After a training camp in Chomutov, the Czech national junior team is on its way to Finland to play four exhibition games this week – against Switzerland Wednesday and Friday, and then against a pair of Finnish teams on Sunday and Monday.

Several locks to make this year’s World Junior squad have been omitted for various reasons, including Adam Jiříček, Jakub Štancel, Dominik Badinka, Eduard Šalé and goaltenders Michael Hrabal and Lukáš Matěch. Also, because the U18 team is also in camp in preparation for the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, 2007-born Adam Benák, Radim Mrtka, Tomáš Poletín and Adam Novotný are also absent. The latter four should get a shot to try out with the U20 team at some point before the IIHF World Junior Championship.

The roster of 28 does, however, include 10 players who have been taken in the last two NHL Entry Drafts: goaltender Jakub Milota, defensemen Jakub Dvořák, Vojtěch Port and Jakub Fibigr, and forwards Vojtěch Hradec, Miroslav Holinka, Petr Sikora, Jiří Felcman, Ondřej Kos and Adam Jecho.

The Czech national junior team will play in a five-team tournaments in Zug, Switzerland in late August and in Imatra, Finland in early November before training camp ahead of the World Juniors begins in mid December.

Goaltenders (3): Jan Kavan (Kometa Brno), Jakub Milota (Cape Breton, QMJHL – Nashville Predators), Adam Ebenstreit (Karlovy Vary).

Defensemen (10): Tomáš Galvas (Liberec), Oliver Samson (Sparta Prague), Tomáš Vandas (Jihlava), Vojtěch Husinecký (Chomutov), Jakub Dvořák (Swift Current, WHL – Los Angeles Kings), Vojtěch Port (Moose Jaw, WHL – Anaheim Ducks), Marek Ročák (Kelowna, WHL), Matteo Kočí (Kamloops, WHL), Jakub Fibigr (Mississauga, OHL – Seattle Kraken), Martin Matějíček (Peterborough, OHL).

Forwards (15): Jaromír Pérez (Liberec), Vojtěch Hradec (Mladá Boleslav – Utah HC), Vojtěch Spěváček (Třinec), Miroslav Holinka (Třinec – Toronto Maple Leafs), Petr Sikora (Třinec – Washington Capitals), Matěj Maštalířský (Litvínov), Tadeáš Kalužík (Pardubice), Jiří Felcman (Langnau, SUI – Chicago Blackhawks), Ondřej Kos (Ilves Tampere, FIN – St. Louis Blues), Samuel Fiala (Val-d’Or, QMJHL), Adam Jecho (Edmonton, WHL – St. Louis Blues), Pavel Šimek (Saint John, QMJHL), Dominik Petr (Brandon, WHL), Adam Židlický (Mississauga, OHL), Adam Titlbach (Vancouver, WHL).

Team staff:

Manager: Otakar Černý
Head Coach: Patrik Augusta
Assistant Coaches: Ladislav Šmíd, Robert Reichel
Goaltending Coach: Martin Láska
Video Coach: Vojtěch Tulačka
Team Physician: Roman Mizera
Physiotherapist: Miloš Pojer
Equipment Manager: Jan Lamacz
Athletic Trainer: Václav Vejvoda