Team Czechia roster for 2026 Winter Olympics at a glance

Czechia unveiled its roster for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 on Tuesday.

It’s the first time NHL players will participate in the Olympics since 2014.

Czechia is looking to win a gold medal for the first time since 1998 in Nagano, the first time NHL players participated in the Winter Games. It won bronze in 2006 in Turin with NHL players and 2018 in Pyeongchang without NHL players.

Here is a look at the Team Czechia roster (listed alphabetically by position group):

FORWARDS

Roman Cervenka, Pardubice

The 40-year-old who played 39 NHL games for the Calgary Flames in 2012-13 has been a staple for Czechia on the international hockey stage. From Praha, he was the captain for the 2024 gold medal-winning Worlds team. He's played in the Worlds 12 times, also winning gold in 2010 and bronze in 2011. Cervenka also won bronze at the 2005 WJC and represented his country at the Olympics four times (2010, 2014, 2018, 2022) and at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.

Radek Faksa, Dallas Stars

From Vitkov, Faksa will help on face-offs and the penalty kill, where he has excelled throughout his NHL career. The 31-year-old has played at the Worlds three times (2016, 2018, 2019), the World Juniors three times (2012, 2013, 2014) and the U-18 Worlds once (2011). He also played for Czechia at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.

Jakub Flek, Brno

The 32-year-old has played at the Worlds five times, winning gold in 2024 and bronze in 2022. From Marianske Lazne, he has played 12 seasons in the Czech Extraliga, including the past four with Brno, where he has been captain for two seasons.

Tomas Hertl, Vegas Golden Knights

A three-time 30-goal scorer in the NHL, Hertl last played for Czechia at the 2022 Worlds where he won bronze. Prior to that, he hadn't played for them since going to three straight Worlds from 2013-15. The 32-year-old from Praha also played at the WJC in 2012 and 2013, and the U-18 Worlds in 2011.

Explore NHL.com's Coverage of the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026

David Kampf, Vancouver Canucks

The 30-year-old has played more than 500 NHL games, plus 35 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. He won gold at the 2024 Worlds and bronze in 2022. From Chomutov, Kampf also played at the WJC in 2014 and 2015, the 2013 U-18 Worlds and the 2012 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.

Ondrej Kase, Litvinov

Kase, 30, played the last of his 258 NHL games with the Carolina Hurricanes during the 2022-23 season, but has spent the past three seasons with Litvinov in the Czech Extraliga. From Kadan, he won gold at the 2024 Worlds, the only time he's played in the tournament. He played in the WJC twice (2014, 2015) , the U-18 Worlds (2013) and Hlinka Gretzky Cup (2012).

Dominik Kubalik, Zug

The 30-year-old veteran of 357 NHL games, Kubalik has spent the past two seasons playing in Switzerland, including with EV Zug of the National League this season. From Plzen, he's played in the Worlds times, including winning gold in 2024, and has also played at the U-18 Worlds (2013), WJC (2015) and the Olympics (2018).

Martin Necas, Colorado Avalanche

One of the first six players named to the preliminary roster, Necas had seven points (one goal, six assists) in five games, to help Czechia win gold at the 2024 Worlds. He also played at the 2018 Worlds, and the World Juniors in 2017, 2018 and 2019. The 26-year-old from Nove Mesto na Morave also won gold at the 2016 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.

Ondrej Palat, New Jersey Devils

Palat is one of the more experienced players on the roster, having played more than 800 NHL games, and is a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020 and 2021. The 34-year-old from Frydek-Mistek has played in the Worlds twice, including serving as an alternate captain when they won gold in 2024. He also played in the World Cup of Hockey in 2016, the 2014 Sochi Olympics, the WJC in 2011, the 2009 World U-18s and the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in 2008. He was one of the first six players named to the preliminary roster.

David Pastrnak, Boston Bruins

No one on the roster has more NHL goals than Pastrnak, who has scored more than 400 and was one of the first six players named to the preliminary roster. The 29-year-old Havirov native has two medals in his six Worlds appearances (bronze in 2022, gold in 2024). He played in the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, the WJC three times (2014, 2015, 2016) and at the 2013 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Pastrnak was named best forward at the 2025 Worlds when he had 15 points (six goals, nine assists) in eight games, and has won the Golden Hockey Stick, awarded to the top Czech hockey player, eight times, including each of the past three years.

Lukas Sedlak, Pardubice

From Ceske Budejovice, Sedlak played 192 games in four NHL seasons from 2016-23. The 32-year-old has played for Pardubice of the Czech Extraliga the past four seasons, including serving as captain the past three. Sedlak has played at the Worlds three times, winning gold in 2014. He also played at the 2022 Beijing Olympics and the WJC in 2012 and 2013.

