Czech Republic announces invites for WJC camp

Simon Stransky, a top prospect for the 2016 NHL Draft, is among the 34 players invited by the Czech Ice Hockey Association to an evaluation camp for the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship.

The 2016 WJC will run Dec. 26 to Jan. 5, 2016 in Helsinki, Finland.

Stransky, who plays for Prince Albert in the Western Hockey League, has 11 goals and 30 points in 26 games. The 5-foot-11, 171-pound right wing earned an A rating from NHL Central Scouting in its November players to watch list.

Center Tomas Soustal and defenseman Filip Hronek also earned spots on Central Scouting's players to watch list.

Hronek, a 6-foot, 163-pound defenseman with Hradec Kralove in the top professional Czech league, has one assist and a plus-3 rating in 19 games. He earned a B rating from Central Scouting.

Soustal (6-2, 195) has 10 goals and 20 points in 24 games with Kelowna in the WHL. He received a C rating.

Twenty of the 33 players invited to the Czech camp are eligible for the 2016 draft.

Two players taken in the first round of the 2015 draft were invited to the camp, forward Pavel Zacha (New Jersey Devils, No. 6) and defenseman Jakub Zboril (Boston Bruins, No. 13).

The Czech Republic will be in Group B in the preliminary round, along with Russia, Finland, Belarus and Slovakia. Group A will consist of the United States, Canada, Sweden, Switzerland and Denmark.

CZECH REPUBLIC WJC CAMP ROSTER

GOALTENDERS: Ales Stezka, Sioux Falls, USHL (Minnesota Wild); Vitek Vanecek, South Carolina, ECHL (Washington Capitals); Karel Vejmelka, Brno, CZREP (Nashville Predators); Daniel Vladar, Chicago, USHL (Boston Bruins)

DEFENSEMEN: Lubos Adam, Slavia, CZREP-2 (2016 draft eligible); Tomas Havlin, Liberec Jr., CZREP-JR (2016 draft eligible); Filip Hronek, Hradek Kralove, CZREP (2016 draft eligible); Dominik Masin, Peterborough, OHL (Tampa Bay Lightning); Ondrej Miklis, Lotomerice, CZREP-2 (2016 draft eligible); Pavel Pycha, Ceske Budejovice, CZREP-2 (2016 draft eligible); Filip Pyrochta, Victoriaville, QMJHL (2016 draft eligible); Alex Rasner, Olomouc, CZREP (2016 draft eligible); Dominik Rudl, Prostejov, CZREP-2 (2016 draft eligible); Jan Scotka, Pardubice, CZREP (2016 draft eligible); David Sklenicka, Plzen, CZREP (2016 draft eligible); Jakub Zboril, Saint John, QMJHL (Boston Bruins)

FORWARDS: Tomas Andres, Slavia, CZREP-2 (2016 draft eligible); Jiri Cernoch, Sparta, CZREP (2016 draft eligible); Filip Chlapik, Charlottetown, QMJHL (Ottawa Senators); Lukas Jasek, Trinec, CZREP (Vancouver Canucks); Vaclav Karabacek, Baie-Comeau, QMJHL (Buffalo Sabres); David Kase, Chomutov, CZREP (Philadelphia Flyers); Filip Kutak, Vitkovice, CZREP (2016 draft eligible); Dominik Lakatos, Liberec Jr., CZREP-JR. (2016 draft eligible); Jan Ordos, HC Benatky nad Jizerou, CZREP-2 (2016 draft eligible); Jiri Smejkal, Moose Jaw, WHL (2016 draft eligible); Tomas Soustal, Kelowna, WHL (2016 draft eligible); Michael Spacek, Red Deer, WHL (Winnipeg Jets); Simon Stransky, Prince Albert, WHL (2016 draft eligible); David Tomasek, Pardubice, CZREP (2016 draft eligible); Radek Vesely, Chomutov, CZREP (2016 draft eligible); Lukas Vopelka, Orebro, SWE (2016 draft eligible); Daniel Vozenilek, Pardubice, CZREP (2016 draft eligible); Pavel Zacha, Sarnia, OHL (New Jersey Devils)