Adam Ruzicka: ‘I’m ready’

[transplant99]

Perspective, however, shifted as Ruzicka surged through his teenaged years. He showed well enough that he was taken 14th overall in the 2016 KHL draft by his hometown club, Slovan Bratislava. Soon, a three-year deal was put on the table.

Heady stuff for a 17-year-old.

“But three days before I was going to sign … all of a sudden my agent came up to me and told me there’s a good chance that I would be drafted (into the NHL) if I went to the OHL,” recalled Ruzicka. “My agent said that it’s a good idea. So I was kind of thinking about it for three days. Then I talked with my parents (to see) if they’re fine with me going there and if they wanted me to go there. I decided to go. I was like, ‘OK, let’s try it out,’ and I did it.

“I’m pretty glad I made this decision. It was the right one for me. Everyone has different paths — I chose this one.”

“Adam deserves to be here,” said general manager Brad Treliving. “This is another step for him as we continue to develop a player here. He’s going to go through a training-camp process and it’s going to be good for him.

“It’ll pay dividends now and in the future.”

“I’m ready,” he said the other day from his parents’ home in Slovakia. “I’m ready for everything.”

“Yeah, it’s a pretty big step — the physicality, the smartness, the speed of the players is really different than juniors,” said Ruzicka. “I was coming off a good camp, the main camp in Calgary, (where I played) some good exhibition games, so I was pretty confident at that point.”


“It doesn’t matter if you’re from junior or if you played pro in Czech or Slovakia or somewhere else,” he said, “you can do it if you’ve got the right mindset.”

And a bunch of stuff on his journey to make the NHL by Cruikshank.

https://theathletic.com/1898294/2020...rce=dailyemail

[Monahammer]

I've liked this kid since was drafted. I still think hes got potential to develop into a middle 6 centre in the NHL.

[Geeoff]

Maybe be can take Jankowski's place

[1qqaaz]

If Ruzicka is ready, then Gawdin and Phillips must already be NHL veterans.
That said, Ruzicka does look like a promising prospect. He has a lot of the tools in his tool box.

[cannon7]

Ruzicka is still pretty raw. Needs another full year in the AHL, IMO. But has all the tools.

[TOfan]

Read this one as well. What stood out to me is he was ranked by central scouting at 37th, and ended up going 109th? That’s crazy. Apparently the knock was his skating. Maybe another diamond in the rough pick for the Flames.

[Textcritic]

Can someone who followed the Heat this year comment on how Ruzicka's rookie-season went, and also on what sort of player he is? I remember seeing bits of him in the pre-season last year, but don't know a lot about him beyond the numbers.

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[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by TOfan

Read this one as well. What stood out to me is he was ranked by central scouting at 37th, and ended up going 109th? That’s crazy. Apparently the knock was his skating. Maybe another diamond in the rough pick for the Flames.

CSS rankings can be deceiving since they slot players in separate groups between North America and Europe. So, while Ruzicka would have been the #37 draft eligible European-born skater sometimes that doesn't mean a lot if there are another 60 North American-born skaters ranked by scouts ahead of him.

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[Jackpot_Smooth]

Originally Posted by Geeoff

Maybe be can take Jankowski's place

I can see that happening. him pushing jankowski out. He adds some grit too that janko doesn't really have too.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

CSS rankings can be deceiving since they slot players in separate groups between North America and Europe. So, while Ruzicka would have been the #37 draft eligible European-born skater sometimes that doesn't mean a lot if there are another 60 North American-born skaters ranked by scouts ahead of him.

The CSS rankings are based on where you play the season before the draft. Even though he is European, he played his draft year in Sarnia, which made him a North American player to Central Scouting. He was the 37th-ranked North American skater.

He was the 73rd NA skater drafted in 2017.

[Harry Lime]

It's always stood out to me how people watching him play comment.

They always talk about the 'stars' of the team, or the highly drafted players, and then at the end of the interview say something like, "And that Ruzicka kid was pretty good. Really stood out and had some outstanding plays around the net."

I think that he's going to carve out a place for himself as a pro. He's setting himself up for success as a bottom six player, that brings all of the physicality and garbage goals that set the opposing team on edge. Having this kind of guy is better than trying to shoehorn in someone who has been a top line player all their lives, into a bottom six role.

[Matata]

He's always been a guy with a great build and lot of tools but held back by skating and consistency issues, mostly the consistency. His draft + 1 and + 2 seasons were that of a guy who seemed like a long shot at best, but I think his rookie AHL season has elevated him to a guy who's got a real crack at making the show and maybe even become an impact player. Would love to see him bring some fire to camp, but this is the exact kind of prospect you take your time with.

[AustinL_NHL]

Always liked Ruzicka.

Heading into his draft year, he was viewed as a potential low first-round pick but concerns about his consistency and drive kept making him drop throughout the year.

However, by all accounts, he's improved that area of his game each year since being drafted and had a very good rookie season in the AHL this year.

If he continues on his current trajectory, he has the makings of being a very solid 2/3 C

[David Struch]

Would a Slovak centre version of Jonas Höglund be a comparable?

[ForeverFlameFan]

There is some promise, but I'd like to see him and Phillips on a line for next year.

[Harry Lime]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

There is some promise, but I'd like to see him and Phillips on a line for next year.

I want to see Phillips on the Flames, unless he craps the bed in the preseason. Rusicka centering Pelletier would be a good look, with Petterson sheltered on the second line. Stockton could be fun to watch next season, if free online games are in the offering.

[Monahammer]

Originally Posted by David Struch

Would a Slovak centre version of Jonas Höglund be a comparable?

I have always thought he has plenty of Johan Franzen-like qualities to him.

[AustinL_NHL]

Originally Posted by Harry Lime

I want to see Phillips on the Flames, unless he craps the bed in the preseason. Rusicka centering Pelletier would be a good look, with Petterson sheltered on the second line. Stockton could be fun to watch next season, if free online games are in the offering.

Pelletier isn't AHL eligible until 2021-22

[Roof-Daddy]

Ruzicka had 15 points in his first 40 AHL games and then 12 points in his last 14 games before they squashed the season.

It's a good trend but a long ways to go still.

[Bingo]

Hope this article doesn't come across as cocky ... the "I'm ready" thing.

He really doesn't say that.

It's good that he's made strides and is being recognized with some exposure. Nobody has ever voted this guy up the charts in our prospect polls.

2019 - 14th
2018 - 12th
2017 - 22nd

He was a non-radar guy that is now on the radar and that's a huge accomplishment in itself.