Slovakia is possibly sending its best-ever World Juniors squad to Sweden. A total of eleven drafted players, highlighted by three first-round picks and four second-rounders, are surely going to do some damage and upset bigger teams. However, the absence of both Juraj Slafkovský and Šimon Nemec will hurt the team's chances to medal, but the Slovaks are definitely the dark horse of this tournament.
Slovakia is bringing fifteen players with previous WJC experience, including last year's Best Goaltender, Adam Gajan, who will be relied on heavily again. The highest-drafted goalie of the 2023 NHL Draft needs to be in the same form as his last World Juniors should Slovakia go past the quarterfinals.
Slovakia’s main weapon is on offense – Slovakia has nine drafted forwards selected in the last two drafts, including Dalibor Dvorský (#10 in 2023), Sam Honzek (#16, 2023), Filip Mešár (#26, 2022), Martin Mišiak (#55, 2023), or Adam Sýkora (#63, 2022). The unusual presence of star players and solid depth should help Slovakia score a lot of goals.
However, the defence is going to miss Šimon Nemec terribly. The Devils' young star was supposed to be the 1D, able to play tough minutes against all opponents and lead the first power-play unit. All of these roles should belong to Maxim Štrbák now, the Sabres' second-round pick (#45) in the last NHL Draft. Štrbák is probably the only standout defenseman on the Slovak blue line, except for, maybe,16-year-old Luka Radivojevič, who is going to turn some heads in the tournament. His role should be limited, but don't be surprised if he hops onto the second power-play unit. The 2025 eligible is a smart and extremely skilled offensive D-man but needs to polish his defensive game and overall strength.
The Slovaks open up the tournament on December 26th in a heated match versus their biggest rival, Czechia. The winner should have a strong chance to clinch the 2nd spot in Group B. Slovaks continue the round-robin stage with games against Switzerland (Dec 27), Norway (Dec 29), and the USA (Dec 31). An interesting fun fact is they play every group stage game at noon.
10 to Watch plus a Sleeper
Filip Mešár, RW/C
After a mediocre D+1 season in the OHL, Mešár was already labelled as a bust by many impatient Canadiens fans. However, the 2022 first-round pick is having a fantastic D+2 season so far with 32 points (13 goals + 19 assists) in 20 matches with the Kitchener Rangers. Mešár is a quick and agile forward able to play both RW and C. He's smart, speedy, and has a sneaky good shot. The expected leader of the Slovak offense should be the biggest star and the team's best forward. Mešár led Slovakia in scoring at the last tournament with six points (2+4) and is expected to repeat in Sweden too.
Dalibor Dvorský, C
Dvorský had a tough start to the season in Sweden. He began the year with IK Oskarshamn in the highest division (SHL) but failed to score a point in ten matches and was quickly demoted to the 13th forward. The St. Louis Blues intervened and sent their most promising prospect to North America. Dvorský is currently tearing up the OHL with 34 points in 20 games. He has a lethal shot and continues to trouble goalies with it, scoring 18 goals so far. His goal per game ratio is the second highest in the OHL, trailing only Carson Rehkopf. Dvorský is another brilliant offensive weapon Team Slovakia has.
Adam Gajan, G
One of the best stories of the last World Juniors, Gajan wasn't initially invited to Team Slovakia's squad. Still, he later ended up on the roster as a last-minute call and the No. 3 goalie. However, the tournament went extremely well for him, and Gajan ended up taking the Best Goaltender award. He was the main reason Slovakia almost upset the gold-winning Canadian squad in the quarterfinals. Slovaks hope Gajan will be able to replicate last year's performance. If the Blackhawks prospect is in top form, it's quite likely Slovakia won't see another quarterfinals exit. His saves will be extremely important for the offensively minded team with a somewhat average defence.
Sam Honzek, LW/C
Honzek missed a significant part of the current season, having played only five games before the tournament. Moreover, the Flames prospect suffered a significant injury at the last World Juniors too, so he's looking for a rebound tournament this year. Honzek has a big body (6´4”) and plays the game with a ton of skill; he's very mobile for a player of his size and has soft hands. The first European captain of the Vancouver Giants in history also possesses decent leadership qualities. He's yet to score a point in his World Juniors career and should be very motivated to show his top performance.
