[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts:

Feb.19th: "C"-rated RD Jiri Kamas (6'1.25",187lbs) had scouts excited coming in to the season, especially with his standout performance in the summer's Hlinka Gretzky Cup, where he led the Czechs in goal-scoring (3 goals in 4 games), while displaying his mature two-way game, and his mobility. His showing in that tournament came after he was selected in the second-round of the 2025 CHL Import Draft, at 62nd-overall, by the Penticton Vees. Unfortunately for Kamas, the Vees are one of the WHL's best teams, and have a deep enough blueline that he was often used as a third-pairing/rotation player at first, but he earned a regular role as he became more used to his new surroundings, and was even given a few cups of tea on the second, and first-pairing. By the time he was dealt to the Red Deer Rebels in early-January at the trade-deadline (for fellow Czech Samuel Drancak), he had posted respectable totals of 2 goals and 9 points in 22 tilts with the Vees, but the Rebels are in the other end of the spectrum from Penticton, sitting 19th- out of 23 teams, with the 4th-worst goals-for, meaning that offense has been harder to come by. In 18 games with his new team, Kamas has only put up 3 points, for a total of 12 points in 40 contests. Central Scouting ranks him #128 on their list of North American Skaters in their Mid-Terms.

At the time of the trade, Kamas was still getting acclimated to playing in North America, but he is steadily improving his defensive details, and decision-making with the puck. Even so, his game is still quite raw and inconsistent in all areas, and his projection is mostly tools-based, with more "potential" and "growth", than "finished product" in his profile. He owns excellent mobility in all directions, and though he could perhaps use an upgrade to his explosiveness, he possesses a separating top-gear, a fairly rapid acceleration rate, and nimble edges for extra agility. While he sometimes overcommits, he closes gaps quickly on the rush with solid angling and an active stick, often punctuating the stop with a stiff bodycheck; he can play a physical game, but sometimes seems to pass-up finishing his hits. His habits and details still need work as well, but his mobility and awareness help him in taking time and space away from attackers in-zone, and to his credit- he is a willing shot-blocker. He sees the ice well and makes sound reads to make stops, then completes poised and calm plays to get pucks moving in the other direction, but like many areas of his game, he has shown some inconsistency in this area; his decision-making still needs some refinement, and he can be harassed into making errors. In the other end of the ice, one of Kamas' top assets is his cannon of a shot that he can pick corners with, and can get on net through traffic consistently. He is a high-volume shooter, which creates opportunities for his teammates in the form of tips and rebounds, but he's also a capable distributor, and can run a powerplay. Based on his tools and potential, he will still be drafted- but not until the mid-to-late rounds.