The 2026 Winter Olympics are set to begin in just a couple of days. The women’s hockey tournament will begin on Thursday, Feb. 5, and there is much excitement surrounding it.
Czechia’s team is comprised of a mix of Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) players, as well as European players. Here are the three players to watch on Team Czechia.
First Overall Draft Pick: Kristyna Kaltounkova
Kristyna Kaltounkova made history in the 2025 PWHL Draft when she was selected first overall by the New York Sirens. She was the first European player selected, as well as the first Czech player chosen first overall. Throughout the first half of the season, she has proven why she was selected first overall in this latest entry draft. She currently has 12 points in her first 16 games, 11 of which were recorded in the last 10. Her point total is comprised of 11 goals and one assist, and she currently has three two-goal games.
Kaltounkova consistently drives to the net to find scoring chances. Her consistent work with the Sirens will translate to the Olympics as she attempts to bring the same level of play to her home country of Czechia. This will be the fourth time representing her home country, but her first time participating in the Olympics.
PWHL Experience: Tereza Vanisova
The 2025-26 season might be Kaltounkova’s first in the PWHL, but it is not Tereza Vanisova’s first rodeo. This is her third season playing in the league, and she is playing for her third team. She was selected by the Vancouver Goldeneyes during the expansion draft and has been with the team since the beginning of the season. She previously played for both the Ottawa Charge and Montreal Victoire in the PWHL’s inaugural season and spent the entirety of 2024-25 with the Charge.
Related: United States Olympic Hockey: 3 Players to Watch
In 16 games, Vanisova has eight points via one goal and seven assists. She currently averages a point every two games, and last season she recorded 22. She is still trying to find chemistry with her new teammates, but so far, she is doing her job of driving pucks to the net.
This will be Vanisova’s second time representing Czechia at the Olympics, as she had the honor of doing so in 2022. She played in five games and recorded six points.
Defensive Strength: Aneta Tejralova
Another PWHL veteran, Aneta Tejralova, is now playing for another team of her own. She was selected by the Seattle Torrent during the expansion draft to help aid their blue line. She has played in seven games this season and has recorded one assist. She is a plus-3 despite 21 penalty minutes. A large part of why she hasn’t played the full season was due to her receiving a two-game suspension following an illegal check to the head on Sirens player Sarah Fillier.
Although she was involved in some dirty plays, she has had some solid defensive moments for the Torrent this season. Tejralova does not always find scoring chances, but at the end of the day, this is not her job. Her playing style could be a little cleaner, but her positive plus/minus details that she is doing her best to keep the puck in the Torrent’s zone when she is on the ice.
Like Vanisova, this will be Tejralova’s second time representing Czechia at the Olympics. She also played in all five of Czechia’s games in 2022 and recorded two points.
Czechia Begins Play on Thursday
Czechia will play their first preliminary round game against Team USA, a heavyweight team to say the least. The game will begin at 10:40 AM ET.
