Team Slovakia roster for 2026 Winter Olympics at a glance

Slovakia unveiled its roster for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 on Thursday.

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

Slovakia has medaled once in the Winter Olympics, capturing bronze at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.

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

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FORWARDS

Peter Cehlarik, Leksands IF

The 30-year-old from Zilina was selected by the Boston Bruins in the third round (No. 90) in the 2013 NHL Draft. He played parts of four seasons with Boston from 2016-20 before returning to Europe, where he currently plays in the Swedish Hockey League. Cehlarik has represented Slovakia at the WJC in 2014 and 2015, winning bronze in 2015, the Worlds four times (2016, 2021, 2023, 2024) and at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, winning bronze.

Dalibor Dvorsky, St. Louis Blues

The 20-year-old from Zvolen was selected by the Blues with the No. 10 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. He is in his first full season with St. Louis and has represented Slovakia in the WJC four times (2022-25) and at Worlds in 2025.

Marek Hrivik, Vitkovice Ridera

The 34-year-old from Cadca had a brief stint in the NHL, playing 21 games with the New York Rangers over two seasons in 2015-16 and 2016-17, and three games with the Calgary Flames in 2017-18. He represented Slovakia at the WJC twice (2009, 2011), at the Worlds four times (2014, 2021, 2023, 2024) and at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, winning bronze. Hrivik is in his first season as captain of HC Vitkovice in the Czech Extraliga, the top professional league in Czechia.

Libor Hudacek, Ocelari Trinec

The 35-year-old from Levoca has played his entire career in Europe. He's represented Slovakia at the WJC in 2010 and played at Worlds eight times (2012-13, 2015-17, 2019, 2023-24) and was a member of the bronze-medal winning team at the 2022 Beijing Olympics. Hudacek has played the past six seasons with Ocelari Trinec and is a two-time Extraliga champion.

Milos Kelemen, Dynamo Pardubice

The 26-year-old from Zvolen played parts of two seasons with the Arizona Coyotes from 2022-24. He played for Slovakia at the WJC twice (2018-19) and at Worlds three times (2021, 2023-24). Kelemen was also a member of the bronze-medal winning team at the 2022 Beijing Olympics and has spent the past two seasons in the Czech Exraliga.

Adam Liska, Severestal Cherepovets

The 26-year-old from Bratislava has spent the past eight seasons in the KHL, including the past seven with Severestal, where he has been captain for three seasons. He played at teh WJC in 2918 and 2019, and the Worlds in 2019, 2021 and 2022.

Oliver Okuliar, Skelleftea AIK

The 25-year-old from Trencin signed as a free agent with the Florida Panthers on April 12, 2024, and played one season with Charlotte in the American Hockey League in 2024-25. He represented Slovakia at the WJC in 2020 and at Worlds in 2023.

Martin Pospisil, Calgary Flames

The 26-year-old from Zvolen was one of six players named to the preliminary roster. Selected by the Flames in the fourth round (No. 105) in the 2018 NHL Draft, he has more than 100 games of NHL experience but has not played this season due to an injury. He is expected back before the Olympics and has played for Slovakia at the 2019 WJC and 2024 Worlds.

Pavol Regenda, San Jose Sharks

The 26-year-old from Michalovce is currently the Sharks after spending most of the season with San Jose in the American Hockey League. He played for Slovakia at the WJC in 2019, and at Worlds four times (2022-25). He was also a member of the Slovakia team that won bronze at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.

Adam Ruzicka, Spartak Moskva

The 26-year-old from Bratislava played 117 NHL games from 2020-24 with the Flames and Coyotes before moving on to the Kontinental Hockey League. He played at the WJC three times (2017-19).

Juraj Slafkovsky, Montreal Canadiens

The 21-year-old Kosice native was the No. 1 pick by the Canadiens in the 2022 NHL Draft and is in his fourth NHL season. Slafkovsky played for Slovakia at the 2021 WJC, won bronze at the 2022 Beijing Olympics where he was named tournament MVP, and has played in three World Championships (2021-22, 2024). He was one of six players named to the preliminary roster.

Matus Sukel, Verva Litvínov

The 29-year-old from Liptovsky Mikulas has served as a captain for Czech Extraliga team Litvinov the last four seasons and has a lot of international experience. He played one game at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics and has represented Slovakia at Worlds six times (2019, 2021, 2023-25). He also played at the WJC in 2015 and 2016.

Samuel Takac, Slovan Bratislava

An experienced 34-year-old veteran from Poprad, Takac has been one of the best players in the top-tier Slovak league in the past eight years, spending the last five of them with Slovan Bratislava. He won bronze at the 2022 Beijing Olympics and has also represented Slovakia at Worlds twice (2022, 2025).

