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As usual, opening tournament of the upcoming international U18 season provides us with introduction of team rosters. In charge of the Czech Republic this year is Jakub Petr, who has re-joined the team after a one year hiatus. For the last pre-season summer camp that takes place in Třemošná, he called-up 4 netminders, 8 defensemen, 13 forwards, while also including another 14 on the reserve list. The training camp that is to be held July 23-28 may suggest the final line-up for Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup.
At first, let’s take a brief look at the coaching staff. For 2013/2014 season former international Milan Hnilička was named head coach, while Petr Svoboda was named assistant coach. Both were promoted from U17 team. Goaltending coach David Bruk was replaced by Martin Láska and Radek Toth.
Back to the squad issue; Unlike last year, in the roster we can find 4 players based outside the borders of the country instead of just one. One of them, forward Jakub Vrána of Linköping, seems likely to have the leading role on the Czech team.
No different it gets with another hot prospect Pavel Zach, who is leaping through age groups and, supposedly, is up to make a debut in the first team of Liberec soon. His Liberec teammate Filip Pyrochta will also be in Břeclav as well.
Just the aforementioned trio remained on U18 selection since the World Championship earlier this year. David Pastrňák, the only other lad that experienced the championship and yet is age eligible for Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup is absent from the selection.
Radek Veselý, Jan Zahradníček and Jan Pechek are the only rookies having no previous experience in the Czech national squad. Now, they are seemingly close to their first national cap.
Netminders
Štěpán Lukeš (b. 25.2. 1996, KLH Chomutov)
Daniel Vladař (b. 20.8.1997, Rytíři Kladno)
Vít Vaněček (b. 9.1.1996, HC Rebel Havlíčkův Brod)
Jan Pechek (b. 15.9.1996, IHC Písek)
Defensemen
Ondřej Mikliš (b. 5.5.1996, HC Sparta Praha)
Jakub Zbořil (b. 21.2.1997, HC Kometa Brno)
Jan Zahradníček (b. 13.8.1996, HC Oceláři Třinec)
Filip Pyrochta (b. 24.6.1996, Bílí Tygři Liberec)
František Matula (b. 28.4.1996, Rytíři Kladno)
Alex Rašner (b. 12.2. 1996, HC Olomouc)
Dominik Mašín (b. 1.2.1996, HC Slavia Praha)
Václav Karabáček (b. 2.5.1996, EC Salzburg)
Forwards
Jakub Vrána (b. 28.2.1996, Linköping)
Jiří Černoch (b. 1.9.1996, HC Sparta Praha)
Pavel Jenyš (b. 2.4.1996, HC Kometa Brno)
Radek Veselý (b. 5.5.1996, KLH Chomutov)
Milan Švarc (b. 18.1.1996, HC Škoda Plzeň)
Martin Beneš (b. 25.7.1996, HC Škoda Plzeň)
Michal Kovarčík (b. 19.11.1996, HC Oceláři Třinec)
Filip Kuťák (b. 21.7.1996, HC ČSOB Pojišťovna Pardubice)
Jakub Kotala (b. 16.5.1996, AZ Havířov)
Jiří Smejkal (b. 5.11.1996, HC Mountfield)
Pavel Pýcha (b. 2.2.1996, EC Salzburg)
Lukáš Vopelka (b. 2.3. 1996, Örebro)
Pavel Zacha (b. 6.4.1997, Bílí Tygři Liberec)