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Ondrej Kase is a Czech winger who has come up throught KLH Chomutov’s system and even got time playing against men on the big club in the Czech Extraliga this season, and reports indicate that he didn’t look of place and was particularly effective in the playoffs. He was also won of four first-time draft eligible players who were part of the Czech entry in the World Junior Championships, and had a great showing at the 2013 Under 18s World Championships. His younger brother David is eligible for the 2015 draft and impressed at the Under 18s, helping the Czechs to a silver medal.
Ondrej Kase
Right Wing/Centre — shoots Right
Born Nov 8 1995 — Kadan, Czech Republic
Height 6.0 — Weight 165 [182 cm/75 kg]
Ondrej Kase is a great skater. He has very good top end speed, but his first step and acceleration set him apart from his peers. He shows an ability to quickly change gears that makes him deadly off the rush as he can drop his shoulder and blow by a defender or pull up quickly to create space. He has great agility and edgework and can cut quickly to slice through the defence and get to the net. However, Kase needs to gain weight and add some core strength to improve his balance and strength on the puck.
Kase is a natural playmaker, who has outstanding vision and the ability to feather passes through the tightest of openings. He handles the puck very well and can make a number of slick moves to avoid defenders. He is willing to take the puck to the net and to fight in the corners, but again this is an area where added weight and more muscle will make him a lot more successful. He also could improve on his decision making as he has a tendency to hold onto the puck a little bit too long looking for the perfect play and eventually skates himself out of room. His shot is accurate but could use some more velocity, which should come with more strength.
Kase’s defensive game is decent as his positioning and anticipation are good and create turnovers. He works hard on the back check and brings good back-pressure to help defenders against the rush. He doesn’t seem like much of a shot blocker though, and he could use more size and strength to win battles, especially in supporting down low against the cycle. Kase does show ability in the faceoff circle as he gets low and uses quick hands to win draws.
Ondrej Kase’s game is reminiscent of Alex Tanguay of the Colorado Avalanche. This is a style comparison only though and not a talent one. In terms of potential, he could become an effective second line winger, but will need to add weight while maintaining his quickness and speed to get there.
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