Slovakia will bring an intriguing roster to the 2026 Olympics, featuring plenty of quality players, even if it doesn’t appear as stacked as those of some other nations. From 2010 to 2022, Slovakia’s Olympic story ran from a heartbreaking fourth place in Vancouver through disappointing 11th-place finishes in 2014 and 2018, before culminating in a historic bronze medal in Beijing, with Juraj Slafkovsky winning tournament MVP honors with seven goals in seven games. With the NHL returning to the Olympic stage, Slovakia is set to ice several North America-based players as it looks to defend its bronze medal.
Here are three Slovak players who could define their Olympic run.
Adam Gajan, G, University of Minnesota-Duluth (NCAA)
The 2023 second-rounder will be Team Slovakia’s second-youngest player on the roster after St. Louis Blues forward Dalibor Dvorsky. After two seasons in the juniors and as many seasons in the NCAA with Minnesota-Duluth, Adam Gajan was thus selected to the Slovak roster, and he will be a bit of a dark horse on the team.
Related: Guide to the 2026 Winter Olympics Men’s Hockey Tournament
Without a clear-cut starting netminder, the Slovaks may look to Gajan for at least one game in Italy. With form and momentum being key in such a short tournament, a hot goalie can steal a game even against higher-touted teams. Here, Gajan can be a good fit for the Slovaks, although probably the staff will enter the tournament with more experienced options.
Juraj Slafkovsky, F, Montreal Canadiens
Slafkovsky will once again be one of the focal points of Team Slovakia at the Olympic tournament, arriving in Milan-Cortina with far more experience and responsibility than he had four years earlier. Still only in his early 20s, the Montreal Canadiens forward is already a cornerstone of the national team and one of the most recognizable faces on the Slovak roster, blending size, skill, and growing maturity at the highest level.
Slafkovsky will be aiming to repeat — and possibly surpass — the impact he made at the 2022 Winter Olympics, where he was one of the breakout players of the tournament and played a key role in Slovakia’s historic bronze-medal run. In Beijing, the Slovak had seven goals in seven games and was awarded MVP honors.
Simon Nemec, D, New Jersey Devils
Simon Nemec will return to the Olympic stage as one of the key players of Team Slovakia’s blue line, bringing with him experience greater than his young age. The New Jersey Devils defenseman was already part of the Slovak roster at the 2022 Winter Olympics, gaining valuable exposure to high-pressure international hockey. Four years later, he arrives in Milan-Cortina as a far more complete and confident player.
Since then, Nemec continued his growth and has been one of the few bright players in the Devils’ season, now in seventh place in the Metro Division. Nemec, who was drafted right after Slafkovsky in 2022, has had an up-and-down season so far, with a respectable 20-point production over 43 regular season games. Maybe he can take the Olympics participation to reset and keep on improving.
Related: Canadiens’ Slafkovsky Set to Defend Olympics MVP Title with Slovakia
Slovakia competes in Group B, with Finland, Sweden, and host country Italy. The team lacks firepower, but the shorter, more volatile Olympic format can give a chance to a team like Slovakia, which may not enjoy much depth but has several capable players on its roster.
Slovakia kicks off its Olympic participation with a game against Team Finland on Feb. 11 at the Milano Santagiulia Arena.
