Slovakia will bring a squad full of youngsters from the Slovakian pro hockey league when it begins the 2017 World Junior Championship in Toronto, Canada, next week.
2017 World Juniors: Blackhawks, Rangers prospects highlight Slovakia’s final roster
Slovakia looks to rebound from a disappointing 2016 showing.
Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images
Team Slovakia joined Russia and Finland in trimming their World Juniors roster to the maximum size of 23 players on Friday. Slovakia didn’t name a captain, but it’s a safe bet that returning alternate captain Erik Cernak will end up with the “C” on his chest when the tournament begins.
Cernak, a Los Angeles Kings prospect, is one of four NHL draftees on the Slovakian roster. He’s joined by Chicago Blackhawks forward prospect Radovan Bondra, New York Rangers goalie prospect Adam Huska, and Philadelphia Flyers goalie prospect Matej Tomek. Huska is likely to start most of Slovakia’s games after playing in five of its six World Juniors games in 2016.
The rest of Slovakia’s roster follows, along with their current junior teams and their NHL teams.
Forwards
Photo by Ben Nelms/Getty Images
Martin Andrisik, HC ´05 Banska Bystrica (Slovakia Extraliga)
Radovan Bondra, Vancouver Giants (WHL), Chicago Blackhawks prospect
Marek Hecl, Dukla Trencin (Slovakia Extraliga)
Filip Lestan, HV71 Jonkoping (SHL)
Patrik Osko, MHk 32 Liptovsky Mikulas (Slovakia Extraliga)
Oliver Pataky, Dukla Trencin (Slovakia Extraliga)
Milos Roman, Ocelari Trinec (Extraliga), 2018 NHL Entry Draft prospect
Adam Ruzicka, Sarnia Sting (OHL), top 2017 NHL Entry Draft prospect
Boris Sádecký, HC Slovan Bratislava (KHL)
Marek Sloboda, HK VSR SR 20 (Slovakia Extraliga)
Miroslav Struska, MHk 32 Liptovsky Mikulas (Slovakia Extraliga)
Marian Studenic, Hamilton Bulldogs (OHL), 2017 NHL Entry Draft prospect
Defensemen
Martin Bodak, Tappara Tampere (Liiga), 2017 NHL Entry Draft prospect
Erik Cernak, Erie Otters (OHL), Los Angeles Kings prospect
Martin Fehérváry, Malmo Redhawks (SHL), 2018 NHL Entry Draft prospect
Mario Grman, HC Topolcany
Samuel Hain, HC Topolcany
Andrej Hatala, Dukla Trencin (Slovakia Extraliga)
Oliver Kosecky, HC ´05 Banska Bystrica (Slovakia Extraliga)
Michal Roman, Ocelari Trinec (Extraliga)
Goalies
Roman Durny, MHk 32 Liptovsky Mikulas (Extraliga)
Adam Huska, University of Connecticut (NCAA), New York Rangers prospect
Matej Tomek, Unviersity of North Dakota (NCAA), Philadelphia Flyers prospect
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