Waterloo highlights Czech forward David Sedlacek as key 2026-27 addition

Waterloo’s June 30 commitment feature put David Sedlacek at the front of its 2026-27 roster picture, and the Black Hawks clearly see the 18-year-old Czech forward as more than a placeholder for next fall at Young Arena. As one of Waterloo’s first-round Phase II selections in the 2026 USHL Draft, Sedlacek arrives with the kind of scoring record and scouting buzz that can define a junior team’s identity before the puck drops.

Sedlacek, a forward from Zatec, Czechia, spent the winter with Karlovy Vary in the Czech U20 league and produced 34 points in 52 games, good for a tie for third on the club in scoring. That line, 13 goals and 21 assists, points to a player who can finish plays and also drive offense as a passer, a valuable combination for a roster trying to build a core around skill rather than volume alone.

The international resume sharpened the case even further. Sedlacek turned 18 in January while playing for Energie, then scored two goals in seven games for Czechia’s National U18 team in April and left Slovakia with a bronze medal. NHL Central Scouting ranked him 43rd among European prospects in its final spring list, and Waterloo noted that only two Czech skaters were placed ahead of him. That matters because it places Sedlacek in the lane the Black Hawks seem to prefer: young, European, tested against older competition, and still trending upward.

The timing also fits Waterloo’s broader roster-building cycle. The United States Hockey League held its 2026 Phase II Draft on May 5, the same day Sedlacek was being positioned as a player to watch for the 2027 NHL Draft. By highlighting him in a June 30 feature on committed players for 2026-27, Waterloo was not just introducing a name. It was mapping out how the next Black Hawks core is being assembled, with Sedlacek serving as a clear sign that the club wants speed, skill and NHL-caliber upside to anchor its next wave of junior talent.