Ht/Wt: 6' 2"/183 lbs
Position: C
Team: Kitchener (OHL)

Radek Faksa's Player Profile

Strengths – Faksa is a big, strong two-way center who can skate very well for his size. He’s good off the rush, and while he’s not extremely creative he is capable of producing offensively. Faksa has an above average shot, is a good passer and is never afraid to engage physically. He drives the net hard, goes to the dirty areas of the ice and never takes a shift off. He’s a very smart player, too. He understands his role and what he needs to do to achieve success and will do anything he can to help his team win. He can produce offensively against opposing team’s top defenseman, and he can shut down their top forwards. He’s not dynamic, but he’s effective.

Weaknesses - Faksa is one of the more rounded players in the upcoming draft, but that doesn’t mean he’s flawless. While he’s effective at both ends of the rink, he’s not as offensively gifted as a potential top-10 pick up front can be. Don’t get me wrong, he’s good offensively, just not explosive and dynamic. Faksa needs to fill out his body a little more to allow himself to be more dominant physically. The size is already there.

Career Projection – Second line (#2) center – While Faksa is capable of producing offense and is an elite defensive forward, I don’t see enough offensive upside to project him to become a number one center. I think he will be a solid second line, two-way center for many years, with him turning out to be nothing less than a third line shut-down center.
Submitted by: Todd Cordell of TheHockeyGuys

The 22nd overall pick in the 2011 CHL Import Draft, Radek Faksa came into the OHL with significant experience with the under-18 and the under-20 teams of HC Ocelari Trinec, scoring 125 points in 110 games in the Czech under-18 league and 15 points in the Czech under-20 league. In only one Canadian major junior season, Faksa managed to lead all OHL rookies in scoring with 67 points (29 goals, 38 assists) in 62 games; the point total was also third behind Tobias Rieder and Michael Catenacci in Kitchener. He has immediatel joined a long list of imports to join the Kitchener Rangers and thrive. When one is on the same list as players such as Gabriel Landeskog, Yannick Weber and Jakub Kindl, it is quite the accolade. Faksa surely deserves the praise as the 6'3", 203-pound native of Opava in the Czech Republic, has been nothing sort of a revelation. He scored his first OHL career goal in only his second game in North America and he immediately took the league by surprise. He was named the OHL rookie of the month for November after scoring 16 points (eight goals, eight assists) in only ten games. He had one of his best games of the season with four points (two goals, two assists) on March 10, 2012, against the Erie Otters. Faksa has incredible speed considering his size, as well as a rapid wrist shot and even unbelievable physicality. His point totals got him noticed in the OHL, CHL and IIHF. He was the runner-up for the Emms Family Award for OHL rookie of the year, losing to Aaron Ekblad of the Barrie Colts, and he was named to the OHL First All-Rookie Team. He was also allowed to play at the CHL Top Prospects Game, as well as representing the Czech Republic at the 2012 World Junior Hockey Championships before he turned 18.
Submitted by: Margann Laurissa

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Radek Faksa Videos

NHL 2012 Entry Draft Profile: Radek Faksa

Radek Faksa Highlights



Radek Faksa vs Craig Hottot



Radek Faksa 2 goal vs Niagara (2011-11-04)



Radek Faksa 2 goals vs Erie (2011-11-25)





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