Mikulas Hovorka

February 2025 – Hovorka’s first season in North America has been going about as expected. Originally thought of as a dark horse to make the Panthers’ lineup out of training camp, Hovorka has settled in nicely with the Charlotte Checkers and has been a consistent force on their blue line. While he is not putting up incredible numbers offensively, that is not what Hovorka does. At six-foot-six, he has been a mobile defenseman who has been able to shut down opposing teams’ better players at the AHL level. He still projects as a potential bottom-pairing piece at the NHL level. Even at 23 years old, Hovorka still has plenty of runway till a potential NHL debut as he looks to blossom over the coming years. James Connelly

September 2024 – Hovorka has quickly become one of the more underrated players in the Panthers’ system. In his first rookie camp, tournament, training camp, and preseason thus far. Hovorka has looked like the Panthers’ most dominant defenseman. He is competing for a roster spot and could surprise fans by making the opening night roster on the third pair. While he competes with some stiff competition in Tobias Bjornfot and Nate Schmidt, Hovorka provides a big physical presence that can puck move like a defenseman six inches shorter. If he does lose out on the opening night roster spot, he will probably be one of the first call-ups in the event of injury. Panthers fans should be excited about Hovorka and what he could bring as a competent bottom-four defenseman. James Connelly

June 2024 – This past April the Florida Panthers landed 6-6 229 lbs right-handed defenseman from Motor Ceske Budejovice, Czechia. Hovorka, an undrafted free agent, reportedly had eleven teams interested in his services and it is easy to tell why. For his size, Hovorka is quite a smooth skater who excels at the transition game. He can jump in on the rush to an open area of the ice and has a shot that can beat professional goaltenders clean. In the defensive zone, he frequently scans for attacking players ensuring that every opponent is accounted for. Hovorka is also quite effective with his stick in the defensive zone. He progressed throughout last season and eventually earned a nod with the Czech national team. Hovorka will likely need at least one year in the AHL to adapt to the North American game but if all goes well, he could be a 4th or 5th defenseman on an NHL blue line who provides a physical presence and a touch of scoring from time to time. James Connelly