Featured Article
Offseason moves of Czech junior national team players
Written by: Robert Neuhauser on 09/05/2004 
1987 born
Petr Skatula
Position: left wing
Birthdate: February 3rd, 1987
Birthplace: Havirov, Czech Republic
Height: 6'0
Weight: 172 lbs.
Shoots: L
Move: HC Havirov Panthers Jr. to HC Ocelari Trinec Jr.
The diligent forward Petr Skatula joined the prospect pipeline of the Trinec team after performing for the Havirov juniors last season. Skatula burst onto the international stage during the previous season and this move helps him to hone his skills in the system of one of the better Czech developmental systems and also possibly see some practice time with the senior team and learn from the experienced Extraleague vets.
Petr Skatula is a decent skater with quick acceleration, but doesn't have the extra gear which would help him to outskate the opposition more effortlessly. He displays a solid agility to go along with only adequate balance on his skates. Skatula is a player who makes up for his average skill set with his strong attitude and determination. He doesn't tend to take shifts off and fills the role of the depth player well. Skatula returns to his own zone to help out the defense and is willing to dig for the pucks in the corners. He possesses only average hands and isn't making many nifty stick moves. He tends to use his wrist or snap shot more than the slap shot, which needs to upgrade on accuracy. His frame doesn't enable him to emerge as a physical menace, but Skatula isn't shy of sticking his nose into traffic. Petr Skatula is only a marginal prospect for the NHL draft, but could eventually make his living with playing in Europe.
1988 borns
Jiri Suchy
Position: defenseman
Birthdate: January 3rd, 1988
Birthplace: Opava, Czech Republic
Height: 5'10
Weight: 182 lbs.
Shoots: L
Move: HC Ceske Budejovice Jr. to HC Rabat Kladno Jr.
The journeyman defenseman continued his trend of changing a team every year and joined his fourth team in four seasons. The native of Opava already performed for the midget teams of Opava, Trinec and Ceske Budejovice, where he had a cup of coffee in the junior Extraleague last year. He joins the well-stocked junior team of Kladno, the junior Extraleague defending champions. The Kladno juniors had an influx of youth this offseason and will be relying heavily on the performance of less experienced, but skilled players.
Jiri Suchy is a well-balanced skater who takes advantage of his above-average lower-body strength. He is tough to get knocked off the skates and possesses a solid straightaway speed and acceleration. Suchy has a decent lateral movement, but still could improve in this asset. Suchy is an offensive-minded rearguard who likes to support the offense and jump into the play. He is a crafty puckhandler with soft hands for a blueliner. He makes accurate tape-on-tape passes even on a long distance, but is prone to the odd bad decision with the puck, which leads to turnovers. He fires hard blasts from the point, but accuracy is still an issue here. Suchy is blessed with a stocky frame and he isn't afraid of using it along the boards. He could clear the crease with a bigger determination, though. Suchy's defensive zone coverage needs more improving, too, as he tends to think about offense sometimes too much.
Radek Meidl
Position: center
Birthdate: November 25th, 1988
Birthplace: Prostejov, Czech Republic
Height: 5'11
Weight: 172 lbs.
Shoots: L
Move: HC Minor Prerov midgets to HC Sparta Praha midgets
The younger brother of Nashville Predators prospect Vaclav Meidl is moving to the country's capital after playing the 2003-04 season as an alternate captain of the Prerov midget team. Meidl joins his third team in three years, the native of Prostejov, Czech Republic, played nine years for his hometown squad before moving to Prerov for one year. The move to Sparta is arranged by his agent Jaromir Henys, who has a tendency to provide the most talented players represented by him with an opportunity to play in the system of Sparta Praha.
Radek Meidl is a fairly good skater with strong agility and footspeed. He could use a more effective stride, which would enable him to hit top speed quicker and outskate the opposition more effortlessly. He also needs to further upgrade his balance and gain more lower-body strength. Meidl is an above-average puckhandler who can dangle the puck through traffic, but could use more vision and hockey sense in his play. He unleashes an accurate wrist shot with a quick release, but needs to use his slap shot to a bigger extent. Meidl doesn't back down from the physical play and sticks his nose into tight corner battles. He is raw in his defensive awareness, Meidl returns to his own zone but has to work on his positioning and marking of his man. Meidl could use better faceoff skills, he is only average in this asset.
Copyright 2004 Hockey’s Future. Do not reprint or otherwise duplicate without permission of the editorial staff.
HF Quick Navigation
