Stepan Cerny

Player Overview Stepan Cerny is a 19-year-old Czech defenseman who has made the jump to professional hockey with Mountfield HK in the Czech Extraliga, a significant developmental step that immediately elevates his profile heading into the 2026 NHL Draft.

Current Production Over his last 10 games at the Extraliga level, Cerny has posted 0 goals and 4 assists for 4 points against a minus-5 rating, suggesting he is contributing offensively as a distributor while absorbing some defensive-zone exposure typical of young blueliners adjusting to pro competition.

Key Attributes Cerny's four assists in a ten-game stretch at the Extraliga level indicate a functional playmaking instinct — he is finding ways to generate offense from the back end against professional competition as a teenager. His willingness to log minutes in a top Czech league at age 19 reflects a compete level and physical readiness that not all draft-eligible defensemen can demonstrate. The primary concern flagged by his current minus-5 is defensive-zone reliability, which will be a focal point for evaluators assessing his two-way ceiling.

2026 Draft Outlook Cerny projects as a mid-to-late round candidate given the encouraging offensive touch tempered by legitimate defensive questions at the pro level; the single most critical improvement he must show before June is tightening his gap control and defensive reads to bring his plus-minus closer to neutral against Extraliga competition.