Brantford Bulldogs' dynamic trio spearheads Czechia's World Juniors push. Five OHL players are headed for the nation's selection camp next week in Minnesota.
Brantford Bulldogs trio of Czech native players: Adam Benak, Vladimir Dravecky, and Adam Jiricek (from left to right). Credit: @BulldogsOHL via XCzechia has announced the 26 players it will take to their World Juniors selection camp in Minnesota, beginning on Dec. 12. Of those 26 players, five of them come from the OHL, including the trio playing for the Brantford Bulldogs.
Two of those three Bulldogs players, Adam Benak and Adam Jiricek, are expected to play a major role on Team Czechia for the upcoming tournament.
Benak sits tied for second in OHL scoring with 14 goals and 27 assists for 41 points in 26 games. He trails teammate Jake O’Brien for the league lead and will probably have to play against him on Boxing Day when Czechia faces off against Canada.
Benak has been outstanding for his country anytime he has represented them on the international stage. He has two silver medals at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup and is the tournament’s all-time scoring leader with 21 points in 10 games. Last spring, he recorded two goals and five assists in four games for Czechi at the U18 championship.
Jiricek will be representing his country for the third time at the World Juniors. His 2024 tournament was cut short after suffering a significant knee injury in game one. Last year, he captured a bronze medal with Czechia while logging heavy minutes on the backend.
The other Brantford player who made the roster is Vladimir Dravecky, who is a projected top 60 pick for the 2026 NHL Draft.
Peterborough Petes’ star forward Adam Novotny will be attending the camp and, barring any injury or illness, should be a solidified piece in Czechia’s top six forward grouping.
Novotny is considered a lock to go in the first round of the 2026 draft. The majority of scouts believe he will go in the first half of the first, and the World Juniors will be an opportunity for him to prove that. He leads all Peterborough players in goals (18) and points (33). He played for Czechia at last year’s tournament, operating in a depth role with one goal in seven games.
The fifth but certainly not least player to make Czechia’s roster from the OHL is Brampton Steelheads defenseman Jakub Fibigr. He is another player who is a potential returnee from Czechia’s bronze medal-winning roster from 2025.
Fibigr tied Jiricek’s production at last year’s event with five assists in seven games. The Seattle Kraken prospect has given the Steelheads blueline a much-needed steady presence at both ends of the ice. Additionally, his offensive play and confidence with the puck have had an upward trajectory in his development this season. He leads all Brampton players in points with 24 in 27 games.
In regard to who will make the final roster, Benak, Jiricek, Novotny, and Fibigr should all be considered “locks” to make the team. Dravecky will have to prove that his skating and puck-moving skills will be more valuable on the roster compared to what big, rangy, defensive defensemen Vashek Blanar, Matyas Man, and Max Psenicka will bring.
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