Hockey: Slovakia announced the first six players at the 2026 Winter Olympics

BRATISLAVA. The Slovak hockey team announced the names of the first six players nominated for the next year’s Olympic Tournament in Milan.

Slovaks will be at the Winter Olympics 2026, where after 12 years there will also be NHL players, defenders Erik Černák from Tampa Bay Lightning, Martin Fehérváry from Washington Capitals, Šimon Nemec from New Jersey Devils will also be presented.

The attack will rely on Juraj Slafkovsky from Montreal Canadiens, Martin Pospisil from Calgary Flames and striker of Swiss EV Zug Tomas Tatar.

Slovak hockey players got to the tournament through a qualification in which they conquered Hungary, Austria and Kazakhstan. At the Olympics they will be in the basic B-group. Their rivals will be Finland, Sweden and Home Italy.

The International Hockey Federation (I The Slovak Ice Hockey Association (SZĽH) published a nomenclature at 15.00.

NHL players presented themselves last in 2014, when the Winter Olympics took place in Sochi, Russia. The Slovaks there after the loss with the USA (1: 7), Slovenia (1: 3) and Russia (0: 1SN) occupied the final 11th place.

Slovak hockey players did not miss any Olympic tournament in the era of independence, although in Nagano 1998 and Salt Lake City 2002 did not advance from the qualification, which was played in the game venue, to the main tournament.

At the last Winter Olympics in Beijing, Slovakia, led by Canadian coach Craig Ramsay, achieved the greatest success – bronze.

While three years ago, the procedure of the Slovaks was a surprise to the medal fighting, in Milan a big sensation would be equal.

The Olympic tournament has been played by the traditional format since the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. The group phase will take place in three four -member groups. The direct advance to the quarterfinal fighting will be secured by the group winners and the best team from the second cities.

The other teams will be heading to the eight -finals, where they will play for the remaining four seats to the quarterfinals. This will be followed by the classic semifinal, bronze match and final.

The men’s hockey tournament will be played at the 2026 Winter Olympics from 11 to 22 February in Milan. The venues will be the halls Palaitalia and Fiera Milano.