The last major U-20 event in Europe ahead of this winter’s World Junior Championship is scheduled for Nov. 5 to 9 in Piešťany, Slovakia. In it, the Slovaks will host the best European-based players from Czechia, Finland, Sweden and Switzerland (scroll down for the schedule).

The Slovaks have been reasonably successful in IIHF World Junior and U-18 World Championship tournaments over the past few years, but this year’s U-20 team is lacking the star power that they’ve had in recent years, notably St. Louis Blues Dalibor Dvorský, who has aged out after leading the team at the last four World Junior Championships.

“We know that we will go to the World Juniors without stars, so we will pay more attention to team spirit and the strength of the team,” said Peter Frühauf, head coach of the Slovak national junior team.

The best of the players they have available for this year’s World Juniors, notably goaltender Michal Pradal and forwards Ján Chovan and Miroslav Šatan Jr., play in North America.

The most notable player on this roster is 18-year-old winger Michal Svrček, a Detroit Red Wings prospect who has played 10 SHL games for Brynäs already this season. Late 2007 births and HK Nitra teammates Tomáš Chrenko and Adam Nemec (not to be confused with Czech prospect Adam Němec) are strongly rated prospects for the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, as are 2008-born Dukla Trenčín teammates Adam Goljer (a defenseman) and Samuel Hrenák (a goalie).

Four Draft-Eligible Players Named to Sweden’s Five Nations Roster Jacob Smeds provides a recap of Sweden’s U20 roster for the November Five Nations Tournament in Piestany, featuring four draft-eligible players.

In all, Frühauf and his staff have a total of 84 players between North America and Europe that are being considered for spots on the World Junior team. They’ll be taking a look at 25 European-based ones in Piešťany.

“It’s a dress rehearsal – the last chance for the boys to convince the coaches that they belong at the World (Junior) Championship,” said Frühauf. “It will be important for us to see the aspects that we have been emphasizing to them since the summer: winning 1-on-1 battles, determination, matching opponents that may be better on paper with combativeness, tenacity, and surpassing them in work ethic and perseverance.”

The Slovaks will play four games in five days over the course of the tournament.

“The conditions are the same for all teams,” said Frühauf. “We have to prepare the boys in a super-fast manner so that we can step on the throat of every team we face.”

12 NHL Draftees, 8 World Junior Returnees On Finland's U-20 Five Nations Squad Finland's U-20 squad boasts 12 NHL draftees and eight returnees from last year's IIHF World Junior Championship, led by captain Aron Kiviharju.

Goaltenders: Patrik Kliment (HC Banská Bystrica), Samuel Hrenák (HK Dukla Trenčín), Patrik Brezáni (HKM Zvolen/HK Žiar nad Hronom).

Defensemen: Andrej Fabuš, Fabian Andrej Ličko (both HC Slovan Bratislava), Marcus Kršák (HO Hamikovo Hamuliakovo/HC Slovan Bratislava), Adam Kalman (HK Nitra), Adam Goljer (HK Dukla Trenčín), Tomáš Vajko (Vlci Žilina - youth), Samuel Húževka (Pelicans Lahti, FIN), Patrik Rusznyák (Lulea HF, SWE)

Forwards: Lukáš Tomka (HC Banská Bystrica), Jakub Kvietok, Michal Liščinský (both HC Košice), Tomáš Chrenko, Adam Nemec (both HK Nitra), Viktor Stas (HK Rysy Spišská Nová Ves), Ondrej Maruna (HK Dukla Trenčín/HK Spartak Dubnica), Jakub Dubravík (Vlci Žilina - youth), Dávid Baláž (Bílí Tygři Liberec, CZE), Oliver Šurlák (RoKi Rovaniemi, FIN), Michal Svrček (Brynäs Gävle, SWE – Detroit Red Wings), Pavol Morávek (Mora IK, SWE), Alex Miroslav Zálešák (Modo Örnsköldsvik, SWE).

Four Drafted Players On Czech U-20 Roster NHL draftees headline the Czech U-20 roster, eyeing pre-World Junior Championship European competition. Top talent clashes in Piešťany.

Tournament Schedule (all times CET)

Wednesday, Nov. 5:
13:30 Switzerland – Sweden
17:00 Finland – Slovakia

Thursday, Nov. 6:
13:30 Czechia – Finland
17:00 Sweden – Slovakia

Friday, Nov. 7:
13:30 Sweden – Finland
17:00 Switzerland – Czechia

Saturday, Nov. 8:
13:30 Finland – Switzerland
17:00 Slovakia – Czechia

Sunday, Nov. 9:
11:30 Czechia – Sweden
15:00 Slovakia – Switzerland

Predicting Slovakia's 2026 Olympic roster By winning their group at the final round of qualifying this past weekend, the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/international/latest-news/latvia-denmark-slovakia-and-maybe-france-qualify-for-2026-olympics">Slovaks have qualified for the men’s ice hockey tournament at the 2026 Winter Olympics</a> in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo.