Name: Matej Križ
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 225 lbs
Born: Zlicin-Prague, Czech Republic
Position: Wing
Shoots: Right
Teams: HC Slavia Praha, Providence Friars, Yukon Rush(current)
Player Bio
Kriz grew up in the small Prague suburb of Zlicin, where he spent his formative years playing for the local Extraliga club, Slavia Praha. There he would set the Extraliga record for points in a season with 289. He left to play for the Providence Friars of the NCAA in the United States, He would stay just a season before accepting an offer from the Yukon Rush, who claimed him after he went undrafted as an import in the Season 43 VHLM Entry Draft.
Strengths
Strength - It shouldn't come as a surprise that the 6'3", 225 pound winger has some muscle on his bones. Boasting an impressive bench of 543 at 10 reps
getting him off the puck by force will be no easy feat to accomplish.
Puck Handling - Can't power him off the puck, maybe you can pick his pocket with some finesse. Nope. Scouts report that Kriz's stickhandling ability is as good as they've ever seen. To be expected from a two-way player, he can keep control of the puck for as long as he wants.
Scoring - An excellent scoring touch and a knack for finding the tight spaces that every goalie is bound to leave open, he scored 205 goals in his record breaking 289 point year with Slavia Praha.
Defense - True to his style as a two-way player, his defensive game is something to behold, his size in combination with his speed makes him almost an extra defenseman on the ice.
Endurance - An engine that never stops, his famous 55 minute game as a youngster for Slavia is bordering on folk legend back in the Czech Republic.
Skating - His speed and agility are exceptional, and it shows on breakaway attempts where he swoops in around the player and steals the puck off their stick.
Weaknesses
Passing - He has a knack for creativity and can blow your mind with a few plays here and there, but this is due to his exceptional offensive awareness. Often times he recognizes a play and attempts to make it, but his skill with the stick won't allow him to follow through, often sending errant passes off the glass and into the crowd. However, despite the fact that this is a glaring weakness in his game, he notched 85 assists in his 289 point year, mostly 2nd assists and due to the glaring gap in talent between himself and the rest of the league.
Teamwork - Something he has never learned to cope with is relying on teammates to help win the game. Resorting to "Hero Hockey" has left him with the mindset that he can do it all himself.
This mentality worked well for him back home, but here? Perhaps not.
Media Presence - Kriz wouldn't piss on a reporter if he was on fire, giving nothing but one-word non-answers to questions.
Overview
Expect Kriz to be a star on the ice at some point. We project, because of his abrasive personality and lack of teamwork, it could hamper his development.With a well of untapped potential, he could be a force to be reckoned with for years to come.