Tomas Tatar, EV Zug

The 35-year-old from Ilava has played 927 NHL games 14 seasons since he was selected by the Detroit Red Wings in the second round (No. 60) of the 2009 NHL Draft. He has represented Slovakia at the WJC twice (2009-10), the Worlds seven times (2010, 2012, 2014-15, 2019, 2022, 2024), the 2014 Sochi Olympics, and won silver with Team Europe at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey. Tatar, who is currently playing in the National League, the top professional league in Switzerland, was one of six players named to the preliminary roster.

DEFENSEMEN

Peter Ceresnak, Dynamo Pardubice

The 32-year-old from Trencin was selected by the New York Rangers in the sixth round (No. 172) of the 2011 NHL Draft but never played in the NHL. He played for Slovakia at the WJC three times (2011-13), at Worlds four times (2014, 2017, 2022, 2024) and was a member of the bronze-medal winning team at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, while also competing in the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics. Ceresnak has spent the past four seasons with Dynamo Paradubice in the Czech Extraliga.

Erik Cernak, Tampa Bay Lightning

The 28-year-old from Kosice is in his eighth season with Tampa Bay and won the Stanley Cup in 2020 and 2021. Selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the second round (No. 43) of the 2015 NHL Draft, he played for Slovakia at the WJC four times (2014-17), winning bronze in 2015, and at Worlds in 2019. Cernak was one of the first six players named to the preliminary roster.

Martin Fehervary, Washington Capitals

The 26-year-old from Bratislava was selected by the Capitals in the second round (No. 46) in the 2018 NHL Draft. He has represented Slovakia at the WJC three times (2017-19) and at Worlds four times (2018, 2019, 2022, 2024). Fehervary was one of the first six players named to the preliminary roster.

Martin Gernat, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl

The 32-year-old from Kosice was selected by the Edmonton Oilers in the fifth round (No. 122) of the 2011 NHL Draft but never played in the League. He is currently in the Kontinental Hockey League with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl and won the league championship with them in 2025. Gernat played for Slovakia at the 2012 WJC and the Worlds in 2017 and 2021, and won bronze at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.

Michal Ivan, Bili Tygri Liberec

The 26-year-old native of Ziar nad Hronom has played his entire career in Europe, including the past five years with Bili Tygri Liberec in the Czech Extraliga. He played for Slovakia at the WJC twice (2018-19), and at Worlds five times (2021-25).

Patrik Koch, Ocelari Trinec

The 29-year-old from Malacky played one game for the Coyotes in 2023-24 and spent time in the American Hockey League before playing for Ocelari Trinec in the Czech Extraliga. He played for Slovakia at the 2016 WJC and at Worlds four times (2019, 2023-25).

Martin Marincin, Ocelari Trinec

The 33-year-old from Kosice was selected by the Edmonton Oilers in the second round (No. 46) in the 2010 NHL Draft and played seven seasons in the NHL with the Oilers and the Toronto Maple Leafs from 2013-20. Marincin played for Slovakia at the WJC three times (2010-12), and at Worlds three times (2014, 2016, 2019). He also won bronze at the 2022 Beijing Olympics and has spent the past six seasons in the Czech Extraliga.

Simon Nemec, New Jersey Devils

The 21-year-old from Liptovsky Mikulas who was selected by the Devils with the No. 2 pick in the 2022 NHL Draft was one of six players named to the preliminary roster. He is in his third NHL season and is currently on injured reserve with a lower-body injury but is expected back before the Olympics. Nemec has played for Slovakia at the WJC twice (2021, 2023), and at Worlds four times (2021-24) and won bronze at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.

GOALIES

Adam Gajan, University of Minnesota-Duluth (NCAA)

The 21-year-old from Poprad was selected by the Chicago Blackhawks in the second round (No. 35) in the 2023 NHL Draft. He is in his sophomore season with Minnesota-Duluth and played for Slovakia at the World Junior Championship in 2023 and 2024.

Samuel Hlavaj, Iowa

The 24-year-old from Martin is in his second season with Iowa of the American Hockey League after the Minnesota Wild signed him as an undrafted free agent April 5, 2024. He played for Slovakia at the WJC three times (2019-21) and at the Worlds three times (2023-25).

Stanislav Skorvanek, Mountfield

A 29-year-old goalie is a late bloomer who represented Slovakia at his first two World Championships in 2023 and 2024. He had a 3-1-0 record, 1.26 GAA and .954 save percentage in 2023 and has been solid for Hradec Kralove in the Czech Extraliga this season. He also played one game at the 2016 World Junior Championship for Slovakia.