Czech Selects go ‘from worst to first’ in impressive playoff turnaround

In one of the more stunning outcomes in World Selects Invitationals history, the Czech Selects shocked the girls youth hockey world last week, winning the 14U championship. 

After the conclusion of pool play, the Czechs were fifth out of six teams in the standings, and it’s only regulation win was over the sixth-seeded Alps Selects. When the elimination rounds began, the Czechs needed a 2-0 win over Germany Selects in the quarterfinals. That win gave them a rematch with top-seeded Sweden Selects; a team that had beaten them 4-1 just three days earlier. The Swedes had dominated their way to the top spot, out-scoring opponents 26-3 in round-robin action. 

It was a tough semifinal, but a pair of goals from Alena Luxemburgová would change the tides in the rematch. That early offensive surge helped the Czechs knock off the No. 1 team 3-1 and advance to the gold medal game.

The stage was set for the Czechs to take on the No. 2-seeded Finland Selects; another team they lost to earlier in the tournament. Again, this rematch would be all about the Czechs as Merkéta Kafková scored four goals to lead the team to a 6-1 victory and WSI championship.

A pair of Finns Yenna Kolmonen and Julia Kuhta led round-robin action in scoring with 12 points and 10 points respectively. Eventual champion Aneta Florýková also had 10 points. Goaltender Wilma Hallbeck played 139 minutes of scoreless hockey and didn’t allow a single goal against until playoffs. France Selects Lysa Nogaretto had a .914 save percentage, stopping 53-of-58 shots.

It’s just the second time that the Czech Selects have won a girls WSI event and the first time since 2015. This tournament in particular is a unique accomplishment after the WSI had been on pause for the past two years. Circumstances surrounding COVID-19 and international travel had made such events virtually impossible to operate. However, in 2022, the situation was such that several European countries were able to travel in some capacity and the six-team event was able to go off without a hitch. 

The early success of this event — and the 12U Boys Elite event — is an encouraging step back towards normalcy regarding WSI. The World Selects Trophy in Nashville will feature 30 teams from eight different countries next week as well. Coupling all that together with the remaining slate of WSI events this month, and it adds up to a lot of progress for a series that was on hold for the better part of 24 months. After a full slate of tournaments this spring, the goal for 2023 will certainly be to have a full slate of teams in the competition, and the return of North American programs in European events.

Want more coverage of the World Selects Invitationals this spring? There’s seven events over the next two weeks, and WHH will have exclusive coverage of the top teams, players and champions. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and YouTube for the last news!

More From The World Hockey Hub

• 
  Top Prospects from five birth years set for Sixty Hockey Camp
  More than 300 youth players set for New England’s premier development camp
• 
  New Hampshire Continues to Build Resume in New England
  Four states compete for New England hockey bragging rights 
• 
  Incredible Offenses on Display at World Youth Championships
  Bobby Spang, Brody Antignani, Oliver Ozogany put up huge numbers at tournament
• 
  WYC Check In: Max Prudovsky Putting Up the Points
  ‘11 forward leads tournament in points, goals heading into playoff round

WSI returns to Europe after two-year hiatus; Six countries clash in Prague

Some of the top 2010-born European hockey players in the world gathered in Czechia last week for the 10U World Selects Invitational, and they put on quite a show.

The hometown Czech Knights ended up prevailing in the European showcase that featured teams from Czechia, Slovakia, Latvia, Sweden, Finland and the Alps. 

In the final, the Knights topped the Slovakia Kings 4-1 to capture the title inside the Letnany Ice Arena in Prague.

The win capped off a perfect week for the Czech club, as they posted a 5-0 record in the preliminary round before rolling through the playoffs, as well.

To start, they beat the Latvia Selects 5-0 Tuesday morning, before beating the Alps Selects 7-1 later in the day. On Wednesday, they took down the Slovakia Kings 4-1 and the Sweden Selects 2-1, before wrapping up the prelims with a 7-1 win over the Finland Selects on Thursday.

That earned the Knights a bye to the semifinals, where they took on the winner of the Sweden Selects vs. Alps Selects quarters. Sweden beat the Alps club 14-1, but their scoring streak ran out when they took on the Czechs, as the Knights picked up a 4-0 shutout victory. 

