Adam Zlnka is a promising 20-year-old forward prospect from Delta, Slovakia. He stands 6 feet tall and weighs 176 pounds, with a powerful right-handed shot. Currently, he plays for the Bowling Green State University Falcons in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) at the NCAA Division I level. Adam was selected by the Arizona Coyotes, now the Utah Hockey Club, in the seventh round (204th overall) of the 2022 NHL Draft.
Adam Zlnka Early Career
Growing up in Slovakia, Adam played for HK Poprad and HKM Zvolen in the U16 and U18 leagues from 2017 to 2019, recording 19 goals and 38 assists (57 points) in 74 games. Following this, he played for Ässät U18 and Team Slovakia U18 from 2019 to 2021, scoring 101 points over two seasons in 105 games. In late 2021, he moved to the United States to play for the Sioux Falls Stampede in the USHL, where he recorded one goal and three assists in 10 games; he also played his last U18 tournament with the Slovakia international junior team, winning the Hlinka Gretzky Cup Silver Medal.
In December 2020, Adam suffered an ACL injury while playing for the Slovak national team, which significantly hurt his draft stock. Refusing to be deterred, he battled back and continued to develop as a player, later being selected in the seventh round by the Arizona Coyotes, nearly going undrafted at 204th overall.
Adam also participated in the U20 World Junior Championships for Slovakia in both 2022-2023 and 2023-2024, scoring one assist in nine games across both tournaments. His experiences in these competitions were huge for his development, as he faced top talent from around the globe in his age bracket.
“It was amazing, honestly, I really enjoyed it. It was a privilege and honor and a great experience. It’s been a huge eye-opener, especially playing against teams like Canada, United States, Finland and the hockey world’s best teams and players in that age group.”
Zlnka on playing in the World Junior Championships with Team Slovakia
Before joining BGSU for his freshman season earlier this year, Adam spent time with the Waterloo Black Hawks and Des Moines Buccaneers in the USHL during the 2023-2024 season. In 46 games with both clubs, he scored 10 goals and 8 assists, posting a +2 plus/minus rating with Waterloo (21 games) and a -2 rating with Des Moines (25 games).
Coming to Bowling Green has proven to be a great decision for the young forward, as the Falcons hold a record of 10-7-2 (3rd in the CCHA) as of January 4, 2025. The Falcons have a real shot at winning the CCHA this season but will have to find their way past the CCHA’s top dogs, in Minnesota State (ranked #12), Augustana, and Michigan Tech. Winning the CCHA Mason Cup would give them an automatic bid into the NCAA tournament, which truly seems like their only way in up to this point in the season.
“I found it a pretty good opportunity to connect hockey and school in one. It doesn’t necessarily always work out, hockey-wise, so I wanted to have a back door. That’s why I came to the United States to play junior hockey, so the next step can be playing in college”
Zlnka on why he chose to play college hockey in the United States
Through 11 games played this season, Adam has scored a goal and an assist for the Falcons, while posting a +2 plus/minus stat while on the ice. On December 6th at #15 Minnesota State, he scored his first collegiate goal off a rebound in front of the net, breaking his stick in the process.
On December 29th, I had the opportunity to cover BGSU’s home matchup against the RIT Tigers at Slater Family Ice Arena in northern Ohio. In this game, Zlnka played as the right winger on the third line, alongside center Jaden Grant and left winger Jackson Niedermayer. Although Zlnka did not record any points, he made a noticeable impact with his speed and hard forechecking throughout the game. I could clearly see his talent, noticing how he handles the puck well and his nice wrist shot, seen a few times last Sunday. The Falcons secured a 2-1 victory over RIT that day, despite a third-period comeback by the Tigers, largely thanks to their scoring depth, as Captain Ryan O’Hara scored the GWG late in the third.
Related Post: Bowling Green State Falcons vs RIT Tigers Game Recap | 12/29/2024 | Inside The Rink
Looking over the stat sheet, Adam appears to be a discipline young player who stays out of the penalty box, something that is not always seen in freshmen. Having experiences like the WJC under his belt has definitely helped him mature faster, and that is why I am high on him as a prospect for the Utah organization. His hard forechecking and discipline has not gone unnoticed by the BGSU coaching staff, as he always seems to pursue pucks on the ice.
“Adam’s a talented player. It’s always been a matter of, not if, just when he was going to showcase all his talents. He’s skilled and he can be really gritty. He can be on pucks all the time”
BGSU’s Assistant Head Coach Stavros Paskaris on Adam’s potential
I would not be surprised to see his ice time increase as this season progresses, and he may even move up to the top six forward group more often if he returns to BGSU next season. Adam can be a big piece for this program moving forward, as the Falcons now head back home to Bowling Green to face CCHA opponent, Bemidji State, after sweeping the LSSU Lakers this past weekend.
(Quotes courtesy of BG Falcon Media)
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