Out of the eleven young Slovaks drafted, only three go overseas
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In the past, the main attraction of our talents was the overseas junior competition. However, the situation is gradually changing. In the annual CHL Import Draft, where clubs select Europeans from the main Canadian juniors, this time they drafted eleven Slovaks. We reached out to each of them to find out their interest in operating overseas.
The junior girl no longer attracts young people, men are the priority
The Slovak team was not only in the NHL draft this year. The first pick of the CHL Import Draft was used by the Medicine Hat Tigers on Adam Sýkora. Before the NHL draft, the Nitra forward felt that his new club would send him to the WHL. “Rather, I think I would like to be in control, so to speak, in the Canadian junior. It will probably be this variant that goes to the WHL. That’s how it looks so far,” said Sýkora in an interview for our newspaper.
A lot has changed in the meantime. The native of Piešťany was chosen in the second round by the New York Rangers, and after a long consideration, they decided that the 17-year-old attacker would stay in Nitra.
“The New York Rangers told me they would be very happy for me to stay and play men’s hockey. I am very happy. There are great people there, great fans, I like them, and so does the team. I feel at home there, I’m glad that it’s cleared up like that. Nitra is also happy to have me there next year. They were very happy with this decision,” Sýkora smiled. He should get a decent space with the “corgons”. It is therefore unlikely that we will ever see an overseas junior.
NITRIAN TRINITY
In the Import Draft, the clubs selected three other youngsters from the Nitrian organization. Their situation is different. The fifth man of the draft Ondrej Molnár (Erie) should get an opportunity in the extra league. “I would like to stay in Nitra. They gave me good conditions, they want to help me just like before Šimon Nemec and Adam Sýkor,” the teenage representative was interviewed.
However, going overseas is not excluded. It will not be easy to prevail in the charged Nitrian attack. One of our biggest hopes for the 2023 NHL Draft needs to play first.
“Erie is a quality organization, they would definitely like me to come. They would help me. At the moment, I see the highest at 60 to 40 for Nitra, also because I didn’t have a good last season. I attributed the men’s starts at that time, but I expected more from myself. I would sum it up by saying that I have no reason to leave, but the overseas trip also makes sense for me.” concluded Molnár.
The couple Žigmund Zöld – František Ridzoň is already firmly decided that they have tried an overseas trip. Both will play in the QMJHL. “I judged from the signatures that it will be quite busy in Nitra. They were definitely interested in me staying and fighting, but I think there will be a lot of pressure. I want to confirm the journey of the Canadian junior,” Ridzoň told us.
For both young men, the CHL was a priority. “The agent mentioned interest from several clubs, even a few minutes before the proposal, but we decided on Val-d’Or. Immediately after the selection, the club management contacted me, we had a conference call with the manager and the coach. It was obvious that they know what type of hockey player I am, that I am expected to play a combined game and be productive in scoring. I will get enough space on the ice,” said Žigmund Zöld, who was chosen by Val-d’Or Foreurs from 12th place.
“The city lives with hockey, fans can already welcome positive news on the club’s website. I am looking forward to the new workplace.”
František Ridzoň is heading to the Québec Remparts. “We had already verbally agreed in advance that I was interested in me. During the draft, other cooperatives also called the agent. However, I basically prayed that I would choose Québec. I think it’s one of the best organizations in the league as far as the facilities and stuff.”
It is interesting that the coach of the Remparts is the legendary goalkeeper Patrick Roy. “I’m curious, it will definitely be a quality coach. He coached in the NHL and Colorado for a few years. We haven’t talked to each other yet, as it wasn’t sure if we’d stick with it,” remarked Ridzoň.
TRAINING WITH DIFFERENT PREFERENCES
Samuel Honzek after scoring a goal in the Michaloviec net
Source: HKDUKLA.SK/VLADIMÍR KOLÁČEK
Trenčín has a pair of drafted players, but their preferences are different. Defender Jakub Chromiak (8th place, Sudbury) clearly wants to stay in Dukla. “I’m glad you chose me. However, I would like to stay in Slovakia and fight for a place in Trenčín, as last season I managed to win several important matches and showed myself in a good light. Hopefully I can get high ice time,” confirmed the captain of the under-18 national team.
