Central Europe Stock Watch: Petr Sikora’s comeback marks a strong start to the season
We’ve wrapped up another month of hockey across Central Europe, marked by the end of the first international break of the season.
This article is focused primarily on Czech players, highlighted by the long-awaited return of Petr Sikora, a Washington Capitals prospect, who rejoined HC Oceláři Třinec after recovering from injury.
Another bright spot has been Matěj Kubiesa, who continues to climb the scoring leaderboard in the Czech second men’s league while playing for Třinec’s affiliate team.
We also saw Adam Němec lead Czechia as captain at the recently concluded U17 World Hockey Challenge, where he once again showed why he is among the country’s most promising prospects in his age group.
Let’s take a look at how they and several other Central European players have performed over the past month.
Stock Rising 📈
Petr Sikora, C, HC Oceláři Třinec (Washington Capitals)
Petr Sikora cemented himself last season as one of the key players for the reigning Czech champions. Expectations were high heading into this year, but his season began the same way the last one ended, with an injury. This time, it kept him out of the lineup for the first month, before he finally made his return on October 10.
He couldn’t have scripted a better comeback. In his first ten league games, recorded seven points and immediately looked like his old self. Standing at six feet tall, Sikora plays with a fearless edge and high intensity, never shying away from physical battles. He has that bit of nastiness you want from a player who thrives around the net, and he uses it effectively to create chaos in the offensive zone. Still, his game isn’t limited to physicality. With the puck on his stick, he can surprise defenders with a quick deke or a soft, well-timed pass from his playmaking toolkit.
Sikora also impressed on the international stage at the recent Five Nations tournament, where he led the Czech team with six points in three games. His focus now shifts toward the upcoming World Junior Championship, where he’s expected to play a major role, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him wearing the “C” there.
As his game continues to develop, the Capitals’ sixth-round pick is shaping up to be an intriguing bottom-six prospect who could be knocking on the NHL door in a few years.
Matěj Kubiesa, RW, HC Frýdek-Místek (2026 NHL Draft Re-Entry)
Matěj Kubiesa is entering his final year of NHL Draft eligibility, and for most D+2 players, the odds of being selected are slim unless they put together an exceptional season. Kubiesa, however, has started to build exactly the kind of campaign that could put him back on the scouting radar.
Playing in the Czech second-tier men’s league, Kubiesa had a stellar October, registering points in eight of 10 games for a total of 12 (six goals and six assists). That production currently ranks him eighth in overall league scoring and fourth in goals. With an average ice time of 20:51, according to InStat Hockey, those are highly impressive numbers for a 19-year-old competing against men.
While his numbers highlight his scoring instincts, Kubiesa’s game isn’t one-dimensional. His strong hockey sense and quick feet allow him to create advantages in transition, while his work ethic, active stick, and willingness to battle make him a valuable contributor on the penalty kill.
Given his early-season form, Kubiesa has positioned himself as a legitimate candidate to represent Czechia at the upcoming World Junior Championship. If he continues this pace, he might just reignite his draft hopes.
Adam Němec, LW, Bílí Tygři Liberec (2027 NHL Draft)
Another month, another Adam Němec. No, that’s not a typo. The 2009-born Czech forward continued his strong form throughout October, where he recorded at least a point in all six games in the Czech U20 league, totaling six goals and three assists. His performance earned him a call-up to the World U17 Hockey Challenge, where he was not only named captain of Team Czechia, but also finished as their leading goal scorer. Both of his goals came in the opening game, including the late third-period wrist shot that sealed a 3–2 win for Czechia.
It’s his offensive toolkit that makes Nemec such an intriguing prospect. He isn’t dangerous only in transition, though his shot, puck-handling skills, and deceptive fakes make him a threat on the rush, but also in the offensive zone, where his hockey IQ allows him to create plays off the cycle and find open space away from the puck. His quick feet further enhance his ability to impact shifts in all areas of the ice.
Combining his impressive toolkit with consistent production at both the league and international level, Nemec is emerging as one of Czechia’s most promising prospects for the 2027 NHL Draft. With 18 months still to go before his draft year, he’s already drawing plenty of attention.
Stock Steady ↔️
Vojtěch Čihař, LW, HC Energie Karlovy Vary (Los Angeles Kings)
When Vojtěch Čihař decided to stay with HC Energie Karlovy Vary after last season, expectations were that he would once again hold a top-six role and see regular power play time. Early on, that appeared to be the case, but as October progressed, he lost his spot in the top six to 17-year-old sensation Petr Tomek, one of the biggest breakout stories in the Czech Extraliga this year. Čihař has retained his power-play minutes, but his offensive numbers haven’t seen improvement, with just five points in 20 games.
His game remains largely the same, a relentless winger who fulfills his defensive responsibilities, forechecks hard, and supports play in transition and along the walls. However, something happened recently that could spark the next step in his development. His WHL rights were traded to the Kelowna Rockets, who will host this year’s Memorial Cup and are building a strong roster. The Rockets currently have one open import slot, which Čihař could potentially fill. The move could offer him a larger offensive role and valuable top-six minutes, giving him a chance to expand his skill set.
Whether that transfer happens, and when, remains uncertain. For now, Čihař is expected to be an important piece of Team Czechia’s World Junior Championship roster, and his focus may shift toward representing his country on the international stage.
Simas Ignatavicius, C, Geneve-Servette HC (2026 NHL Draft)
Simas Ignatavicius stands out as one of the most intriguing Lithuanian prospects in recent years. Beyond his production, his size and frame make him particularly interesting to scouts. That’s why this season has been an important test, as he continues to establish himself in the National League against men. His ice time increased slightly through October, and he recorded his first five points of the season. It was a step forward, but not quite enough to move his stock significantly upward.
Using his large frame effectively and playing a supportive role, Ignatavicius has started to show flashes of offensive upside even at the pro level, as highlighted in one of his recent scouting reports:
“The motor and compete level in battles continued to shine here. Displayed strong puck protection and looked very mature in cycle plays. Smart forechecking, puck support, and net-front play. His footspeed will be an area to monitor throughout the year, but I thought he looked good enough in that regard in this game. His highlight of the season so far came on his final shift: He received a pass on the red line along the boards, rushed past a forechecker, beat an incoming D with a slick toe-drag, took a couple quick steps to get past another D, and scored on a quick wrister. A great display of skill that we've seen from him at the junior level, but not much at the pro level so far.”
If his offensive tools continue to emerge as the season progresses, he has the potential to become an early rounds candidate for the upcoming NHL Draft.
Stock Falling 📉
Tomáš Čermák, D, BK Mladá Boleslav U20 (2026 NHL Draft)
Tomáš Čermák hasn’t necessarily been bad this season, but when you compare his numbers to last year, his production has dipped slightly despite playing at the same level and with an extra year of experience. While he profiles more as a defensive-minded blueliner, meaning points aren’t the ultimate measure of his value, his current league level suggests he should still be capable of producing a bit more offensively, especially considering that just a couple of seasons ago he was close to a point-per-game pace.
Of course, it’s not only about points, but also about performance. Čermák plays with an edge in the defensive zone, using his long reach effectively and pinning opponents along the boards, exactly the kind of traits you look for in a shutdown defenseman. However, over the past month, his defensive consistency has wavered, and he’s shown less confidence with the puck. Questions remain about his overall motor and skating ability. He recently made his debut for the Czech U18 national team at the Five Nations tournament, but much like the rest of the roster, his performance there fell short of expectations.
Čermák’s size and defensive tools still make him a name worth tracking for the 2026 NHL Draft, but if he wants to keep his draft hopes alive, he’ll need to find more consistency in his game moving forward.
