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Trautner · 02-22-2019, 05:54 PM

2x double media on draftees

Czechia, Czechia (Czechia Gazette) -

The Czechoslovakian WJC team of Season 45 won the gold medal, featuring some new blood Czechians like defenseman Andrej Doskocil, David Vent, Michael Scarn, and Bernik Vrzala. I went and interviewed these gold medal champs as they entered the SHL draft following their successful SMJHL debut seasons. Although plenty of these Czechoslovakians were mocked to go in the first round. However, only one Czechoslovakian ended up getting selected in the first round. Let's break down each prospect with their strengths and weaknesses, their SMJHL stats, and their new homes in the SHL!

ANDREJ DOSKOCIL - D @Citizen of Adraa

#8 OVERALL, Rage

MANHATTAN RAGE

SMJHL Team: raiders

HALIFAX RAIDERS

SMJHL Stats: 50 GP, 1 G, 10 A, 11 P, -15 +/-, 92 HIT, 48 SB, 44 PIM

S45 WJC Stats: 18 GP, 1 G, 5 A, 6 P, -6 +/-, 27 HIT, 16 SB, 22 PIM

Andrej Doskocil was the first Czechoslovakian taken off the board, going to the Manhattan Rage in the first round. The Manhattan Rage

feature plenty of Czechoslovakian blood, including Alex Winters as well as newly acquired Luke Thomason and defenseman Tokek Takshak.

Doskocil had a solid season in Halifax although the team struggled as a whole. He was able to tally up a solid shots blocked count in the

WJC as well, but served an astounding 22 minutes in the penalty box as the Czechs were knocked out early in the tournament.

Quote:For me, being drafted 8th is quite a shock, I expected to go somewhere early 2nd round but supply and demand have been kind to me honestly. As for Manhattan, I like it there so far, and I know a bunch of people on the team already so that's really nice.

Doskocil continues a strong, growing legacy of Czech talent in Manhattan and should bring some much needed top talent

at defenseman down the road. Expect Doskocil to stay in the SMJHL this season.

MICHAEL SCARN - C @Trautner

#27 OVERALL, Jets

WINNIPEG JETS

SMJHL Team: Raptors

COLORADO RAPTORS

SMJHL Stats: 50 GP, 6 G, 13 A, 19 P, 10 +/-, 28 HIT, 2 SB, 10 PIM

S45 WJC Stats: 18 GP, 3 G, 5 A, 8 P, -4 +/-, 24 HIT, 1 SB, 2 PIM

The next Czechoslovakian player off the board was my very own Michael Scarn, who was widely mocked to go as a first rounder.

Unfortunately, Scarn fell down the draft boards on draft day as teams questioned his work ethic and dedication to the game.

His stats for Colorado this past season were also extremely underwhelming from a player and especially a forward concentrating

on goalscoring and creating opportunities to score. Expect Scarn to stay with Colorado and look to boost his numbers in the J.

BERNIK VRZALA - D @Off

#39 OVERALL, Dragons

CALGARY DRAGONS

SMJHL Team: Whalers

VANCOUVER WHALERS

SMJHL Stats: 50 GP, 0 G, 19 A, 19 P, -10 +/-, 23 HIT, 40 SB, 12 PIM

S45 WJC Stats: 18 GP, 0 G, 5 A, 5 P, 2 +/-, 15 HIT, 13 SB, 12 PIM

Bernik Vrzala is the next Czech player taken in the SHL Draft, in the mid 3rd round by the Calgary Dragons. Vrzala is another

defenseman for Czechoslovakia, and hails from Vancouver who also have a rich SMJHL history with Czechoslovakians.

Vrzala does not offer too much in the way of goalscoring, but he is a potent playmaker who can create opportunities on goal for

his teammates. Expect Vrzala to stay down in the J but be a possible call up next season for Calgary as they reload from expansion.

Quote:I kept my head out of the draft news as much as possible as to try not to set any unrealistic expectations. I was atleast hoping to geet drafted at around my draft number in the SMJHL, at 26th OA, as to show that I had not fallen behind my expectations from others. I love Calgary, although I know zero people in here, everyone is friendly and pretty outreaching in making me feel comfortable, despite going in there feeling the opposite.

I was approached by a few different teams, 3 in total, Calgary seemed the most interested. I was hyped up by Cal, and come draft day, my fellow czechs put me as one of the 3 guys they thought were going in the 1st round. Falling to 39th put a reality check on everything and now its time to get back into the grind.

PETR MIKULAK - RW @efiug

#55 OVERALL, Platoon

WEST KENDALL PLATOON

SMJHL Team: Whalers

VANCOUVER WHALERS

SMJHL Stats: 50 GP, 8 G, 6 A, 14 P, -21 +/-, 35 HIT, 3 SB, 19 PIM

S45 WJC Stats: 18 G, 3 G, 7 A, 10 P, 1 +/-, 21 HIT, 1 SB, 6 PIM

The next Czechoslovakian off the board came in the 4th round, as right winger Petr Mikulak was drafted by the West Kendall Platoon.

Mikulak hails from the Vancouver Whalers, demonstrating their long history with Czech prospects as well. Mikulak had a solid season

for the Whalers, but especially shone in the WJC. Mikulak racked up 10 points in just the 18 tournament games before medal round.

Expect Mikulak to build off this breakthrough performance and take his game in the J to the next level before joining the Platoon down the road.

DAVID VENT - D @ImShiny

#56 OVERALL, Rage

MANHATTAN RAGE

SMJHL Team: Knights

KELOWNA KNIGHTS

SMJHL Stats: 50 GP, 0 G, 4 A, 4 P, 6 +/-, 67 HIT, 42 SB, 88 PIM

S45 WJC Stats: 18 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 1 P, 9 +/-, 16 HIT, 11 SB, 8 PIM

David Vent is another defenseman for Czechoslovakia and came off the board in the very next pick to Manhattan. Once again,

Manhattan dipped into the young Czech prospect ranks and snagged Doskocil's national defense partner in Vent, setting up this partnership

to continue for seasons to come in IIHF and in the SHL. Vent had an extremely interesting season with Kelowna, racking up an astounding

88 minutes in the penalty box. He certainly stayed busy and ended up as a net positive on the ice for both his club and country.

Vent likely will need some extra time to develop on Kelowna unlike Doskocil, but expect the pair to be manning the defensive zone

for Manhattan for seasons to come once they both are up and ready to rock it in the big leagues.

Quote:I'm really excited to be on this new team. There's alot of guys here that I know and it makes the transition easier for me. I didn't know where I was gonna go. I was just hoping to be drafted into the big league. The team didn't contact me before the draft but I knew some of their players before hand like Alaska and Esso so i learned about their team through them.

Truly a terrific time to be a Czechian and although the WJC team is coming off a defeat, the youth of Czechia is soon going to be sweeping over the SHL. Already, I expect the SMJHL to be dominated by these names going forward and I am looking forward to what we can accomplish in the S46 WJC Tournament and the future in the IIHF!

DeletedAtUserRequest · 02-23-2019, 01:11 AM

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***luke*** · 02-23-2019, 01:12 AM

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