With the 69th pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, the Columbus Blue Jackets have selected Stanislav Svozil from Kometa Brno of the Czech Extraliga
About Stanislav Svozil
The young Czech defender dominated the Czech Junior Leagues and was promoted to the Czech Extraliga at the age of 16 years old. The fact that he is a quick, above-average skater allows him to play both ends of the ice well. With a strong hockey IQ, along with a superb vision, he has all the tools necessary to play at the NHL level. His first-round selection shouldn’t come as a surprise.
THW Prospect Profile Excerpt
“In a year headlined by highly touted defensive prospects in Owen Power and Luke Hughes, a certain Czech blueliner may be falling under the radar as a quality defensive prospect. Stanislav Svozil could arguably be one of the most complete prospects for the 2021 NHL Draft in having developed talent on both ends of the ice.
“Svozil’s superb vision and above-average skating help him succeed offensively and defensively. His offensive totals lacked in his professional season in the Czech league. As a youngster playing professionally, he makes safe decisions at the offensive blueline, rarely ever causing a turnover.
“His hockey IQ is strongly developed from playing about two seasons of professional Czech hockey. Svozil knows when to join the rush, or when to hang back and be an option once his team establishes possession in the offensive zone. While he may not be particularly exciting, or elite offensively, he makes smart decisions as a youngster playing against men.
“His defensive play is similar to his offense – while it may not be the most prominent, he makes quality decisions that lead to the success of his team. His mobility and ability to change direction make him very effective at defending the rush. Svozil is responsible and often makes the correct reads when in the defensive zone.”
Full player profile can be found here
How This Affects the Blue Jackets’ Plans
The Blue Jackets continue to add to their defensive prospect pool with the addition of Svozil. He has all the attributes to become a top-four defenceman in the future. His elite vision and skating are only going to benefit him as he develops and makes the jump to the NHL. The Czech defender will join 2021 first-round selection Corson Ceulemans as the Blue Jackets look to bolster their defence for the future.