The Czechs wrapped things up Friday evening with the aforementioned 4-1 win over Slovakia in the final. The Knights scored four goals in the first period to take control of the contest and coast to victory in their rematch with the Slovakian club. The Slovakia Kings were undefeated in all of the other contests they played in, finishing with a 5-2 record on the week.

Czechia’s representatives thrived on their home ice, as they out-scored the competition 33-5 in their seven games. Nobody managed to score more than a single goal on them during the duration of the tournament.

Czechia’s Matyas Vik led the tournament and the Knights in scoring during the five-game preliminary round, as he racked up nine points over the five contests. Vik found the scoresheet in every game but the final, showing a consistent presence for his club each and every contest. His nine-point mark was matched by Slovakia’s Simon Sisik, who had four goals and five assists for the runners-up.

Oliver Hammerman of the Sweden Selects finished with eight points, one point off the tournament lead. Even more impressive than his eight points in five games was his eight points in two games in the playoffs, as Hammerman did everything he could to help his Swedes in the elimination rounds.

Two of the Knights — Niko Fatyka and Marek Sedlacek — both had eight points in the prelims, while Tomas Albrecht had six, and Adam Novotny had five.

In the playoffs, David Jahn and Niko Fatyka both had three points apiece, while a total of nine different Knights found their way to the scoresheet over the two games.

Tobias Orechvsky and Tomas Zmitko split time between the pipes for the Czechs; in the preliminary round, Orechovsky posted a .966 save percentage with only one goal against, while Zmitko finished with a .903 save percentage and only three goals against. 

In the playoffs, Orechovsky saw 60 minutes of action between the pipes, stopping all 11 shots sent his way for a perfect 1.00 save percentage and 0.00 goals-against average. Zmitko only needed to make five saves on the six shots sent his way during his 20 minutes of postseason action; he finishes with a .833 save percentage and 2.00 goals-against average. 

Slovakia’s David Brucek deserves some high praise as well – the Kings’ goaltender played every minute of the preliminary round and stood on his head while doing so. Brucek finished with a 1.40 goals-against average and .933 save percentage while allowing only seven goals in the five games. He faced 105 shots on goal in the timeframe.

Want more coverage of the World Selects Invitationals this spring? There’s seven events over the next two weeks, and WHH will have exclusive coverage of the top teams, players and champions. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and YouTube for the last news!

More From The World Hockey Hub

• 
  Top Prospects from five birth years set for Sixty Hockey Camp
  More than 300 youth players set for New England’s premier development camp
• 
  New Hampshire Continues to Build Resume in New England
  Four states compete for New England hockey bragging rights 
• 
  Incredible Offenses on Display at World Youth Championships
  Bobby Spang, Brody Antignani, Oliver Ozogany put up huge numbers at tournament
• 
  WYC Check In: Max Prudovsky Putting Up the Points
  ‘11 forward leads tournament in points, goals heading into playoff round

2007 team led by WSI tournament veteran and top scorer

The Alps region — Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Slovenia and Switzerland — has been represented in some capacity at the World Selects tournaments each year since the ‘96 Austrian national team debuted at the 14U event in 2010. Since then, such programs as the German Eagles, Tyrol Selects, Swiss Selects and most recently, Alps Selects have taken turns carrying the torch for this sneaky good hockey hotbed. Not to mention that Bolzano, Italy, and Chamonix, France — two of the tournament’s primary host cities — are nestled in the Alps Mountains.

An area of the world that’s seen an impressive boom in terms of hockey, the Alps region has produced NHL superstars like Leon Draisaitl and Roman Josi in recent memory. In the last few years, Alps Selects has seen the likes of CHL imports Lorenzo Canonica and Attilio Biasca, as well as 2021 NHL Draft pick Brian Zanetti and 2022 NHL Draft prospect Tommaso De Luca.

This year’s squad will bring some of the best ‘07s from the region, including Bern, Switzerland, native Florian Schenk.

