good reach and can rough up opponents, while being solid in his own zone. Hensler projects as a second-pairing defenseman at the NHL level who plays a safe game. He won't be confused for a puck-rushing offensive defenseman. 16. Montreal Canadiens (via Calgary Flames): Carter Bear, C/LW (Everett Silvertips, WHL) Bear was one of the CHL's most dangerous forwards this year, registering 40 goals, 82 points and 77 penalty minutes in 56 games. A top-notch athlete who is difficult to play against, a lacerated Achilles tendon sustaine din March could impact his draft status.
New York Times
07-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
What are the risks in taking Matthew Schaefer with NHL Draft's No. 1 pick?
Matthew Schaefer is the projected No. 1 pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. When healthy, he's an elite skating defenseman with size, offense, a high compete level and the potential to be a legit two-way No. 1 in the NHL. But the fact remains that Schaefer only played 17 OHL games this season. That's a real risk, and one the New York Islanders will have to weigh carefully after nabbing the top pick thanks to the lottery. Schaefer came into the year as a very highly regarded prospect. He was the top pick in his OHL Draft, had a good 16-year-old season in the OHL and played well for Canada at last spring's U18 World Championships. In the summer, he was considered among the best players for the upcoming draft, but he wasn't a consensus 1/1. Players such as James Hagens, Michael Misa and others were right in the conversation with him. Schaefer then dominated the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in August, wowing every major decision-maker in attendance with his all-around play. He missed the start of the OHL season afterward due to contracting mono. He was then the best player again at the CHL/NTDP series in November and was arguably Canada's best player at the World Juniors before breaking his clavicle in their second match. The body of work this season thus comprises 17 very good OHL games, in which he dominated often for Erie, and several standout international events. Still, 17 games is a thin foundation for a first-overall pick. Scouts mostly still rank Schaefer first, but several have expressed mild reservations about how little they saw him. There's no way to know how his full season would have played out. Maybe he would have dominated wire-to-wire, much like Misa did this year in the OHL, scoring over 60 goals in a monster draft season. Or maybe more games would have exposed areas of his game that didn't show up in short bursts. Some NHL scouts, for example, express mild reservations about how much offense Schaefer has and whether he's a true first power-play unit type in the NHL — although some scouts don't have that concern at all. It's worth noting that in his 16-year-old OHL season, Schaefer didn't produce at a major level offensively. Team executives picking at the top of the draft have enormous stakes, potentially their careers, tied to these decisions, so they want as much information as possible. However, there have been a few key instances in recent memory of a top-five pick not having an extended portfolio of games. Morgan Rielly (2012, 5th to Toronto) Rielly tore his ACL early in his draft year and played just 18 WHL games. Despite the small sample, scouts felt confident in his dynamic skating and puck-moving ability. That projection proved accurate: Rielly developed into a cornerstone defenseman for Toronto. Key difference: Despite then-Toronto GM Brian Burke's proclamation when he drafted Rielly that he was the best player in the 2012 draft, Rielly was never seriously in the mix for most scouts to be the top pick. That is a different level of stake than picking someone first or second overall. The isolated major injury is a very similar situation, though, especially given Rielly was a Canadian defenseman who had played well in international events. Alex Galchenyuk (2012, 3rd to Montreal) Galchenyuk missed nearly his entire draft season with a knee injury. He had a strong 16-year-old OHL season the year before and still showed enough skill post-injury to convince Montreal to pick him third. Early NHL flashes followed, including a 30-goal season, but he never fully developed. His skating/pace was an issue, as was his play without the puck. Key difference: Galchenyuk was a bet on earlier production and reputation. Schaefer, while also limited, dominated the major events this season when healthy, giving teams fresher, better evidence. Schaefer is also a superior athlete to Galchenyuk, even if his pure skill at the same age wasn't as flashy. Nolan Patrick (2017, 2nd to Philadelphia) Patrick entered his draft year as a projected top pick after dominant prior WHL seasons. However, sports hernia complications limited him to 33 games. He still went second overall, but recurring health issues and missed development time slowed and eventually derailed his NHL career. Key difference: Patrick's injury issues extended beyond the draft year and became chronic. There's no indication of a chronic problem