His older brother Martin also started in the A-teams of Dukla Trenčín, but during the draft season he transferred to Kingston. “I have watched a lot of matches from the Canadian junior competition, I know them very well. My brother confirmed that it is one of the good options, as they say. I am more in the light there than in Slovakia, but for now I see the way to continue in Trenčín,” added the younger Chromiak.
Striker Samuel Honzek played the entire last season in Dukla’s first season. He decided to go to the WHL, where he was selected by the Vancouver Giants (10th). “It was difficult. Both ways would give me something. Many small factors were also decided. In the end, we chose Canada. I’ve already finished a season of men’s hockey, maybe it would be good if I stayed, but the junior path will give me something else that the men’s league wouldn’t give me.” Honzek told us.
The next year will be a draft year for the junior representative. “It can help me in part, but they can look at me differently because I play in a junior league and not a men’s league. They drafted a bunch of American and Canadian guys from the junior leagues. I think that if I work on myself, I have a chance to get drafted. I’ll do anything for it.” he added.
SLOVAK WANTS TO GIVE CHANCES IN AZ
CHL clubs also chose two players from Slovan Bratislava. The reigning champion would like to give both of them an opportunity in the extra league. Alex Šotek already played it last year. “From the beginning, we told the clubs that there was very little chance that I would go to play in Canada, since I still have a contract with Slovan. I was surprised that they still chose me,” said Šotek, after which Hamilton intervened from the 58th place.
“After talking with the general manager, we decided that I will stay in Slovan. I communicated with Mr. Haščák and they want to work with me, so there is probably no chance that I would go to junior school.”
Slovan’s manager Oto Haščák also highly praised Roman Kukumberg. However, it is not clear whether the 17-year-old attacker will stay at that time. A departure to Chicoutimi Saguenéens, where Matej Kašlík previously worked, is also a possibility.
“I haven’t been in contact with Maťa yet, but I definitely plan to get in touch with him. So far, I have heard from the guys who hang out with him that he praised the club and that he was happy there. I don’t really know where I will play yet. Making a decision is always difficult, but I don’t have it all in my hands. Slovan is a quality team in which he made his mark, it was a success for me. Everything remains to be seen.” said Kukumberg.
MIŠIAK PROBABLY IN A YEAR
In addition to the number one, Slovakia also had a number two in the CHL Import Draft. Forward Martin Mišiak was chosen by the Saginaw Spirit. He will spend the next year in Nové Zámky. “I had already agreed with Nový Zámky before the draft that he would stay there for another season. I would like to spend it all in the Castles and play it as well as possible. I want to place well in the NHL draft and we’ll see what happens next,” said Mišiak in an interview for our daily.
Saginaw currently has two excellent foreigners at that time – Pavle Minťukov, who was chosen by Anaheim from the 10th place in the NHL draft, and Matyáš Šapovaliv (48th place, Vegas). However, it is not excluded that Mišiak will replace one of them in the 2023/24 season. “I think yes. Mainly because it was done so that I would have somewhere to go after the draft, maybe even overseas,” concluded Martin Mišiak.
HOW THE CHL IMPORT DRAFT WORKS
Unlike the traditional NHL entry draft, clubs do not select players purely based on quality and potential. The CHL Import Draft is usually a player-club agreement. CHL teams have a limit of two Europeans on the team, so they mainly choose players that they think will go to their team. However, it is not an exception that they do not succeed, see the last proposal.
THE SWEDISH PAIR REMAINS
They also drafted Alex Čiernik (31st place, Lethbridge) and Dalibor Dvorský (68th place, Sudbury) to the CHL. However, both hopes for next year remained in Sweden. “I’ve gotten used to it, I’m at home there. I didn’t even know I was going to be drafted. I will continue to concentrate only on Sweden. The hockey there is very high quality. At the recent NHL draft, three of my friends were selected in the top twenty,” said Černik.
“The agent told me that other teams were interested in me, but since I already signed a contract with AIK in February, I informed them that the priority is Sweden. but to say that I was very pleased that Sudbury must be very interested in me, that they chose me,” said Dvorský.
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