Schenk was Alps Selects’ leading scorer at the 12U WSI three years ago in Bolzano. He scored six goals and eight points in six tournament games, and will be leaned on heavily to produce again at the 15U tournament on May 11th. He’ll be joined by Czech native Matej Pekar, who scored 12 goals and 18 points in 10 games this winter playing on Ambri-Piotta’s U17 team. 

The tandem of Schenk and Pekar could skate with any top line in the tournament. Will Alps Selects have enough depth to make it out of pool play and advance to the elimination rounds? The last time they competed in the 15U tournament, Alps was one of 16 teams to qualify for the playoffs before being eliminated by silver medalist East Coast Selects-O.

World Hockey Hub will have exclusive coverage leading up to, and throughout, the 2022 15U World Selects Trophy. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and YouTube for previews, updates, top prospects, highlights, interviews and more!

More From The World Hockey Hub

• 
  Top Prospects from five birth years set for Sixty Hockey Camp
  More than 300 youth players set for New England’s premier development camp
• 
  New Hampshire Continues to Build Resume in New England
  Four states compete for New England hockey bragging rights 
• 
  Incredible Offenses on Display at World Youth Championships
  Bobby Spang, Brody Antignani, Oliver Ozogany put up huge numbers at tournament
• 
  WYC Check In: Max Prudovsky Putting Up the Points
  ‘11 forward leads tournament in points, goals heading into playoff round

All 11 World Selects Tournament Dates, Locations And More This Spring

Known globally as the premier international event in youth hockey, the World Selects Invitational (WSI) tournament series is slated to begin April 12th, and returns with high expectations for all 11 events scheduled for the 2022 spring season. From 18U girls to 2010-born boys, the mountains of Chamonix to the honky tonks of Nashville, the lineup of events is second to none for this world-class spectacle. For five consecutive weeks, elite youth hockey athletes of various age groups and genders will compete in exotic cities in the ultimate clash of culture and competition.

14U Girls Elite in Chamonix, France
April 12 – 16, 2022

Some of the best amateur girls hockey players on the planet will be in the resort area where France, Switzerland and Italy all come together in the heart of Europe. Near the base of Mont Blanc — the highest summit in the Alps — the only thing more unique than the scenic landscape is the backdrop at the Courmayeur Ice Rink. This event is typically the first opportunity for girls athletes to experience the WSI; a starting point for future events and locations in the years that follow.

15U Girls Elite in Chamonix, France
April 19 – 23, 2022

Less than 48 hours after the 14U girls vacate the rink, hotels, local shops and restaurants, the 15U girls pick up right where their younger counterparts leave off. More exciting action, more sight-seeing and another world champion crowned after the older girls take their turn on the ice. Current NCAA standout and Canadian native, Katie Chan holds the all-time tournament scoring record with 23; a mark that hasn’t been touched since 2015. 

12U Boys Elite in Bolzano, Italy
April 26 – 30, 2022

A team from Canada or Russia has accounted for each of the last five 12U Elite championships. The best boys from the 2010-birth year and below will take to the ice in the South Tyrol city of Bolzano. PalaOnda Ice Arena has hosted several WSIs in previous years, and will do so once again with teams from around the world expected to be in attendance. In 2016, Matthew Savoie (28), Ivan Miroshnichenko (27) and Shane Wright (22) finished one, two and three in scoring in what proved to be one of the highest-scoring events in the tournaments’ history. Six years later, that trio of names is slated to be high first-round picks in this summer’s NHL Draft. 

14U Boys Elite in Bolzano, Italy
May 3 – 7, 2022

The boys go back-to-back in Bolzano, with the 14U Elites stepping in the very next week. The 2008s were supposed to make their WSI debut in the spring of 2020, before COVID-19 shut down — or restricted — international travel for the next 18 months. So two years later, the world will get its first look at top-level 14U talent. The past five teams to win the 14U tournament have come from five different countries: East Coast Selects (USA), DraftDay (CAN), RUSS Moscow (RUS), Finland Selects (FIN) and Czech Selects (CZE). The 2022 event is anyone’s to win.