with Schaefer. Teams were also somewhat wary of Patrick's game in his draft season. He had fallen off from a potential first-overall pick in the summer, and after playing 30 games, scouts weren't as sold on him, often ranking him 2-6. The extra games played is the above point reinforced; with more data, the better a team can feel about its evaluation. The 2021 draft The 2021 draft provides critical context on evaluating prospects through limited draft-year games. Owen Power, Matty Beniers and Kent Johnson all had their NCAA seasons at Michigan heavily shortened. Mason McTavish played limited games in Switzerland with the OHL season canceled. Luke Hughes missed significant U.S. NTDP time with injuries and COVID disruptions. Brandt Clarke spent his draft year playing overseas in Slovakia after the OHL shut down. Despite all of that, most of the top 5-8 picks from 2021 have developed into strong NHL players, or are well on their way. Power, Beniers, McTavish, Hughes and Johnson have already become major contributors in the NHL, and Clarke is on track. It seems teams were able to correctly identify the top talents in the age group despite limited draft season data. Schaefer's case isn't identical — COVID shutdowns are different from missing time due to injury — but he has a similar track record of performing at major moments and a clearly identifiable, unique toolkit in a similar way to Power, Beniers and McTavish in the 2021 draft. There's a lot to like — and a lot to bet on — with Schaefer. His combination of high-end skating, a strong compete level and great offensive skill/IQ reminds a lot of NHL scouts of Miro Heiskanen at the same age. My current comparison in the NHL is Ottawa's Jake Sanderson, but Heiskanen doesn't offend me as a potential outcome for Schaefer. We don't know how a full season would have played out — whether he would have dominated the OHL or whether weaknesses would have emerged over a full schedule. That unknown is a risk in his profile and should limit the amount of certainty evaluators have on the player when discussing his projection. History shows that elite talent can overcome limited draft-year games (Rielly, Power, Hughes) — but it also shows how missing large chunks of a critical development year can lead to real problems (Patrick) if the player isn't fully healthy or doesn't continue developing at the same pace. Schaefer is my, and many scouts', No. 1 prospect in this class. For some scouts, there is a major drop-off to the next-best player. For others, it's close, which I agree with. Misa is not that far off from Schaefer, and I could see a plausible case made for several other forwards. Schaefer remains the smart choice at No. 1. But it's a calculated gamble — one that demands a real belief in both his talent and the conflicting evidence in his body of work and his continued progression once he's finally playing a full schedule. (Photo: Dennis Pajot / Getty Images)
New York Times
04-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Charting Blake Fiddler's path from skates with his dad to the 2025 NHL Draft
FRISCO, Texas — Blake Fiddler is standing inside Comerica Center, a bronze medal around his neck, when he's asked how many times he guesses he has skated at this arena. 'Oof,' he says, shaking his head and chuckling, 'I don't know. It feels like thousands.' It's not the medal he came back home to get with Team USA, but he'll still remember these two weeks in Frisco. He'll remember playing tour guide and showing his teammates around the mall and the Cowboys' practice facility. He'll remember going to his mini golf spot with them. There were 150 people in attendance for him at USA's first game of the tournament. Advertisement 'It was pretty special to join this group of guys. It was super special to create a bond with them,' Fiddler said after defeating Slovakia in overtime of the bronze medal game. 'It wasn't the medal we wanted but I'm proud of our group for being resilient and battling some adversity. I think we deserved better in the semis against Sweden but that's how it goes sometimes. It doesn't always go your way, so I'm proud of the guys for battling back and at least getting a bronze. ' When it was over, Fiddler had led Team USA in average ice time for the tournament, playing 20:46 per game. He played 21:28 in the bronze medal game and scored the 1-0 goal. He finished plus-8, the Americans outscoring the opposition 17-9 with him on the ice at even strength for the tournament. It wasn't always a given that he'd play for Team USA, either. He won gold playing for Canada White at the 2023 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. But he made up his mind that he'd commit to USA Hockey when he captained Team USA at the 2023 U17 Five Nations tournament and the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. He was also invited to Team USA's selection camp for the 2025 World Juniors — the lone player on this U18 team who was. It won't be the last time he plays for Team USA, or the last time he skates at the Comerica Center. Asked when he'd be back, he laughed again. 