Chromiak & Dvorský Selected to Represent Slovakia at 2023 IIHF U18 World Championship

Congratulations to Wolves defenceman, Jakub Chromiak and Wolves 2022 import selection Dalibor Dvorský who were named to Slovakian’s National Men’s Under-18 Team for the 2023 IIHF U18 World Championship which is set to take place in Basel and Porrentruy, Switzerland from April 20-30.

Jakub completed his first season with the Wolves registering 19 points (4 goals and 15 assists) through 61 games.

The Wolves wish Jakub and Dalibor the best of luck in the tournament!

For more information, please visit HockeyCanada.ca

For full 2023 Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team Roster, please visit HERE

ZVOLEN (SZĽH) – The Slovakian under-18 hockey team started the second block of the final preparation for the world championships of this age category in the Swiss cities of Basel and Porrentruy. The team, led by head coach Tibor Tartaľ, met in Zvolen’s ICE Arena, where they will train from Tuesday to Friday. On Saturday morning, he will travel by bus to the host country of the championship.

Compared to the initial nomination containing 34 players, the implementation team had to make several changes. As many as 13 hockey players dropped out of the original squad. On the contrary, he was joined by forwards Dalibor Dvorský and Adam Cedz and defenders Maxim Štrbák and Jakub Chromiak. “It is always difficult to make cuts in the team. During the season, you get to know the players better, develop certain relationships with them, and then it is difficult to remove them shortly before the final block of preparation. We had more than thirty of the best players at our disposal, so small details decided the nomination,” revealed Tartaľ.

The coaches welcomed almost the entire squad to Tuesday afternoon’s training. Only goalkeeper Samuel Urban was missing, who moved to the national team for a few days and will play against Switzerland at the Five Nations Tournament in Poprad on Wednesday. “Samo had a smaller workload during his time in the USHL. That’s why we gave him one extra international start in the T20 jersey,” revealed the 35-year-old coach.

Dalibor Dvorský joined the 18 for the first time in the current season. The 17-year-old forward finished his club year in the youth jersey of AIK Stockholm. He scored seven points during his four-game absence and helped the team win bronze medals. Before that, he also started in the junior team and added more than 40 starts for the men in the Allsvenskan. “I played everywhere I could,” the talented center smiled and continued, “But it’s okay. Everywhere I want to play the best I can. It helped me that I was able to play a few duels as a teenager, so that I could get more used to junior hockey, which is different from men’s hockey.” 

Like Dvorský, Maxim Štrbák did not play for the 18 team this season. The versatile guard graduated from the World Junior Championships in Canada and played for the Sioux Falls Stampede in the USHL on the club scene. The team released him for the championship, despite the fact that the league is still fighting for a place in the playoffs. “Obviously it’s not easy to leave at such a difficult time, but everyone understood, they wished me the best of luck and I’m going to miss them,” said the defender, who will celebrate his 18th birthday on Thursday.

Štrbák and Dvorský form the pair with the most international experience in Tibor Tartaľ’s staff. Both of them have participated in two junior WCs and were part of the squad at the canceled 20-year-old championship. They helped Slovakia to win silver medals at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup 2021 and also to advance to the elite category of the World Cup for under-18 players. “My game and behavior in the dressing room do not change in any way. I will try to play reliably in defense and be a leader,” added Štrbák.

After the second block of final training on Saturday, the 18th will be transferred by bus from Zvolen to Zurich, Switzerland. Before the start of the championship, the young Slovaks will play one preparatory match, on April 17 against the Finns. During the following day, they will head to the venue of the championship in Porrentruy. In the basic A-group of the championship, they will meet the Czechs (20/4), the Swedes (21/4), the Canadians (23/4) and the Germans (24/4). The best four of the five teams will advance to the quarterfinals, the worst team will fight for survival in the elite category of the World Cup.

Nomination of SR 18 at VT in Zvolen (April 11 – 14):