2009 Boys AAA in Chamonix, France
May 4 – 7, 2022

The AAA series of WSI tournaments is unique, in that it works similar to that of relegation and promotion in soccer leagues. If a team wins the AAA tournament, they could find themselves competing in the elite event the following season. It’s a way for any AAA-level player to enjoy the same experience as the elite events, while potentially earning a spot in the following season’s premier field of teams. One of four WSI events — joining 14U and 15U girls, and 13U boys elite — slated to be in Chamonix, it is the most WSI tournaments hosted in one location in a single season.

2010 Boys AAA in Prague, Czech Republic
May 4 – 7, 2022

The first event of the spring in the city of Prague, this field of teams will have a heavy European contingent. In fact, it will be the most diverse group out of all WSI events with representatives from Alps, Austria, Czech, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Poland, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden and Ukraine. The week will be filled with the beautiful sights of medieval castles and gothic cathedrals, as well as an competitive champion looking to climb the WSI ladder to greater heights in the years to come.

15U Boys Elite in Nashville, Tennessee, USA
May 10 – 15, 2022

DraftDay is the reigning, defending, two-time champion of the 15U Elite tournament. The event moved to the Music City for the first time last summer, and will return again this May. The best 2007-born athletes on the planet will be on-hand to compete for the world championship in one of the most highly-scouted events of the summer. Mitch Marner, Mikko Rantanen, Adam Fox, Andrei Svechnikov, Miro Heiskanen, Moritz Seider, Trevor Zegras… More than 400 current, former, and soon-to-be NHL players first competed in this very tournament. Get your first look at the next wave of elite hockey talent right here.

13U Boys Elite in Chamonix, France
May 10 – 14, 2022

Running parallel to the ‘07s, the best ‘09s will be competing at the same time, just on the other end of the globe. With great coordination, the team at World Hockey Group is able to plan and execute multiple events in multiple countries, seamlessly. European teams have won three of the last four 13U world championships, and will once again feature a heavy contingent of nearby teams. Belarus, Czech, Finland, Latvia, Russia, Slovakia and Sweden are expected to be represented, among others. A 13-year-old Connor Bedard once led this tournament in scoring with 32 points in seven games and didn’t win the championship. 

2008 Boys AAA in Prague, Czech Republic
May 11 – 14, 2022

The last boys event in Europe for 2022, it will run concurrently to the 13U Elite event which will be happening less than 1,000 kilometers away from each other. The Letňany Ice Rink has been home to several WSI champions in years past, and 12 teams will have a shot at being the next to do so in 2022. “The City of A Hundred Spires” has breath-taking sight lines of old architecture and beautiful bridges that span across the Vltava River. The boys’ European finale should feature plenty of fireworks with teams from as many as 11 different countries.

16U Boys Elite in Boston, Massachusetts, USA
May 26 – 30, 2022

The United States Hockey League (USHL) Draft and Ontario Hockey League (OHL) Priority Selection are slated to take place just days before this event. Many of the 2006-born participants in this tournament will be fresh off having their names called in one or both leagues, and should be one of the biggest events of the summer for the age group. Hosted in the heart of college hockey country, it’s an easy destination for nearby scouts to get to, with more than a dozen Division-I universities within an hour drive of the venue.

18U Girls Elite in Prague, Czech Republic
July 27 – 30, 2022

The finale of the World Selects tournament series, the oldest age group of girls has closed things out as the final event of the season for the last several years. Hosted in one of the most historic and colorful cities in Europe, Prague is filled with old architecture, beautiful scenery and excellent hockey at the nearby ice arena. Typically one of the smaller fields of teams, the 18U group only consists of eight-to-ten teams, providing for a very intimate and exclusive experience for participating players.

World Hockey Hub will have exclusive coverage of all the action, highlights, recaps, top performers and more from all 11 World Selects events. Be sure to follow WHH on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and YouTube for the latest regarding WSI, and learn more to get involved in future events.