'Definitely going to take a couple of weeks off but right after the combine I'll be right back out here,' he said. And then he'll be off to Los Angeles for the 2025 NHL Draft, where he could be a first-round pick. Vernon Fiddler is standing on the concourse at the Tribute Communities Center before puck drop on the second game of the inaugural CHL USA Prospects Challenge. He asks to move up a few steps so that he can see the ice, not wanting to miss Blake warming up. Vernon retired in 2017 after a 14-season NHL career. Blake was born in 2007, so he grew up around the dressing rooms of the Predators, Coyotes, Stars and Devils. Advertisement In the early days of his pro career in Nashville, before he and his wife, Chrissy, a yoga and fitness instructor, had Blake, Vernon remembers watching the team's veterans bring their kids around the rink and thinking 'This is something I want to do.' He remembers coming home from the rink one day and telling Chrissy, 'I want to start having kids and hopefully I can play long enough where they can follow me.' Some of Vernon's most cherished memories are from when he was with Phoenix from 2009-11, and a toddler Blake would come to morning skates and hang out with the trainers while he was on the ice. Once Blake was a little bigger, he remembers sitting in the cold tub in Dallas while Blake would sit nearby and go over the game sheet. 'What's this?' Blake would ask. 'What's this?' 'He really had no choice but to be a hockey player,' Vernon said, chuckling. He played most of his minor hockey in the Dallas area but Vernon didn't realize Blake had a future in the sport until he took a coaching job with the Kelowna Rockets and they moved back to Canada in 2020. Vernon is from Edmonton and played his junior for the Rockets, but Blake was born in Nashville and raised mostly in Dallas. During his two years as an assistant with the Rockets, Blake played at the Okanagan Hockey Academy and Vernon saw his passion and drive for the game blossom. 'His skill level was very good and he just needed to get stronger as a big lanky kid,' Vernon said. 'I knew then that if he continued to have as much passion as he did that with his skill level there was something there. And then I decided to get out of coaching and I wanted to really put all of our efforts into it and I sacrificed a little bit of my career to try to help him attain his goals and it has definitely helped and been working.' After leaving the Rockets, the Fiddlers returned to Dallas and Vernon started working as a skills coach with the top young players locally. In the offseason, he and Blake are on the ice together every day. Vernon credits Stars owner Tom Gaglardi and president and CEO Brad Alberts for supporting him and giving him the opportunity to skate players at the practice facility. Whenever he needs an hour of ice, he can message the rink manager and get it. Dallas has become home. Advertisement 'They want to have players come out of Dallas so they're really pushing it and I skate about 20 kids in the summer every day,' Vernon said. In those skates, Vernon goes from dad to coach. 'Blake knows when I'm on the ice that I'm an intense guy and it doesn't matter if it's him or if it's someone else, I'm pushing these boys as hard as they can go because we're seeing results out of it,' Vernon said. 'If I get on Blake, I get on Blake. And if I get on a different boy, it's the same thing. Everybody's equal out there. I'm a player's coach I'd like to call myself but I also know how to push buttons and I don't waste time because I want to push these boys in the right direction. So he knows. And if he barks at me, when we get home, it's over. There are times where I'm like 'I know I was hard on the boys today,' but they know it's coming from a good heart and I just want to see the best from them.' Those around Fiddler describe him as quiet but confident, religious, well-spoken and personable. He loves to play golf and pickleball. Oil Kings general manager Kirt Hill first met Fiddler when he was 14. Even back then, he was 'an extremely respectful young man,' according to Hill. At the time, Hill and the Oil Kings had the first pick in the WHL's U.S. draft. After getting to know him pretty well through the draft process, they felt he checked all of their character boxes with emphasis. 'He's got the habits, doing all the extra stuff before and after games and practices. The way he treats himself away from the rink with his sleep schedules, everything from that standpoint is dialed in. A lot of times when you get kids into organizations at 16, you've got to start them from scratch and get them into a routine every day. He certainly came with all of the routines and knows what it's going to have to take to make it in pro,' Hill said on a recent phone call. Advertisement Greg Moore, Team USA's head coach for the U18 Worlds, has only known him for a couple of weeks but was immediately impressed by how he engaged with him. 'He articulates himself well, he seems very self-aware as a person in general, and that's a really strong attribute that you don't always find in hockey players off the ice,' Moore said. 