Team: Kärpät
Born: 2004-06-01
Position: Defenseman
Shoots: Left
Height / Weight: 6-2 / 183
UPDATE: JULY 4, 2021
Ales Cech had a pretty solid season for Kärpät in the U18 SM-sarja. His role on the team varied a little bit over the course of the season. He played often on the third defensive pairing and also saw ice-time on the penalty kill. Cech continued to impress with his defensive game. He’s an assertive 1-on-1 defender and is tough to get around because he’s mobile and maintains tight gaps. He shows good use of his long reach, particularly in his own end where he can clog passing lanes in the middle of the ice. He also wins a lot of puck battles through strong stick work. He shows intensity and isn’t afraid to throw his weight around from time to time. His offensive game has room for improvement, as he shows occasional flashes and has a good selection of shots, but does not generate much offense in the final third. Developing more consistency and being more involved will be key things. That said, I like how efficient he is defensively and his skating (especially foot speed and balance) is strong.
UPDATE: JUNE 8, 2020
Ales Cech was one of the two 2004’s who spent the entire past season with Kärpät U18. The left-shot defenseman from Prague, Czech Republic stood out in a couple of preseason games which I attended and played well over the course of the regular season, too. One thing that’s very noticeable to me is his defensive game. He is very tough to get around in 1-on-1’s because he uses his long reach well to apply stick pressure and keeps tight gaps. He uses his size and strength to defend effectively in tight spaces. His skating is very good: he moves well in all directions, especially backwards, and he displays strong footwork and some nice agility for a 6’2″ blueliner. He has a good, hard shot and doesn’t overhandle the puck at the point. He can move the puck well, but the precision of his passing could be better at times. I would also like to see more poise with the puck, especially on the breakout. I think the offensive side of his game will gradually start to come along next season as he begins his second year at the U18’s.