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World Junior 2015 Preview: Czech Republic aims for first medal in a decade

Czech Republic and Team Finland battled each other in a pre-tournament game in Napanee (Ontario) on Friday, December 19, 2014. Mike Carroccetto / Yahoo! Canada Sports
Czech Republic and Team Finland battled each other in a pre-tournament game in Napanee (Ontario) on Friday, December 19, 2014. Mike Carroccetto / Yahoo! Canada Sports

GROUP B: CZECH REPUBLIC
2014 finish: Lost quarter-final 5-3 to Finland (eventual champion)
2014 round-robin record: 1-1-0-2, 10 GF/13 GA

Yahoo! Canada Sports has asked players, some of whom are playing in the world junior championship, to break down their national teams.

The Czechs have had their moments of late, albeit not a defining one.

Within the past three world junior championships, the eastern European nation has defeated both Canada and the U.S. during preliminary-round games. It has yet to manage a top four finish, but it might have the ingredients in place with an attack that includes the likes of NHL first-rounders David Pastrnak and Jakub Vrana, promising power winger Pavel Zacha and a cadre of creative forwards such as Ondrej Kase and Patrik Zdrahal. It also has a highly touted likely starter in Washington Capitals prospect Vitek Vanecek. Several WJC first-timers were also part of a silver-winning squad at last spring's IIHF under-18 championship.

"We are a hard-working team so I think that's our strength," says Vrana, a Washington first-round choice. "I can we say we have good offensive skills and we're good at moving the puck in the offensive zone.

"if we put it together, we should do well."

The Hockey News has pegged the Czech club, whose group includes Denmark, Sweden, Switerland and Russia, to win the bronze medal. It's not hard to see why. Getting Pastrnak, a point-per-game scorer as an 18-year-old in the close-checking AHL, is a huge get. A stroke of good fortune might be drawing into the group that's free of North American teams.

"The Czechs are going to be good, especially with one guy who's playing in the NHL, my good buddy Pastrnak," says Toronto Maple Leafs first-rounder William Nylander, whose Team Sweden faces the Czech Republic on Dec. 26.

Along with their U18 silver, the Czechs also impressed with their play against Canada in early August.

"It gave us some experience for the team and this tournament," Vrana says of facing Canada, among others, in the summer. "It helped us a lot. The group has changed since then, of course."

Defensively, Tampa Bay Lightning second-round pick Dominik Masin might have to bear a heavy burden for an 18-year-old who is in a transition season from his homeland to the OHL's Peterborough Petes. Winnipeg Jets choice Jan Kostalek is also hopeful of being a steadying presence for a group that will have to adapt to the narrower North American ice surface.

"We have to talk about what's best for them, what's best to do in games, how to use the high glass and stuff. It's smaller ice so we have to keep it simple," Kostalek says.

"I think all eight defencemen [on the preliminary roster] can play at this level," the 19-year-old adds. "Anyone can step up."

The last Czech medal was a bronze in 2005 in Grand Forks, North Dakota.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Jan Kostalek (D, Rimouski Océanic, QMJHL)

The 19-year-old has the most small-rink experience of any Czech defender, since he is in his third season with Océanic. Kostalek's solid play aided Rimouski greatly in saying near the top of the Quebec League standings while Team Canada defender Samuel Morin spent six weeks recuperating from a facial fracture.

Dominik Masin (D, Peterborough Petes — OHL)

Masin is a rugged defender who migrated to Canada to play after becoming a high second-round pick. The 18-year-old captained the Czech team that won the silver medal at the IIHF world under-18 championship in April, ahead of bronze-winning Canada.

David Pastrnak (F, Providence Bruins — AHL)

Pastrnak impressed during a five-game call-up to the Boston Bruins and has thrived with baby Bruins, posting 10 goals and 27 points across 23 games. He'll be expected to be a team leader.

"He's got great hands," Kostalek says. "Jakub Vrana and David Pastrnak, I think they both can be good leaders, But it doesn't matter who scores for us. We have a lot of guys who can score goals."

Vitek Vanecek (G, Liberec Jr. — Czech Jr.)

A prototype future NHL goalie who helped the country win medals at each significant under-18 tournament last season. The Capitals were so happy with Vanecek's showing at their post-NHL draft development camp that they immediately signed him to a three-year contract.

"He's solid and he's stopping a lot of pucks right now," Kostalek says.

Jakub Vrana (F, Linköpings HC — Swedish Hockey League)

A creative, sneaky forward who was among the best attackers in the NHL draft class of 2014, going No. 13 overall to the Capitals. Vrana has nine goals and 16 points as an 18-year-old on a strong Linköpings squad.

"I've improved my thinking on the ice and I'm lot a stronger," Vrana says.

Pavel Zacha (F, Sarnia Sting — OHL)

Zacha will play a big two-way forward role for the Czechs as an agile power forward. He's a projected first-rounder in the 2015 NHL draft.

"He's a good talent and he's got a work ethic and he's a good skater," Kostalek says.

Neate Sager is a writer for Yahoo! Canada Sports. Follow him on Twitter @neatebuzzthenet.