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The 11th overall pick in the 2014 CHL Import Draft, Filip Chlapik is another solid Czech-born player, and as the third potential first-rounder in our rankings highlights a resurgence in the country’s hockey program. He represented his country at the Ivan Hlinka where his five points in five games helped his team to a silver medal. He adds that to the silver medal he won at last spring’s IIHF U18 World Championship. This season Chlapik had 33 goals and 42 assists for 75 points in 64 games for the Charlottetown Islanders. He led the league in goals by a rookie and made the QMJHL all-rookie team. Chlapik added a goal and eight assists in nine games before the team was eliminated from the playoffs. He did get in three games at this year’s under 18, arriving late after the QMJHL playoffs, but even after adding Chlapik to the lineup, the Czech team was unable to repeat their 2014 success.
Filip Chlapik
Center — shoots Left
Born Jun 3 1997 — Praha, Czech Republic.
Height 6.01 — Weight 196 [185 cm/89 kg]
Filip Chlapik is a very smart playmaker, he has the hockey IQ to anticipate plays, the vision to see openings, and the passing skills to thread the puck through small openings and put it on the tape for his teammates. He loves to move the puck and then get himself into an open spot for the give and go. Chlapick is a strong stickhandler who is able to protect the puck, and slow the game down in the offensive zone, extending plays and allowing his teammates to get open. He can also score goals as he has a powerful shot, and quick release. He also has soft hands to finish plays in tight. Chlapik has decent height, but he could stand to add some more muscle, and upper body strength to his frame going forward. That said he has not been afraid to battle in the corners or in front of the net. He isn’t a big hitter, but Chlapik isn’t afraid to get to the gritty areas of the ice.
Filip Chlapik shows a choppy skating stride, which gives can hurt his top end speed and acceleration, as they are merely average. Chlapik also lacks good first step quickness. He does have the agility to elude defenders though and his ability to vary speeds can beat defenders one on one. One thing that is a big asset in his arsenal though is lower body strength and balance. He is very difficult to knock off the puck in the cycle game, and his balance allows him to win boards battles and fight for position in front of the net.
Chlapik has a well defined defensive game for his age. He brings his solid work ethic in his own zone backchecking hard, battling in corners, and helping to contain the cycle down low. He could use more upper body strength at times though. His positioning is very good, and Chlapik anticipates plays and can intercept passes with an active stick. Once this happens he gets the transition going quickly. He also is doing well on faceoffs.
Chlaplik’s ceiling is likely to be a two-way second line centre. If he continues to develop, he will be able to be matched against another team’s top line, while still providing offence. Its unlikely he will become a true top line centre, but Chlapik could be the type of centre that every NHL team needs. His playing style, and this is not a talent comparison but merely a stylistic one, is similar to fellow Czech centre Tomas Plekanec of the Montreal Canadiens.
Below are some highlight videos of Filip Chlapik in action:
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