Matej Stransky, Davos

Selected by the Dallas Stars in the sixth round (No. 165) of the 2011 NHL Draft, Stransky never played in the NHL but has won two medals on the international stage at Worlds (2024 gold; 2022 bronze). From Ostrava, the 32-year-old also played at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, and has spent the past five seasons with Davos in National League, the top professional league in Switzerland.

David Tomasek, Farjestad

Tomasek signed with the Edmonton Oilers on April 2 after 11 seasons playing in Europe. The 29-year-old from Praha won gold at the 2024 Worlds and also represented Czechia at the 2016 WJC and the 2023 Worlds.

Pavel Zacha, Boston Bruins

Like his Bruins teammate Pastrnak, Zacha was named to the preliminary roster and also won gold at the 2024 Worlds. The 28-year-old from Brno also represented his country at the World Juniors in 2014, 2015 and 2016, and three times at the U-18 Worlds, including winning silver in 2014. Zacha also played at the 2013 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.

DEFENSEMEN

Radko Gudas, Anaheim Ducks

The 35-year-old, who was named to the preliminary roster, has represented his country at the Worlds four times, including winning gold in 2024, and played in the 2014 Sochi Olympics. Gudas, who is from Prague, also played in the WJC twice (2009, 2010).

Filip Hronek, Vancouver Canucks

The 28-year-old, who is from Hradec Kralove, has played at the Worlds five times. He won a bronze medal in 2022 and was named the tournament's best defenseman after he had 11 points (three goals, 10 assists) in eight games in 2019. He also played at the World Juniors in 2016 and 2017, and the World U-18s in 2015.

Michal Kempny, Brynas

The 35-year-old is playing in the Swedish Hockey League this season after spending three with Sparta of the Czech Extraliga. Kempny, who is from Hodonin, played 247 NHL games, and won the Stanley Cup with the Washington Capitals in 2018. He has played in the Worlds five times, winning gold in 2024 and bronze in 2022. He also played in the World Cup of Hockey in 2016, and at the World Juniors in 2010.

Tomas Kundratek, Trinec

The 36-year-old played 30 NHL games, the last of which came with the Washington Capitals in 2012-13. From Prerov, he helped Czechia win gold at the 2024 Worlds and bronze at the 2022 Worlds. He has also played at the Olympics twice (2018 PyeongChang, 2022 Beijing) and the 2016 World Cup of Hockey as well the Worlds six times and the World Juniors twice. Kundratek has spent eight seasons in the Czech Extraliga, including the past three with Trinec.

Jan Rutta, Geneve

The 35-year-old, who spent last season with the San Jose Sharks, currently is playing for Geneve in National League in Switzerland. A two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Lightning (2020, 2021), the Pisek native has played at Worlds three times, including winning gold in 2024.

David Spacek, Iowa

The 22-year-old, who has yet to make his NHL debut, has spent the past two seasons with Iowa of the American Hockey League. Born in Columbus, Ohio, he won gold at the 2024 Worlds and has played in the World Juniors twice (2022, 2023), including winning silver in 2023.

Radim Simek, Bili Tygri Liberec

The 33-year-old veteran from Mlada Boleslav is in his second season with Liberec after returning from the NHL in 2024. Prior to that, he played 209 NHL games with the San Jose Sharks. Since coming back to Europe, he has served as Liberec’s captain, and his experience, along with his blend of toughness, defensive awareness, and positional play, could make him a key shutdown defenseman for Czechia. Šimek has competed in three IIHF World Championships and won a bronze medal with Czechia in 2022.

Jiri Tichacek, Karpat Oulu

The 22-year-old undrafted defenseman from Sokolov is the biggest surprise on the Czech roster. A product of Jaromír Jágr’s Rytíři Kladno system, he excelled in his first season in Finland’s Liiga with Kärpät, recording seven goals and 15 assists for 22 points. He adds speed and offensive flair to a lineup with not so many offensive-minded defensemen. Ticháček won a silver medal at the 2023 World Juniors and appeared in eight games at the 2025 IIHF World Championship.

GOALIES

Lukas Dostal, Anaheim Ducks

The 25-year-old from Brno and No. 1 goalie from the Ducks was named to the preliminary roster. Dostal backstopped Czechia to gold at the 2024 Worlds and was voted the tournament's best goaltender and earned a spot on the tournament's All-Star Team. He also won bronze at the 2022 Worlds and played in two World Juniors (2019, 2020).

Karel Vejmelka, Utah Mammoth

The 29-year-old Trebic native has spent the past five seasons in the NHL. He won gold at the 2024 Worlds, although he was the No. 3 goalie and did not play. Vejmelka also played at the Worlds in 2022, winning a bronze medal, 2023 and 2025.

Dan Vladar, Philadelphia Flyers

The 28-year-old has played for three NHL teams in his six-season career. From Prague, he played in the 2017 World Juniors, and won silver medals at the 2014 U-18 Worlds and the 2014 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.