Off a season filled with change, defenseman Jakub Dvorak continues to make strides in Kings organization

It’s been an unconventional 12 months since the Kings drafted Jakub Dvorak with the 54th pick in the second round of last year’s 2023 NHL Draft.

As the team’s first selection last June in Nashville, Dvorak’s past season was unexpectedly well-traveled. Dvorak split his time playing between his homeland of Czechia and in the WHL with the Swift Current Broncos, where he ultimately finished the season.

After he was picked, Dvorak ultimately chose to stay in Czechia, playing in the top men’s league in the country as an 18-year-old. While the Kings had their own preferences, and might’ve preferred him to make the jump to North America, the organization fully supporting the young man’s decision to stay and Dvorak started the season playing with Liberec Bili Tygri HC. Unfortunately, the season on the team front didn’t go as planned and the team got off to a weaker start than expected. Fearing relegation, the team signed multiple veteran defensemen, which cut into the opportunities available for younger players such as Dvorak.

Midseason, Dvorak then chose what he felt was best for his development and came to North America after 19 games, joining the Swift Current Broncos in the WHL for the remainder of the season.

The Kings followed Dvorak’s process along the way. Sean O’Donnell, Player Development Coach for the Kings on the defensive side, visited Dvorak in both environments and felt he did well in adjusting between two vastly different styles of play.

“With his whole change, I think Jakub did a good job,” O’Donnell said. “I think it’s different. He was playing, but he wasn’t playing as much and he was playing a different style of game, but he was playing [against] men in the Czech League. I went to go see him before Christmas and he was playing there and it’s a different style. It’s not as physical, they hang onto the puck more, it’s not as much dump and chase. Then he comes and plays in the Western Hockey League and he’s playing against 17, 18, 19-year-old’s, but it’s more physical. It’s a more in-your-face game. I thought he adapted well and played well.”

For Dvorak himself, the move was a transition on the hockey side but the personal side was perhaps even greater.

This is, after all, an 18-year-old moving across the Atlantic to a place he’s never been to, a country he’s never been to. It was a challenging transition for him to make.

“To be honest, it’s hard, it was difficult,” Dvorak said. “For us European guys, it’s long, long travel, being far from home, but you can adapt on it. It was pretty quick when I got to Swift Current.”

#GoKingsGo prospect Jakub Dvorak nabs his first career Western League goal!@SCBroncos | @LAKings pic.twitter.com/b5FSdo4LQf

— The WHL (@TheWHL) February 17, 2024

Once getting to Swift Current, Dvorak’s season went on the up, but wasn’t flawless.

Dvorak totaled 21 regular season games for the Broncos but also missed around a month, almost all of March, due to injury. Upon coming back and playing two games before season’s end, Dvorak entered the playoffs healthy and helped his Broncos advance to the second round.

As Dvorak touched on his adaptation to moving his life to North America, he also had to adapt to North American hockey. Stylistically different from Europe’s larger-ice, less physical game, Dvorak surprisingly found the on-ice adaptation easier than off-ice.

“I definitely would say the jet lag was even worse than adapting on the rink to the North American Hockey style, so. for me it was pretty quick,” he said. “I’m used to it. I’m used to getting ready for new things really quick. I would say it took about two weeks, and I was in comfortable with the game, pace and style.”

O’Donnell noted the differences between the two styles earlier and there are benefits to both.

Playing against more experienced, older players has its benefits but the WHL presents a more similar stylistic comparison to the NHL or AHL, despite being at a lower level against teenagers.

“I think Jakub adapted to both of the situations he was in this past year,” O’Donnell said. “I thought he played well when I saw him in December in the Czech League and going to see him in Swift Current, I thought he played well there too.”

Following the move to Swift Current, Dvorak’s offensive game picked up and certain instincts began to come out.

Dvorak notched 10 points (2-8-10) across the 21 regular season games and was a positive contributor with +19 plus/minus. When playing in Europe as a teenager, the room for error is pretty low. Players are expected to be reliable defensively because mistakes and losses can put teams at risk of relegation to a lower tier. In the WHL, Dvorak was able to play more freely than he was in Czechia and it showed in his play.

“I knew that I had more offensive skill in me [than I showed in Czechia] but it’s harder when you’re playing against older men,” he said. “You don’t have that space to do those things. So, I’m glad that I discovered that offensive skill again in Swift Current and was able to help the team on both ends.”

Being a two-way defenseman, Dvorak was high on draft boards and earned himself the 54th overall selection 13 months ago, but one reason scouts seemingly didn’t have him higher was because of his skating. Now 13 months later and two development camps later, O’Donnell wanted to squash those assessments.

“I don’t have a problem with his skating at all, but I do think that he could get stronger,” he said. “I think that’s going to come. For a big guy, I think he moves pretty well but it’s not as natural, so he’s just got to keep playing. You don’t have to be the toughest guy in the world or the strongest guy but you’re 1-on-1 in puck battles and you have to win more than you lose. For him, I think that his skating for his size is just fine. I think his footwork is pretty good. I think he moves the puck well. There’s other things we’re working on with him but we like the progression of Jakub and where he’s at.”

Following the conclusion of development camp, the Kings Director of Player Development Glen Murray fielded questions about numerous prospects. When asked about Dvorak, Murray was impressed with the prospect and is excited to get him to California for a more hands-on development process.

“I’ve talked to [O’Donnell and Matt Greene] and they speak very highly of him,” Murray said. “He’s got a big body and he’s very poised, I would say, in the defensive zone and below the goalline. Very poised. He skates well for a big guy. We’re looking forward to what’s next, he’s looking forward to it. You know, we’re not sure where he’s going to be next year. I think it’s up to him and his agency, but we’re really looking forward to getting our hands on him.”

Dvorak’s upcoming season could see him wind up in a number of places.

There’s the WHL route again with Swift Current. There’s a return to Czechia. With an entry-level contract signed, Dvorak is eligible to play in the NHL or AHL, with the latter being the likely destination if he went that route. for now, we’ll assume the WHL is in his future, but that’s not where his focus is at.

“My main goal is definitely to spend the longest time possible at the training camp,” Dvorak added. “That’s the main goal.”

A good place to start, for a player in search of consistency in his age-19 season.

Photo by Gary A. Vasquez/NHLI via Getty Images