Filip Zadina (left) is one of the young stars the Czechs hope can bring a junor medal to the nation for the first time in more than 20 years.
photo: Matt Zambonin / HHOF-IIHF Images
When you think superpowers of hockey, the Czech Republic is on everyone’s list as a “top six” nation. It has the history – it was one of the founding members in 1908. It has the success – Olympic gold, many medals at the World Championship. It has the star players – from Hasek and Jagr to Ruzicka and Plekanec, and many more.
What is doesn’t have is success at the World Junior Championship. Shockingly, the Czechs haven’t won a medal of any sort since 2005, a bronze. The only other medals it has since 1994 are two gold, in 2000 and 2001, under coach Jaroslav Holik
In fact, the only time the team has made it as far as the bronze medal game in the last 20 years was last year, a 9-3 drubbing by the United States.
Despite that loss, there is optimism this year. Given that 2018 was the best result in 20 years, and seven players are back, it bodes well for a strong 2019.
What is doesn’t have is success at the World Junior Championship. Shockingly, the Czechs haven’t won a medal of any sort since 2005, a bronze. The only other medals it has since 1994 are two gold, in 2000 and 2001, under coach Jaroslav Holik
In fact, the only time the team has made it as far as the bronze medal game in the last 20 years was last year, a 9-3 drubbing by the United States.
Despite that loss, there is optimism this year. Given that 2018 was the best result in 20 years, and seven players are back, it bodes well for a strong 2019.
We have good players. I think we’re getting better again as a big hockey country.
“I think we have some good young players – like me, like Necas. We’re very good. We also have some good players 2000 born,” added forward Filip Zadina, a returnee who also played at the 2016 and 2017 U18 and was drafted a lofty 6th overall by Detroit last year.
Zadina suggests that the Czechs have long punched above their weight class, with so much success people tend to forget it’s a hockey mad country with only 11 million people.
“We’re a pretty small hockey country compared to Canada and the U.S.,” Zadina continued. “It’s pretty tough to choose our best players in the world. We maybe have one or two in the last ten years. It’s pretty tough. But we’re here with the best players we have now, and we’re trying to make some good results. It’s getting better, for sure.”
Teenage Czech players have long been Europe's most interested in moving to Canada to play junior hockey, something Zadina thinks can be both good or bad.
“It’s different for every player, but if he’s playing for a good team back in the Czech Republic, why not stay and play in the domestic league?” he suggested. “But if you’re not, you have to change anything, go to play in North America, dream to play in the NHL. It’s so different from player to player.”
Of course, moving or staying also affects coaching, and the North American influence in Europe is an important one, positive or negative.
“European coaches I think are always trying to learn from NHL coaches, from all over the world,” Zadina noted. “They might see something in a game in Detroit and then bring that to players back in the Czech Republic. If the coach wants to bring new experiences to the players, he’ll watch hockey from all over and try to use that to improve his team.”
Among the influences Zadina cites include Patrik Elias, one of the legends of the game who is currently an assistant coach to the junior team here in Vancouver.
“He’s a big part of the team and a huge player in Czech hockey,” Zadina enthused. “It’s great to have him on the bench. He had a huge career in the NHL, and now he’s trying to help us to make the same career he had. He’s helping with little things, on the power play, in the offensive zone. It’s a great thing for us.”
And with Zadina on the team, one of the best young players in the world, the Czechs are hoping to end a World Junior medal drought that is way longer than it should be for this great hockey nation.
Zadina suggests that the Czechs have long punched above their weight class, with so much success people tend to forget it’s a hockey mad country with only 11 million people.
“We’re a pretty small hockey country compared to Canada and the U.S.,” Zadina continued. “It’s pretty tough to choose our best players in the world. We maybe have one or two in the last ten years. It’s pretty tough. But we’re here with the best players we have now, and we’re trying to make some good results. It’s getting better, for sure.”
Teenage Czech players have long been Europe's most interested in moving to Canada to play junior hockey, something Zadina thinks can be both good or bad.
“It’s different for every player, but if he’s playing for a good team back in the Czech Republic, why not stay and play in the domestic league?” he suggested. “But if you’re not, you have to change anything, go to play in North America, dream to play in the NHL. It’s so different from player to player.”
Of course, moving or staying also affects coaching, and the North American influence in Europe is an important one, positive or negative.
“European coaches I think are always trying to learn from NHL coaches, from all over the world,” Zadina noted. “They might see something in a game in Detroit and then bring that to players back in the Czech Republic. If the coach wants to bring new experiences to the players, he’ll watch hockey from all over and try to use that to improve his team.”
Among the influences Zadina cites include Patrik Elias, one of the legends of the game who is currently an assistant coach to the junior team here in Vancouver.
“He’s a big part of the team and a huge player in Czech hockey,” Zadina enthused. “It’s great to have him on the bench. He had a huge career in the NHL, and now he’s trying to help us to make the same career he had. He’s helping with little things, on the power play, in the offensive zone. It’s a great thing for us.”
And with Zadina on the team, one of the best young players in the world, the Czechs are hoping to end a World Junior medal drought that is way longer than it should be for this great hockey nation.