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Roman Horak may have bolted to the KHL, but he remains a prospect of interest to Edmonton Oilers

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2014 Edmonton Oilers Prospects: Roman Horak (unranked)

More than a few eyebrows were raised in Oil Country last November, when Edmonton GM Craig MacTavish made a deal with the devil the Oilers’ provincial rival, the Calgary Flames. Just 17 games into a four-year, $14 million contract, stalwart defenceman Ladislav Smid found himself on the southbound route down the QE2. Joining him was marginal goaltending prospect Olivier Roy. Coming the other way (at least in theory) were a pair of youngsters in rookie netminder Laurent Brossoit and forward Roman Horak.

Smid of course stepped right into the Calgary line-up, playing 56 games, leaving mixed impressions on observers in our sister city. Kent Wilson of Flames Nation was one who was less than thrilled with what he saw of Smid. In a personal correspondence with the writer, Wilson suggested most Flames fans are happy with the trade, but he personally had some harsh words:

I thought he was terrible last year. Like, below replacement level. His skating seemed to fall off a cliff here. Lost dump in chases to forwards all night. I think he’s over the hill already.

…which if true, puts a different light on the swap as a possible salary dump by MacTavish. If Smid’s play continues to tail off in Cowtown, it might prove to be a good move even if the prospects the Oilers received don’t pan out.

Both Brossoit and Horak got a brief look in Edmonton last season that was not so much a cup of coffee as a demi-tasse. L.B. got a short stint as Ben Scrivens’ back-up during Viktor Fasth’s late season injury, while Horak got a pair of single-game trials, one on New Year’s Eve in Phoenix and the other in the season finale vs. Vancouver. He scored a goal in the latter affair, but otherwise did little to impress; for what it’s worth, in the 22 even-strength minutes he played as an Oiler, Edmonton was outshot by an unsightly 22-5 count.

Horak did impress during an extended run in Oklahoma City, but apparently it wasn’t enough to convince MacTavish and the Oilers to offer him a one-way deal, at least not one rich enough to entice the young Czech to stay on this side of the pond. Instead, with his entry level contract expiring and no sure path to the NHL, Horak bolted to Vitayz of the KHL. MacTavish did think enough of the youngster to issue a formal qualifying offer in late June, thus retaining the just-turned 23-year-old’s rights should he decide to return at some future date. For now, he’s out of sight, out of mind, though also safely beyond a possible waiver situation that would have existed had he continued in a “tweener” role in North America.

Funny thing, Horak’s departure was announced on the very same day that another young European in a similar situation was re-signed by the Oilers, namely Anton Lander. In the case of the young Swede, it took a one-way deal at a low low $600 K to get his name on a one-year extension. The two had spent considerable time together on a crackerjack line in OKC; indeed, their pro career trajectories have been very similar indeed:

Horak Lander

Horak has scored a little more in the NHL, Lander a little more (0.72 P/G to 0.64) in the AHL. What is eerily similar to both players, though, is the unusual distribution of games played. Both guys appear to have been rushed to the NHL before really being ready at age 20, took a step back in the lockout season, and continued to apprentice in the AHL deep into their age 22 season. Seems like the Oilers may not be the only Alberta-based team to be guilty of putting the cart before the horse.

We’ll likely never know to what degree the Flames were guilty of doing this with Horak, but it seems a reasonable conclusion to draw. Moreover, just as the Oilers did with Lander, they put the rookie pro in the middle of the ice where he got owned on the faceoff dot (41.5% win rate) and smacked around on possession numbers (about 45% shot share) while playing with third-rate linemates like Derek Smith, Paul Byron, Tim Jackman … sounds familiar, eh, Oil fans.

Horak, like Lander, would later find his game in the AHL, especially in Oklahoma City this past season. Neal Livingston, who writes for the fine Barons blog Tend the Farm, had this to say about the young Czech’s play:

He became an absolute legit winger when traded away from the Calgary Flames organization. Arguably one of the best forwards the Barons had towards the end of the season, and really was a joy to watch while being centered by Anton Lander. It is a shame that he isn’t staying within the organization because he was probably prepared to break through his “tweener” years and mature into a quality forward that most farm teams are desperate for. Played center with Flames, but Oilers really liked him on the wing. I think that was a more natural spot for future success.

Patricia Teter, of the excellent blog Artful Puck, not only watches the Barons closely but is an avid follower of the KHL, where Horak will be playing in the upcoming season. According to Teter:

OKC will greatly miss Roman Horak! He is a riveting, skilled forward who played a big role in OKC. With Vityaz, Horak is in a position to  step into a top role as the team continues to move away from their earlier goonish ways. It is a great offensive signing for Vityaz and a very astute move by Horak to play top minutes on a team with a mission to redeem themselves.”

Meanwhile, Wilson has been tracking this player for three years as he tried to make his mark in the Calgary organization. He suggests that Horak must have some sort of breakout season to be a factor down the road: “I would say he needs to do something noteworthy overseas to be considered a prospect of note now.”

Expectations for 2014-15: Horak fits in that special class of player I refer to as “defect and follow”. It’s not unheard of for a European player to play closer to home for a year or two, then return to the NHL — Horak’s former Flames teammate Jiri Hudler being one such example. The Oilers have not had much luck with such players; Linus Omark being the latest instance of a guy who came back for a second chance, while Teemu Hartikainen’s rights were retained just long enough to make him a minor trading chip. In Horak’s case there is a moderately talented player who may well excel in a first-line role in Vitayz, just as he did in Oklahoma City. If he blossoms, the Oilers will have dibs on his NHL rights, making him a continuing player of interest even at a distance.



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