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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.