Slovak Draft Update: Sinking Marcinko

The most coveted Slovak eligible for the 2006 draft is center Tomas Marcinko, however miseries have continued to plague him at the last three international tournaments. Splitting time between the Kosice seniors and juniors, the sizable pivot is scoring at a near point-per-game pace in the junior Extraleague, yet the stats are misleading in his case.

The main drawback that is pushing down his rating is the fact that Marcinko doesn't seem to give his best effort in junior games and hardly ever consistently hustles. He isn't the world's best skater and his unwillingness to keep his feet moving exposes his mobility deficiencies even more.

Also, though blessed with very good size, he barely makes use of his physical attributes and doesn't play a physically intimidating style. Marcinko hasn't suddenly lost his gifted passing touch or anything like that. He remains a talented playmaker. However, in many games, his passivity prevents him from becoming a primary offensive factor. One saving grace for Marcinko however is his strong defensive awareness which is still evident as he is a solid force in his own end.

In August, Marcinko turned down an offer to join the OHL's Barrie Colts in order to have a chance to play for the senior team, but saw only spot duty on the fourth unit as a defenseman. The senior team relies on the performance of veterans and, coupled with his uninspired showings in junior, Marcinko has effectively played himself out of first-round consideration so far.

The whole situation is reminiscent of 1982, when exactly the same lack of heart and determination was displayed by his father Miroslav, at the time was one of the most promising 18-year old offensive defenseman in the former Czechoslovakia. In the end, it prevented the elder Marcinko from achieving a possible star career.

Konecny Connecting

A player who has a slight shot at giving Marcinko a run as for the title of Top Slovak Forward in 2006 is left winger Rastislav Konecny.

Konecny said goodbye to his hometown Povazska Bystrica in the summer and moved southwest to Trnava for a chance to get a playing spot in the Slovak Div I senior league. The young franchise in Trnava declared their willingness to add youth to the senior lineup and, given his above-average showings in the junior Extraleague, Konecny established himself as one of the frontrunners for promotion.

He currently sits atop the scoring race of the junior team and in late September registered the first hattrick of his junior career in a game at Poprad. Konecny is progressing in terms of his success in the opposing slot as he plays a more physically assertive style than in previous seasons. Though not throwing thunderous hits on every shift, he is however playing where it hurts regularly.

Continued upgrades in balance have helped him become more effective in the corner battles and Konecny is also stronger on the puck. A diligent mucker, he is able to prepare solid scoring chances for his linemates and can also finish chances on his own. He returns back to his own end relatively often, but needs to improve on his reading of the developing plays while performing in the defensive zone.

Stagnate Biro

Konecny was accompanied in his move to Trnava by Marek Biro, the top Slovak 2006 eligible defenseman. A product of the Banska Bystrica team, Biro's reasons for leaving his hometown were exactly the same as Konecny's - he is eyeing a start on the Div I senior level.

Known for his very steady and reliable defensive play, however Biro's pro potential is limited by the fact that he has yet to elevate one of his intangibles to an elite level. As the opening six weeks of the junior Extraleague indicated, this task remains unfilled for Biro. He is able to work hard in his own end but is prone to occasional mistakes in one-on-one situations. Though he spots his man quickly and stays with him, he still could use more bulk to improve his effectiveness against bruising opponents.

On a positive note, he has made significant upgrades with the accuracy of his slapshot and remains a solid asset on the penalty killing units. However, his offensive potential remains hindered by a lack of a vision and creativity with the puck. Biro is unable to make quick creative decisions with the puck when pressed and it is becoming increasingly evident that he is likely to become a stay-at-homer on the senior level.

A good tournament on the international stage would help to boost his stock which is stagnating at this point.