Team Profile: Prague Siamese Cats

GM: Axel Bode (4th GM in team’s history)

Coach: Patick Roy (replaces Dave Tippett)

Last season: 23rd overall

Ins and Outs

(Season 3 to Season 4)

Out: Tom Gilbert (free agent), Riley Nash (waivers)

In: Torey Krug (draft), Matt Nieto (draft), Tomas Jurco (draft)

In Place

(Key players signed past Season 4)

Ryan Getzlaf, C; Ryan Miler, G; Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, C; Alexander Galchenyuk , LW; Justin Schultz, D

Three Questions

1. Can the future please get here? What a nice future Czech fans have to look forward to. General Manager Axel Bode has opted for patience and acquired a good number of young prospects, including three that came in the first round of this year’s draft. If you can look ahead several seasons, they will have an awesome left wing with four players on the roster with 81 or higher PO under the age 23 or younger. Young center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and right wing Martin Ruzicka are likely to be part of a super line someday for the Siamese Cats. Finn Niko Hovinen, is a vital asset, who is Prague’s goalie of the future. He’s just 20 and will watch Ryan Miller continue to man the fort for a few more seasons. And on defense, the crystal ball sees Torey Krug and Justin Schultz as future stars – especially on the top powerplay unit – with a good second tandem of Roman Josi and Dmitri Kulikov.

2. Why do they give up so many shots? With youth comes shots against. First-year coach Patrick Roy has to devise a scheme to reduce shots on Ryan Miller, or it will be an especially long season for Prague. The large shot totals Miller faces against Cats opponents affects his stamina and consequently, his save percentage. Not many of the team’s players are considered defensive specialists, especially the more experienced of the lot, like Justin Williams and Ryan Getzlaf. Prague’s best bet to win a game is if it turns into an all-offense track meet.

3. Where are they strongest? Prague’s best skater is Getzlaf, 29, who scored 33 goals three seasons ago and 107 points two seasons ago. If you look at the roster, no other skater is in his class, but Prague isn’t playing a single bad player. Depth is their strongest asset. Their forward lines are nearly interchangeable and all of them are in top shape with excellent stamina. The same situation exists on the back end, with balance throughout and most everyone is fit enough for 65 minutes per game. The only question mark would by top draft pick Torey Krug, who is being given top pairing minutes along with time on the top power play units. It remains to be seen if he has the endurance to continue to play 23 minutes per game.