Director of participant growth Ray Edwards in contrast Sam Honzek’s drive to that of Flames rookie Martin Pospisil
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Sam Honzek, a should-be stud for Staff Slovakia, would be the Calgary Flames’ lone consultant at this newest version of the world junior hockey championship.
And whereas each group would favor to have a pile of prospects on the annual get-together of the highest teen pucksters on the planet, it does simplify issues for Flames director of participant growth Ray Edwards as he chooses sides. Edwards, for the document, was born and raised in Ontario.
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“A Slovakia-Canada ultimate … That might be excellent,” he beamed.
Honzek, the Flames’ first-round decide within the 2023 NHL Draft, will surely join that, as a result of that will imply he’d be assured of leaving with a medal round his neck.
Because the 19-year-old power-forward-in-progress shifted his focus to the match, hustling to knock off any remaining rust after an eight-week absence on account of a lower-body harm, he made it clear that was his objective — one thing shiny.
The Slovaks are chasing their first top-three end at this occasion since 2015. Honzek & Co. will open that quest with a Boxing Day conflict towards Czechia. (For those who’re awake for the 4 a.m. MT puck-drop, you may catch the motion from Gothenburg, Sweden on TSN3.)
“I consider in our group, and I believe we are able to do it,” Honzek stated. “It is a big yr for me. That is going to be my final junior yr with the nationwide group, and I need to profit from it. You recognize, we now have a extremely, actually good group of men. I believe possibly some individuals see us as not that good of a group, however I believe we’re an excellent group and we are able to possibly do actually large issues.
“I’ll do every little thing I can to assist the group win and achieve success on the market.”
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If the Slovaks do handle to muscle their manner into medal rivalry, Honzek can be an enormous a part of it.
Throughout pre-tournament motion, the Flames’ first-rounder was skating as a top-line winger.
He must be busy on each side of particular groups.
He’ll even have an ‘A’ stitched on his sweater.
“Sam texted me a couple of days in the past and stated, ‘Hey, would you thoughts sending me some clips? I’m going to play the bumper on the power-play,’ ” Edwards stated as the vacations approached. “So we despatched a bunch of clips on that, utilizing NHL video. Hopefully, that helps him.”
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Edwards, who is predicated within the northeast U.S. however travels far and extensive to maintain tabs on Calgary’s up-and-comers, is aware of Honzek is decided to be a difference-maker in his third and ultimate alternative to characterize his nation on the world juniors.
The No. 16 total choice in a stacked draft class, this towering expertise from Trencin, Slovakia, was injured throughout an exhibition outing with the Flames within the fall, delaying his return for an additional marketing campaign with the WHL’s Vancouver Giants. He lastly made his season debut in early December and cranked out seven factors — a mixture of three objectives and 4 assists — in a five-game span earlier than heading abroad for coaching camp together with his nationwide junior program.
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“I sat with Sam after I was on the town in November, when he was nonetheless rehabbing, and his focus was clearly to get again to Vancouver and get some video games in, however he additionally had an actual concentrate on being a part of this group once more,” Edwards stated. “I believe he’s actually enthusiastic about with the ability to put collectively an excellent match and attempt to push his group to a medal.
“You recognize who else was like that?” he continued, about to reference one other younger Slovak who’s now making a reputation for himself as a rookie sparkplug with the Flames. “I bear in mind Posp (Martin Pospisil), he was the very same manner. He was actually adamant about being a part of that group and wanting to assist his nation win.”
Certainly, it’s one thing that has been on Honzek’s thoughts for nearly a full yr — since again on Dec. 28, when a skate laceration to his calf muscle required a hospital go to and halted his second world-junior expertise after only a pair of preliminary-round video games.
This time, he’s hoping for a a lot happier ending.
“Simply get again taking part in, have enjoyable, benefit from the second,” stated Flames common supervisor Craig Conroy, relaying his message to Honzek. “We simply need him to go have an excellent match and be a pacesetter on that group, identical to he’s a pacesetter in Vancouver. That’s what individuals count on now.
“And you then need him to have some success … A medal would look nice on him.”
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