yesterday 14:50
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The young Slovak hockey player Nela Lopušanová at this year’s world championship for under-18 players has so impressed the hockey world that speculation is beginning about her possible future career overseas.
The path to this can lead through the Canadian junior CHL, where Canadian goalkeeper Éve Gasconová recently got a chance. According to overseas expert Tony Ferrari from The Hockey News magazine, it is unlikely that 14-year-old Lopušanová will play there.
“Unfortunately, I don’t think that any of the CHL clubs will consider Lopušanova. In recent years, we have seen young women there, for example Gasconová, but in general only female goalkeepers get a chance in this league. I hope that the success of players like Gasconová can make teams CHL to encourage them to try someone like Lopušanová. However, it is unlikely.” thinks Ferrari, who however highlighted the skills of the young attacker from Žilina.
“Lopušanová is one of the most productive players in the Slovakian under-16 boys competition, her average of 3.1 points per game is the fourth highest in history among 14-year-olds and younger. She is a very skilled attacker and excels in fights against her peers. On the world hockey map made it to the MS18 where she was the most productive player and produced some of the most memorable performances of the past years. She scored one of the most beautiful lacrosse goals I’ve ever seen and regularly embarrassed defenders with the puck on her stick.” said the expert.
Nela Lopušanová was declared the best forward and the most useful player of the January Under-18 Women’s World Hockey Championship in Östersund, Sweden. She was the most productive player of the championship with 13 points in five games and the second best scorer with 9 goals. She helped the Slovak women’s 18-team team to the final 6th place in the tournament, equaling their best ranking in history.
