This year marks the 10th year since Team Slovakia won bronze at the 2015 World Juniors. Despite the fact that former WJC Best Goaltender Adam Gajan has aged out of eligibility, there’s reason to believe that an experienced defense core and the presence of top prospect Dalibor Dvorský make this team one to watch. Here’s my projection for who Team Slovakia will bring to this year’s tournament.
Goaltenders
Samuel Urban
Alan Lendak
Michal Prádel
The returning goaltender, Samuel Urban, should be in the starting role. Last year, Urban started in just one game, and it was against a strong USA team, where he was pulled after conceding 7 goals. ’04 Adam Gajan was the starting goalie that year, so it will be crucial for Urban to deliver solid performances. This is Urban’s third year in the USHL and, so far this season, he has a save percentage of 89.6%.
The backup for Urban should be 2006-born Alan Lendak who has some experience playing for Slovakia internationally. He is doing well this year in the USHL, recording a .914 SV% and 12 wins. I am predicting that the 3rd string goalie will be 2007-born and 2025 Draft-eligible Michal Prádel, who already debuted with the U20 National Team against Czechia and also started versus Sweden, and has shown decent performances for the U18 Slovakia Team.
Defenders
Luka Radivojevič
Richard Baran
Maxim Štrbák
Milan Pišoja
Samuel Barcík
Tomáš Královič
Jakub Chromiak
Maxim Štrbák, a returnee from last year, will be one of the key pillars of the Slovak team. Last year, Štrbák was the third most productive defenseman of the tournament, with 1 goal and 6 assists. This is set to be his fifth World Juniors (including the short-lived initial 2022 World Junior Championship tournament that canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and rescheduled to the summer).
I expect Luka Radivojevič, a top prospect for the 2025 Draft, to also be a crucial player, as he already has experience with this tournament and should be running the first power-play unit. The third returning player in the defensive lineup will be Milan Pišoja, who I am expecting to be paired up with the 2007-born Luka Radivojevič.
The newcomers are all 2005-born. There’s Richard Baran (who has showed good performances in the USHL playing for Des Moines Buccaneers), Samuel Barcík (who has 2 seasons in the WHL under his belt and is currently playing in the top Slovak league), as well as Tomáš Královič (who is playing for HC Slovan Bratislava). Finally, I have Jakub Chromiak, the younger brother of Los Angeles Kings draftee Martin Chromiak, making the team out of camp.
Forwards
Dalibor Dvorský
Juraj Pekarčík
Adam Cedzo
Tomáš Pobežal
Daniel Alexander Jenčko
Ján Chovan
Andreas Straka
Roman Kukumberg
Miroslav Šatan
Peter Císar
Tobias Pitka
František Dej
Lukáš Klečka
The President of the Slovak Ice Hockey Federation, Miroslav Šatan, has announced that Dalibor Dvorský will play at the 2025 World Junior Championship in Ottawa. This is excellent news for the Slovak team, as there was uncertainty about whether the St. Louis Blues would allow Dvorský to participate. His inclusion is a significant boost for the team, as he is expected to be an integral part and a key driving force behind their performance. Another key player will be Juraj Pekarčík, drafted by the St. Louis Blues in 2023. Currently excelling with the Moncton Wildcats, Pekarčík is expected to play on the same line as Dalibor Dvorský and receive significant ice time, particularly on the first power-play unit.
Additionally, the team will feature three returning players born in 2005: Peter Císar (who plays for Fargo Force in the USHL and played only one game at the WJC last year), Roman Kukumberg, and František Dej, I expect that all three players will play a shutdown role in the bottom six. Other 2005-born players who should be included are UMass’s Daniel Alexander Jenčko, as well as Lukáš Klečka and Adam Cedzo.
From the 2006 birth year, I expect to see Miroslav Šatan, son of the President of the Slovak Ice Hockey Federation, on the roster. Drafted in the seventh round by the Washington Capitals in 2024, he currently plays in the USHL. Also notable is Tobias Pitka, who plays in Canada’s BCHL, where he has tallied 17 points in 19 games this season. The most intriguing name from this age group is Tomáš Pobežal, projected to be drafted between the 1st and 2nd rounds in 2025, who is having a tremendous season in the top Slovak league recording 11 goals and 5 assists in 24 games. He is expected to earn a top-six role at the tournament and contribute to the first power-play unit, highlighting his significant potential and offensive skillset.
Finally, from the 2007 birth year, I believe that Andreas Straka will be nominated for the tournament. He plays in the QMJHL for the Quebec Remparts, where he has been performing decently with 13 points in 20 games. Also expected to be selected is Ján Chovan, who plays in the Finnish junior league for Tappara U20. I anticipate that Ján Chovan could earn a spot in the second line, while Andreas Straka may be placed in the bottom six.
Conclusion
It will be interesting to see how Team Slovakia performs, as they have failed to progress past the quarterfinals in the last two years. They will also have to compete without Adam Gajan in goal, who was instrumental in keeping his team competitive during difficult games and was named the best goaltender of the 2023 tournament. The team is expected to rely heavily on returning defensemen with previous tournament experience. High offensive output will be expected from Dalibor Dvorský, who should be the team’s main driving force and a key player in leading Slovakia to success.
Additionally, significant contributions are anticipated from Juraj Pekarčík, who has been performing well this season in the QMJHL. He is projected to form a strong trio on the first power-play unit alongside Tomáš Pobežal, a highly promising Slovak player currently ranked between the first and second rounds in draft projections for 2025.
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