E-Mac's 2011 NHL Entry Draft Top 120: Petr Placek #85

By Eldon MacDonald

85. Petr Placek - “Czech Mate” - W – Czech Republic

Vitals: Size - 6’4”, 210 lb.; Shoots right; Born 28-Dec-92 - Slany CZE
Team: Hotchkiss, HS CT
2010-11 Stats: 8-7-6-13 -10

Rankings:
85 - E-Mac's 2011 NHL Entry Draft Top 120
91 - Christopher Ralph's Top 210
Draft result:
176 - Philadelphia Flyers

Like Colin Jacobs, Petr Placek was expected to place very highly on the draft board at the first of the season, an outside chance of even the first round. However, like Colin Jacobs, it wasn’t to be. Petr was injured and was limited to just eight games for a lousy team. And to make matters worse, when he did play, he played a way too perimeterish for a huge guy, more like some of the dipperettes that he was playing against from the other high schools.

So as a scout, do you say, forget him, he just wasn’t any good. Or do you say, wait a minute, he hardly played so he could still have lingering effects from his injury, maybe I should just forget this year and evaluate him on his potential. The answer probably lies somewhere in between but it is hard to believe that teams will take too many pawns when there still is a “Czech Mate” possible on the board. A 6’4 210 lb, winger with a huge wingspan and an excellent work ethic and alluring offensive qualities (vision, shot, strength, calmness) is likely to be gone no later than the end of the third round.