Euros

[switchback]

Anyone else hear that Jakub Brabanac isn’t coming over to play for the Islanders? His elite prospects page says he’s playing back in the Czech league this year also

[islander19]

I have no inside info, but they announced he’d here for training camp so I guess we’ll go with that until we hear otherwise. Looking at his Czech team listed for 21-22, there’s 30 players listed so obviously not everybody is going to be playing there.

[countryboy]

I don't know the answer to the question, but I've followed the league long enough to know that you don't count on your Euro being part of your team until you have him signed and living here, ready to go. There's always surprised when it comes to bringing in the import players.

Main training camp begins on Aug. 29 (i.e. following the rookie camp) and I'd be a little surprised (but very happy) if he's here by then. Covid makes everything travel related a little more difficult. A couple of flag marks on the road that will be helpful... I expect that Vegas will bring him over for their main training camp in September. In addition, the world juniors are in Edmonton in Dec/Jan and I fully expect Brabenec to be part of the Czech team.

So, if we're not able to get him here in August, I'd be very hopeful that when he's in North America in September or in December, then we should be able to get him to PEI at that time and have him in our lineup.

Now, the question is more whether there is a change in plans and that he'll be playing with Brno, his club team in the Czech league. I expect Vegas will want Brabenec in North America playing a prominent role in junior hockey this coming season. Looking at his season last year, it's great that he played pro level hockey in the Czech Republic, but his boxcars were 23-0-1-1, suggesting to me that he played limited minutes in a depth role. Another season like that is no good for his development... so from a hockey standpoint, playing major junior is definitely the best bet.

Hopefully everything goes smoothly getting our Euros to PEI. Looking at the goings on in Saint John, one of their Euros is a Belorussian, and they're having difficulty finalizing details due to vaccinations, as his home nations use different vaccines than those approved by Health Canada. I expect the Czech Republic is using the same vaccines as the rest of Europe and North America. So thankfully that shouldn't be a problem with our team.

But, if we're talking about the complications about getting Euros here, what about Satny? We really are depending on him getting here and being a quality goaltender to pair with Goobie. If complications arise in getting him here, we've got a very thin situation in goal to start the season.

[Jack Bauer]

Aug 12, 2021 10:08:25 GMT -4 countryboy said:

Now, the question is more whether there is a change in plans and that he'll be playing with Brno, his club team in the Czech league. I expect Vegas will want Brabenec in North America playing a prominent role in junior hockey this coming season. Looking at his season last year, it's great that he played pro level hockey in the Czech Republic, but his boxcars were 23-0-1-1, suggesting to me that he played limited minutes in a depth role. Another season like that is no good for his development... so from a hockey standpoint, playing major junior is definitely the best bet.

Thats all opinion not based in any facts.

Its an endless debate in the hockey world...do you want kids dominating weaker competition or playing less but vs stronger more complete players? There is no right or wrong.

But how do you know what Vegas will want? Maybe they're content with a prospect playing less but vs men in a professional setting in his own country.

Of course the prospects play less...but playing less vs better competition. Meaning he's also practicing with professionals every day.

Could they want their player in NA dominating a Canadian junior league? Maybe. But its no sure thing necessarily. We regularly see Europeans play pro and put up poor numbers but be developing fine in terms of their peers playing at lower levels.

Production is not everything. And its impossible to judge how someone developed based on those numbers. All it says it he likely played limited minutes with no special teams. But he could have progressed in many areas and be right where he wants to be.

Dominating the CHL is good for some and not for others. Bad habits can also creep in when you play above your competition. Thats the tough part of developing hockey players...there's no right or wrong and everyone has their own development curve that is unique to them and only them.

[countryboy]

Absolutely based on my opinion and historically how we usually see things playing out.

Without a doubt, I could see it where Brabenec decides after 1 year of pro, he wishes to continue with that pathway instead of uprooting himself to North America.

Without a doubt, I could see Vegas deciding development in pro hockey is his best bet.

When dealing with Euros, nothing is certain until you have the guy in your city and signed.

It wouldn't be the dog days of summer if we weren't wondering if our Euros were going to be in the lineup for the season opener.

Hopefully both are here.... but you always have to be prepared in case of a curveball.

[islander19]

Without seeing Brabenec play, I’m confident he wouldn’t “dominate” in junior. Sounds like he’s a good prospect, but not like he’s a MacKinnon who could basically do what he wanted.