Playing in his third IIHF World Junior Championship, right winger is now the elder statesman on the Czech national junior team and the captain. He was therefore left to speak to the Czech media after the team’s opening game against Switzerland. Despite the 5-1 win, the Seattle Kraken’s first-round pick from 2023 wasn’t terribly pleased with his team’s play.

“It’s an important win, but I don’t think we started off in the best way,” Šalé began. “Regardless of the final score, the Swiss played very well and we need to play better from now on.”

Was it a case of nervousness in the first game?

“That was definitely one of the aspects, but there were bigger mistakes that we can’t keep making. Hraby (goaltender Michael Hrabal) held us up very well today, so the Swiss didn’t punish us for that, but against teams like Canada and the like we have to improve a bit, because those mistakes can cost us games.”

Did it help to get the game’s first goal so early?

“The opening goal could have helped us, but to be honest, it didn’t give us much peace of mind. It wasn’t until the second goal that things started to break down a bit. We started to believe in ourselves a little more, but it still wasn’t perfect. But of course we're happy for the win.”

You scored the 2-0 goal on the power play. What did you think of the set-up by Miroslav Holinka?

“After the first power play, I immediately told him that I would go down (to that spot) and let him look for me there.

“But I still didn’t feel my best after all that. (The World Juniors) is a different style of hockey (from the pros) and I have to get used to it. I believe that it will get better with each shift.”

You only joined the team in training camp for the team’s second pre-tournament game against Canada. Has it been easy to make the adjustment from the AHL?

“It wasn’t easy at all. When I joined the team, it was a day off and then a game, so I was on the ice twice in five days. I was on the road a lot, so it wasn’t easy, but it doesn’t change the fact that the game has to improve now.”

Nonetheless, he smiled, "It’s my last World Junior Championship and of course I wanted to go, and I’m glad I did.”

On what lies ahead, he said, “I’ll try to lead the team well and encourage the boys. It’s just the beginning. We won the first game and now we have to prepare for the next one. I think I already have some experience from the time I played with Jiří Kulich and Stanislav Svozil.”