'I've watched him play not as his coach but now that I've had (a few) games with him under my belt, you can tell he's a naturally smart and gifted player and with his size, and frame, and pedigree he projects really well.' NHL Central Scouting have him listed at 6-foot-4 and 209 pounds. They ranked him 26th on their final list of North American skaters eligible for the draft. Their report reads as follows: 'A big offensive D that can skate and handle the puck with composure and confidence, capable to skate it up ice and make the play. Good agility, quickness and awareness to defeat forecheck pressure. Strong play along the offensive blue line with the ability to create his own passing and shooting lanes. Jumps down and makes plays in the offensive zone. Activates and joins the attack. Offence driving D. Reads the play well defensively, jumps lanes for interceptions and steps up at the right times. A leader on his club team. Excellent combination of size, skating, and skill who can play and contribute in all situations.' With the Oil Kings, Hill said his development has been significant over the last two years. As a rookie in the league, he registered 15 points in 63 games. This year, he registered 10 goals and 33 points in 64 games, which led all Oil Kings defensemen. He also went from playing 16-17 minutes per game to averaging more than 22. Because of his July 9 birthday, he's also on the younger side of the draft, giving him more runway to continue to develop. 'I think one of the biggest things over the last couple of years is how much he has continued to grow. I think when we first met him, he was 5-foot-11 and now he's 6-foot-4, and that's been a big transition over the last couple of seasons,' Hill said. 'And then obviously filling out physically and the amount of weight and mass he has put on. From an on-ice perspective, he's become so consistent. He had a pretty good season last year as a 16-year-old being put in a lot of situations at a young age but this year I certainly found that for a guy who was playing over 20 minutes a game that his consistency was off the charts.' Advertisement Though Hill said he doesn't necessarily project him as a power-play guy in the NHL, he said he might be able to grow into that role someday and that if you're projecting Fiddler you're projecting a player 'that is going to be able to play in the top two pairs and be a really good partner for somebody.' 'He's a very fluid skater and his puck-moving ability is extremely good too. He plays with a little bit of physicality in his game but his feet and his IQ in moving pucks is his strength. They're really good. He will still be able to provide you with some secondary offence. He thinks it well. He's got a pretty good shot in the o-zone. He has a little bit of an offensive mindset at times too,' Hill said. 'He's 6-4, he's a right-shot D man, which is extremely attractive to teams in the National Hockey League, but his ability to move the way he does at his size, I think is pretty special.' — With reporting in London and Oshawa, Ont. Top photo: Steven Ellis / Daily Faceoff
New York Times
27-04-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Why Adam Benák, one of the 2025 NHL Draft's smallest prospects, could defy his size
FRISCO, Texas — 'He's the smartest player I've ever coached.' 'One of the best skaters I've ever seen.' That's Ryan Ward talking, twice, about Adam Benák. Ward has been a head coach in the USHL with the Youngstown Phantoms, an assistant coach in the OHL with the Soo Greyhounds and a video coach in the NHL with the New York Islanders and Toronto Maple Leafs. Advertisement In Youngstown, he has coached Sascha Boumedienne, one of the best skaters in the 2025 NHL Draft, and previous draft picks such as Brandon Svoboda, Martin Misiak, William Whitelaw and James Fisher, each standout skaters in different ways. In Sault Ste. Marie, he coached first-rounders such as Morgan Frost, Rasmus Sandin and Barrett Hayton, each lauded for their smarts, as well as high-end skaters such as Mac Hollowell. But it's Benák, he'll say unequivocally, who is the smartest and fastest. It's also Benák who holds the Hlinka Gretzky Cup's all-time points record with 21 points in 10 games across two tournaments — two tournaments in which he led the Czechs to silver medals. It's also Benák who registered 14 points in 14 games at two U17 worlds. It's also Benák who, as a rookie with Youngstown in the USHL this season, registered 59 points in 56 games to lead the Phantoms in scoring by six points. He led all U18 skaters in league scoring, too. This week, at U18 worlds in Texas, it was Benák who showed up late to join the Czechs, played 23:44 shortly after landing, was immediately given a letter on his jersey and had primary assists on all three of Czechia's goals in a 4-3 overtime loss to Germany. On Saturday, he added a fourth primary point in two games when he ripped a shot under the bar from the right-wing faceoff circle on the power play to give the Czechs a 2-0 lead over Switzerland, and a fifth with a primary assist on the empty-netter that sealed it 4-2. Nekompromisní rána Adama Benáka znamená vedení o dvě branky! 