More From The World Hockey Hub

• 
  Top Prospects from five birth years set for Sixty Hockey Camp
  More than 300 youth players set for New England’s premier development camp
• 
  New Hampshire Continues to Build Resume in New England
  Four states compete for New England hockey bragging rights 
• 
  Incredible Offenses on Display at World Youth Championships
  Bobby Spang, Brody Antignani, Oliver Ozogany put up huge numbers at tournament
• 
  WYC Check In: Max Prudovsky Putting Up the Points
  ‘11 forward leads tournament in points, goals heading into playoff round

Top Youth Hockey Players In The Alps Region of Central Europe

The National Hockey League is composed of the best hockey players on the planet. There are nearly 800 athletes from 21 different countries competing in the 2021 season. The world of youth hockey is a reflection of the professional landscape, I mean after all, even Connor McDavid got his start playing Mite hockey somewhere.

Youth hockey is filled with top talent from a wide range of countries and regions across the globe, and the team at World Hockey Hub is watching closely. We are constantly looking to identify the biggest up-and-coming names in the sport. Want to catch your first glimpse of a soon-to-be household name? Watch U15 highlights of a future first-round draft pick? Check out a team with a fistful of future pros on the roster? WHH features the absolute best in youth hockey today.

Native region of Swiss defenseman Roman Josi and French forward Alexandre Texier, The Alps has quietly produced 17 players currently rostered in the NHL this season. It spans from eastern France through Switzerland and the northern part of Italy, and into Austria. 

Not typically considered a hotbed, yet some of the best athletes in youth hockey regularly frequent the region for the most competitive international tournaments in existence. Chamonix, France, and Bolzano, Italy, have served as host cities of the U12, U13 and U14 World Selects Trophy (WST) tournament series for nearly a decade.

The team at WHH has identified some of the top players in the region at the 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007 age groups.

2004s

ALESSIO BEGLIERI: A goaltender out of Biel-Bienne, Switzerland, Beglieri currently plays U20-Elite in the Swiss League. He has represented Team Swiss on three different occasions, twice for the U16 team at World Juniors and the Youth Olympic Games as well as the U17 team at World Juniors. 

TOMMASO De LUCA: He’s a 5-foot-11 forward out of Aosta, Italy, whose spent the last five seasons playing in Swiss leagues. In 33 games for Ambri-Piotta U20, De Luca has 12 goals and 23 points.

2005s

DAMIAN CLARA: A native of Brunico, Italy, Clara is a big goaltender who takes up a lot of net. At 6-foot-5 and 190 pounds, he’s spent the 2020-21 season split between U18 RB Hockey Academy and U20 EC Salzburg in Austria. 

TOMMASO MADASCHI: Currently playing for U17 Biel-Bienne Madaschi is a native of Torino, Italy. In his first full season of junior hockey, he has scored five goals and six points in 12 games.

COLIN LINDEMANN: The 15-year-old left-hander played a portion of the 2020-21 season in Sweden while skating for Leksands IF. Currently with Zug U17 in Switzerland, Lindemann has scored a total of seven goals and 11 points in 14 games this season.

2006s

WILLIAM RAIS: A 14-year-old currently playing junior hockey for ZSC U17s in the Elite League, Rais is one of the top young prospects in all of Switzerland.

JUAN-ESTEBAN BARRAUD: Also playing at the U17 level, Barraud has scored seven goals and nine points in 26 games this season. The lone defenseman on the list for his play-making ability and puck skills.

2007s

FLORIAN SCHENK: In his first season at the U15 level, Schenk scored 14 goals and 24 points in 26 games. He’s competed on an international level at both the 2019 WST and the Pee-Wee Quebec in ‘19 and ‘20. Schenk led his team in scoring in all three tournament appearances.

JEREMIAH MUNDY: He’s young at just 13-years-old, but Mundy is already 6-foot and competing at the U17-Elite level for Davos in Switzerland. He has plenty of intangibles to develop into a dominant forward.

JUSTIN ALLAIRE: A one-time teammate of both Schenk and Mundy at the 2019 U12 WST for Alps Selects, Allaire is a great contributor offensively. From Bern, Switzerland, he will certainly be one to keep in mind as this birth year climbs through the youth hockey ranks.

Think we missed a premiere player from the Alps Region? Connect with WHH and let us know! Fill out the form below to get prospects on our radar and follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube to see upcoming highlights from the world of youth hockey.

GET ON OUR RADAR