[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Czechia Edition, Vol. 1):

LW Vojtech Cihar (6'1",187lbs)
HC Energie Karlovy Vary (Extraliga): 37gp/ 4g/ 5a/ 9pts, +5, 8 PIM

There are many in the scouting world who have doubts about LW Vojtech Cihar's ceiling, with many projecting him to be a bottom-6 checker in the NHL, but he's in the middle of a season in the Extraliga (Czechia's top league) that ties him for 30th all-time in ppg (0.24) for players under-18 with 10 games or more- beating out such players as Filip Chytil (0.21), Pavel Zacha (0.21), Martin Havlat (0.21), Michael Frolik (0.18), and Patrik Elias (0.18). He is currently the top U-18 in the league by 6 points, and tied for 18th all-time. Cihar (ranked # 5 for EU Skaters, # 66th by McKenzie, # 52 by Button) has represented his country internationally, at the most recent World Juniors (7gp/1g/1a/2pts,+4, 29 PIM), and in last summer's Hlinka-Gretzky Cup (5gp/1g/1a/2pts), and showed well in both events in a checking role. He is intelligent and incredibly hard-working, can play in any situation, and brings a responsible (as well as projectable) two-way game.

The two main pillars of Cihar's game that universally undisputed are his high-end workrate, and his air-tight defensive play. He is hyper-intense, and supplies his team with boundless energy and accountability, giving 110% every shift, often frustrating his opponents with second, and third efforts. On the backcheck, he does more than just apply apply pressure to puck-carriers- he grinds them down. He exhibits good habits and a detailed defensive game, scanning constantly with his head on a swivel, and skating smart routes to angle opponents away from danger, force dump-ins, and close space quickly. He covers a ton of real estate in his own end, going from supporting his D down low to attacking the point, and employs perfect positioning to clog lanes, block shots, and cause turnovers. Cihar identifies threats early and will stick to his man, proactively setting picks, and tying up his opponent's stick. There's solid IQ and hockey sense in this package, and he sees the ice well with fairly good distribution skill, but his creativity is limited- he is more of a facilitator than a creator, and keeps his play with the puck mostly safe and simple, as he gets himself in trouble when he tries to get fancy. He puts a good whip on his snappy catch-and-release wrister, and owns a good shot that could perhaps use a little more power, with a release that's quick and deceptive. Most of his goals however, are scored by beating goalies in-tight, crashing the net to pick up garbage, and he positions himself in front of the crease to set up the screen, cause chaos, and battle for chances.

Cihar plays a physical game, and is highly aggressive in all situations; he wears opponents down with a hard and heavy forechecking style, fights hard for pucks along the boards, throws his weight around, and initiates contact to retrieve possession. He exerts a high-end compete level, and stays perpetually active in all three zones; he supports the breakout, and can rush the puck through transition from defense to the offensive zone by himself on occasion, or he can connect plays through the neutral zone effectively with short-area passing. He is fantastic off the rush, and isn't afraid to drive the middle, or to cut inside to the slot. Off the puck, he skates intelligent routes to manipulate defenses into opening space for himself and teammates, positions himself in high-danger, and goes to the net hard to get tips and to be playable around the net. Mobility-wise, he is a good skater with above-average speed and strong acceleration, enhanced by his high workrate that pushes him to win races to loose pucks, just on sheer determination. He owns smooth edges to pivot quickly, and elude checks with quick changes of pace and direction. He could use a bit of work on his top-speed though. I would say his puck-control is well-developed, as he catches smoothly, settles down wild passes quickly, and can take feeds off of his skate. Some doubt how Cihar's offense will translate, but he already has a decent NHL-floor, and I would say he's a very safe pick. I think he'll a good two-way middle-six winger in the NHL, and I would have no problem taking him in the 2nd, or 3rd round.