🔥 🇨🇭⚔️🇨🇿 0:2#SUICZE #U18MensWorlds #narodnitym — Český hokej (@czehockey) April 26, 2025 But then there's this: 5-foot-7.25, 164 pounds. That's his listing with NHL Central Scouting, which ranked him 58th among North American skaters on its final list for the 2025 NHL Draft. And it makes him one of the most interesting and also difficult case studies in the class. That won't stop his believers from making his case, though. Ask Ward or Youngstown co-general managers Jason Deskins and Ryan Kosecki about Benák's size and they'll tell you why he's going to beat it. 'Just wait until he hits puberty. He's still a boy. People that look at his size should think twice. He's a special player. Just give him some time,' Ward said. 'He's an extraordinary hockey player. So competitive, so smart, unbelievable passer.' Advertisement Deskins refers to him as a 'bulldog.' 'He doesn't really care how big you are, he's going to play the same way all the time and he gives you second and third efforts and competes on pucks. And even when he gets knocked off pucks, he's going to work and keep going at it,' Deskins said. Kosecki, as he begins to make his case, says Benák's 'not afraid of guys.' 'He plays the body, he's physical, he can play wing or center. I know everyone wants big centers in the NHL right now so he'll probably have to play wing in the NHL, but IQ is the most important thing in hockey and he's got it coming out of his ears, and he's such a fun kid and he immerses himself in hockey, so for that I think he'll have tons of success,' Kosecki continued. In his introduction to Benák in exhibition games against the NTDP in September, Ward said he was 'dominant' and 'could've had nine points a game.' Deskins argues people don't realize how good the USHL is and how hard it is to be dominant as a 17-year-old, to strengthen Benák's case. 'I think people assume that it might not be what the CHL is and I can just tell you that this league is an absolute bear and it's really, really hard to score in, especially at a young age,' Deskins said. 'So I think sometimes these young kids come in and their expectations or somebody else's expectations from the outside might be that they're going to have 100 points and it just doesn't work that way. With Adam, the one thing that I've been really pleased with is just that he continually got better. Every single week, you look at him and he starts doing little things that you would hope for and taking steps.' When people ask Benák about his size and why he thinks he's going to make it in spite of it, he tells them the following: 'I think my work ethic is the biggest difference. I know I'm smaller, but you don't have to be the biggest guy if you're the hardest worker. So that's what I'm trying to do, and show people that size doesn't matter for me.' Advertisement He has made changes to his style of play this year to show them, too, making an effort to play a much more physical style than he used to. It's a style he said he has really enjoyed in North America. After what he said was an adjustment in the first half, he's really happy with the way he has played in the second half. And he'll always have the speed and the smarts to fall back on. He says both were developed by playing competitive soccer and floorball growing up. But the skating has also come from hard work. 'I was always smaller so I knew I needed to be fast to be faster than the bigger guys, and it's something that I've worked at every day of my life. I know I need to be faster than everyone if I want to play in the NHL,' Benák said. His impact on the Czech team was felt immediately, despite the travel day and a bit of jet lag. Jaroslav Nedved, Czechia's assistant coach, calls him 'one of the best players in his age group' regardless of country. 'He gives us speed, he gives us finesse, he sees the game,' Nedved said. 'He's a big part of our group. For us, he's the biggest impact on our game. With his speed and hockey IQ, he sees the game one step ahead of everybody else. He can skate one way to bring the defenceman in and then he can pass it or delay it and put it to the second wave. And he knows what's going to happen before everybody else knows. If he goes to the right or left side of the rink with the puck, it's for a reason. How do you say it in music? He's the conductor, or the orchestrator. He orchestrates his teammates.' Despite it all, scouts worry that the height will never come and wonder if he'll be able to play his style, however smart and fast and fearless, against NHLers if it doesn't. That even though, as Ward said, he's still a 'boy,' his dad Václav, a longtime pro defenseman in Czechia, is only 5-foot-9. Advertisement But his proponents disagree, or argue that even if it doesn't ever come that he's still a legit — if singular — NHL prospect. 'I don't even think he has scratched the surface, to be honest, with how good he can be,' Deskins said. 'And I think that you're starting to see it now, but it's only going to continue to grow as he keeps putting the work in, and he's a very hard worker, so I'm not concerned about that.'
