Slovakia announces the first squad for ice hockey Olympia 2026!

Slovakia announces the first squad for ice hockey Olympia 2026!

The tension increases-the Slovak ice hockey federation has announced the first six players for the preliminary squad of the men's ice hockey team for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan Cortina. These are talented actors who have already caused a sensation on an international floor. The names could be remembered well, because they are ready to prove themselves at the big ice hockey event. According to the information from Olympics.com

• Juraj Slafkovský
• Martin Pospíšil
• Šimon nemec
• Martin Fehérváry
• Erik Černák
• Tomáš Tatar

The announcement was met in close cooperation with the International ICE Hockey Federation, the National Hockey League (NHL), the National Hockey League Players ’Association and the International Olympic Committee (IOC). However, the participants still have to wait for the selection by the respective national Olympic Committees (NOC).

tournament data and venues

The men's tournament takes place from February 11th to 22nd, 2026. The games are played in two impressive arenas: the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena with a capacity of 14,000 and the Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena for 5,700 spectators. A total of 12 teams will compete in three groups:

How the NHL confirms in a blog entry ( NHL.com ), this is the first time since 2014 that NHL players can take part in the Olympic Games again. The remaining squads of the participants will also be announced this year, so that interested parties can pursue the exciting development in the coming months.

A look at the players

The selection player brings beautiful stories and performance. So Juraj Slafkovský can look at an impressive record: he became MVP of the 2022 Olympic Games and scored 51 points for his team this season. His teammates are also no strangers: Erik Černák won about two Stanley Cups with the Tampa Bay Lightning and Martin Fehérváry could also shine in the NHL.

Simon Nemec, the second pick in the NHL draft 2022, has already made a name for itself: After only 27 NHL games, he scored 4 points and, like his teammates, is ready to represent Slovakia. An exciting development remains the view of Tomáš Tatar, who already took part in the 2014 Olympic Games and can give the team a lot with his experience.

The tournament promises to become a big ice hockey spectacle, and the anticipation for the 2026 Winter Olympics increases day by day. Let's keep our fingers crossed for our Slovak ice hockey heroes!