WJC: No Gold in Czechs Sights

The break of centuries coincided with a highly successful period for Czech hockey on both senior and junior levels. Everything clicked with back-to-back gold medal performances in 2000 and 2001, respectively. However when the Czech Republic hosted the event in 2002 things went downhill, the beginning of a step back in what was three consecutive years of medal-less finishes for the country.

The Czechs reached the semi-finals last year in Halifax and expectations were high as the roster was full of mature 19-year old players. Hopes were dashed with a drubbing by Canada and subsequent loss in the bronze medal match.

This year's squad is not on par with favorites Canada and Russia in terms of depth. The strengths of this team are in goal and at forward, but everything will have to click in order for the Czechs to get back to the podium.

NET GIANT

Selecting a starting netminder was a no-brainer proposition for the coaching staff. Marek Schwarz is a veteran on the international stage and has already backstopped the Czechs at the previous World Junior tournament. This season he has had to deal with many changes, coming over to play in the WHL for the Vancouver Giants and is still making adjustments. Under the tutelage of ex-NHLer Bill Ranford Schwarz has been gradually finding his game in the months of November and December after a horrendous early start. Backup netminders Jakub Cech and Vladislav Koutsky will only see action if Schwarz is out with an injury.

The defense corps boast only one returnee from last year in Ladislav Smid. A top-ten selection in the NHL draft last year (Anaheim), Smid is one of the team's leaders and is the defensive anchor. An assistant captain for this year's squad, Smid regularly skates on the top defensive pair of Czech Extraleague's Liberec, alongside seasoned vet Valdemar Jirus and is progressing in terms of his composure and ability to join the rush. Besides seeing a lion's share of playing time in the Extraleague, Smid got valuable tips from locked-out NHLers [db]Jaroslav Modry[/db] and [db]Jiri Fischer[/db], which could be instrumental in paving an upward path in his development into a top-four NHL rearguard.

Interestingly the squad boasts only one more Czech-based defenseman with all others playing in the CHL. Ondrej Smach, from Znojmo, was a somewhat questionable inclusio as another pint-sized blueliner Lukas Pulpan, of Plzen, may have been of better use on the North American ice due to his one-year stint in the WHL and, just like Smach, has had a solid run on both the junior and senior levels this fall.

Giants Martin Tuma and Martin Lojek provide the Czechs with requisite size on the back end. A pleasant surprise could be Roman Polak of the Kootenay Ice who is having a solid rookie year in the WHL.

UP FRONT

The task for delivering character and leadership will lie on the broad shoulders of Florida Panthers' top prospect Rostislav Olesz. The assistant captain is the only team member with experience playing on the senior national team and is back for his second appearance at the World Juniors. Olesz will serve as a two-way force and will contribute as a point-getter and as a physical difference-maker.

Speedy Halifax Moosehead Petr Vrana was selected as the team's captain and will chip in with a bulk of goals as will the Ottawa 67's duo of Lukas Kaspar and Jakub Petruzalek along with David Krejci of the neighbouring Gatineau Olympiques. The strong chemistry between Kaspar and Petruzalek, going back to their days playing midget hockey, is a factor that will be taken into account by the coaches. Their line will be complete most likely along with former WHLer Michal Polak who has skated with them at Under-16 and Under-17 events.

SOME HEAD SCRATCHERS

Not all roster decisions pleased fans and critics. Everett Silvertips' Karel Hromas, a member of last year's Czech team, was left off the team - he is a combative, tough warrior. Saskatoon Blades' Zdenek Bahensky was a cut at camp and he would have provided a good combination of size and skill. These players were turned down in favour of older but considerably softer likes of Michal Borovansky and Roman Cervenka.

One of the more talented players at the event and a player to keep an eye on at the tournament is the ultra-talented winger Michael Frolik who will not get drafted by an NHL club until 2006. The smooth-skating forward starred on a line with Krejci last year on Kladno and has already made the jump to the Extraleague without significant adjustment pains. He will be in the running for the top overall selection in 2006 and will have much to prove at this tournament after his Under-18 WJC showing was cut short due to appendicitis.

The most notable omission from the Czech 2005 World Junior roster is Blackhawks' second rounder from 2004 Jakub Sindel. The lockout situation has not been kind to Sindel who was pushed off Sparta Praha's senior rosters in favour of NHLers Petr Nedved and David Vyborny. Sindel played at the Under-20 tournament last year but this season was dispatched out of Sparta on loan to Jihlava of Divison I after lighting up the juniors. It is likely that his level of competition had a role to play in coach's Alois Hadamczik's decision to leave him off the World Junior roster.