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Mrtka, Novotny, Cihar Lead Czechs Into U-18 World Championship
Šimon Katolický, who is on this year's Czech U-18 team, scoring a goal against the USA in the final of the 2024 Youth Winter Olympics in Gangwon-do, Korea. © OIS/Joel Marklund-Imagn Images As the IIHF U-18 World Championship begins on Wednesday in Frisco and Allen, Tex., one of the medal contenders will be the Czechs, who began the U-18 season by losing 2-1 to Canada in a tightly contested Hlinka Gretzky Cup final in Edmonton. The Czechs' 25-man roster heading to Texas includes 18 members from that squad. That tournament Hlinka Gretzky Cup featured a massive performance by diminutive center Adam Benák, who produced 11 points in seven games. According to most sources, Benák will be picked late in the first round or in the second round of this year's draft – THN's Tony Ferrari has him ranked 30th. Advertisement Benák and Tomáš Poletín, the expected captain of this year's team, are the only returnees from last year's squad that lost in the quarterfinals in Finland. This team includes three players who were on the Czech team that won bronze at the World Junior Championship this past winter, including defenseman Radim Mrtka and forwards Vojtěch Čihař and Adam Novotný. Mrtka is projected to be a first-round pick this year while Čihař is the fourth-ranked European-based skater by NHL Central Scouting and could go in the second or third round. Novotný is one of six players that won't be eligible to be drafted until 2026 – the others are goaltender Tobiaš Trejbl, Lukáš Kachlíř, Šimon Katolický, Jakub Seidl and Vladimír Dravecký Jr. The latter player, who was born in the United States, made news last summer when he opted to play for Czechia – where he became a naturalized citizen – rather than Slovakia – the home of both his parents. Fifteen-year-old defenseman Lukáš Kachlíř isn't draft-eligible until 2027. Slovaks react to Vladimír Dravecký Jr playing for Czechia Slovaks react to Vladimír Dravecký Jr playing for Czechia When Advertisement Czechia announced its 24-man roster for this summer's Hlinka Gretzky Cup on Thursday, the player that received the most attention was 16-year-old Vladimír Dravecký Jr – a dual Czech-American citizen with Slovak parents who will be eligible for the 2026 NHL Entry Draft. Goaltenders (3): Michal Oršulák (Karlovy Vary), Tobias Trejbal (Litvínov), Ondřej Štěbeták (Portland, WHL). Defensemen (8): Lukáš Kachlíř, Jakub Seidl (both Liberec), Tomáš Malínek (Sparta Praha), Štěpán Černý (Hradec Králové), Tomáš Mikel (Cedar Rapids, USHL), Max Pšenička (Portland, WHL), Vladimír Dravecký Jr. (Rögle, SWE), Radim Mrtka (Seattle, WHL). Forwards (14): David Rozsíval (Liberec), David Krčál, Vít Macek (both Pardubice), Vojtěch Čihař (Karlovy Vary), Matouš Jan Kucharčík (Slavia Praha), Šimon Fasner (Vítkovice), Adam Novotný (Hradec Králové), Vít Záhejský (Kamloops, WHL), Dominik Pavlík (Moose Jaw, WHL), Tomáš Poletín (Pelicans Lahti, FIN), Matěj Mikeš (Rovaniemi, FIN), Matěj Pekař (Seattle, WHL), Šimon Katolický (Tappara Tampere, FIN), Adam Benák (Youngstown, USHL). Advertisement Reserves: Goaltenders: František Poletín (Pelicans Lahti, FIN). Defensemen: Jakub Winkelhöfer (Litvínov), Kryštof Dyk (Karlovy Vary), Jiří Kamas (Plzeň). Forwards: Jakub Lev (České Budějovice), Imrich Maxin (Mladá Boleslav), Artur Matějovský (Slavia Praha), Matyáš Úbl (Plzeň). Team Staff: Manager: Michal Vondrka. Head Coach: David Čermák. Assistant Coaches: Radek Bělohlav, Jaroslav Nedvěd. Goaltending Coach: Lukáš Mensator. Prospect Leaves Czechia for Seattle Thunderbirds Prospect Leaves Czechia for Seattle Thunderbirds Czech defenseman Radim Mrtka, 17, is leaving his hometown club Oceláři Třinec to join the Seattle Thunderbirds, with whom he has signed a scholarship and development agreement, the WHL club announced on Wednesday.