Maxim Štrbák, D
The expected absence of Šimon Nemec means that Maxim Štrbák will have a lot of responsibility as the projected 1D for Slovakia. However, he is no stranger to that role – he led Team Slovakia as captain at the last U18 World Junior Championships and handled it pretty well. The Sabres prospect is a well-rounded, two-way defenseman who is able to play on both special teams and should run the first power-play unit. He plays hard, enjoys the physical aspect of the game, and makes opponents' forwards' lives miserable. Nevertheless, it will be a big test for him and the whole Slovak defence to see how they can keep up with top young offensive prospects.
Adam Sýkora, LW/RW
An energetic, agile forward whose engine never stops running, Adam Sýkora is a unique young forward, mainly due to his approach to the game. He loves blocking shots, throwing hits, and sacrificing his body for the team in general. His positive attitude makes him a great locker room presence. It'd be foolish to expect huge point production from Sýkora, who's more of a bottom-six forward than an offensive dynamo, but he's had a good recent streak in the AHL, scoring nine points in ten games. The Rangers prospect is having a solid rookie season in the A, and the call-up to the first team might come sooner than expected.
Martin Mišiak, W/C
Another Blackhawks second-rounder on the team, Mišiak is a confident and skilled forward who´s able to play all three positions. Mišiak has grown into an effective two-way player; he uses his size (6´2”) well, finishes his checks, and displays solid offensive skills. After a one-and-a-half-season in the Slovak top-tier league, Mišiak went to the USHL and contributed to the Youngstown Phantoms' title. This year, he's playing in the OHL with the Erie Otters, who selected him 1st overall in the 2023 CHL Import Draft. Mišiak should provide solid second-wave scoring for Team Slovakia. He's going to play in his third World Juniors.
Alex Čiernik, LW/RW
The expectations were higher for Alex Čiernik at his last World Juniors tournament, so the Flyers prospect is also looking for a bounce back this year. However, Čiernik suffered a concussion three weeks before the tournament, so don't be surprised if he isn't in top form. Either way, the skilled and nifty forward should help Slovakia with his offensive instincts and years-built chemistry with Dalibor Dvorský. Čiernik is mainly an offensively-minded undersized forward, who has a solid shot and provides great value on the power-play. He certainly doesn't love the physical game, and his form is questionable after the concussion, but the young Flyer will do anything to help his team win.
Juraj Pekarčík, LW/RW
The Blues' third-round pick in the last NHL Draft (#76) would have been a star on most Slovak U20 teams, but the current offensive strength might send him to a bottom-six role. Pekarčík was a player I'd been high on for his whole draft year, and he stood up to everyone at the U18 WJC. He's a big (6´2”), strong winger with solid speed and great playmaking abilities. He left for the WJC camp with a 10-game active point streak in the USHL and led the league in both PPG (1.5) and assists (22). The Blues might have found a true gem in Pekarčík.
Servác Petrovský, C/LW
Another drafted forward who should provide Slovakia with offensive qualities, Petrovský has already played at three different World Juniors (including one cancelled tournament) and is one of the most experienced Slovak players on this team. He's a versatile, two-way forward with an above-average shot who has a bit of an edge to his game. The Wild prospect will be important on both special teams. He´s been criticized in the past for not capitalizing on his scoring opportunities in the U20 National Team, so a revenge tour for Petrovský definitely wouldn't hurt Slovak chances to meet their higher expectations this year.
Sleeper: Peter Repčík, C
The only undrafted player who´s been able to get a top-nine role on this Slovak team. Peter Repčík has always played well in the National Team, and the expectations are quite high for the 19-year-old forward, who scored six points at the last tournament. However, he's flying under the radar for people outside of Slovakia since he hasn't been drafted and never been a true NHL prospect. On the other hand, another great tournament from him might change that. The expected 1C center is a feisty, two-way player who might play a much bigger role than more shiny names in the end. He´s been on a nine games point streak in the QMJHL and his game should translate well to a bigger stage.