On Monday morning in Bratislava, GM Miroslav Šatan and head coach Craig Ramsay announced the 25-man roster for the Olympic qualifying tournament that the Slovaks will host from August 29 to September 1. It includes 10 players from the NHL and/or AHL, nine from the Czech Extraliga, three from the KHL, two from the SHL and one from the Slovak Liga.
The inclusion of three KHLers – defensemen Mário Grman and Martin Gernát and forward Adam Liška – was controversial. The Slovaks had refused to select players from the Russian-based league at the last three IIHF World Championships due to its support of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but recently reversed that policy in an attempt to build a stronger lineup. Brothers Kristián and Martin Pospíšil publicly voiced their disagreement and considered sitting out the tournament, before ultimately agreeing to play.
Slovak KHL players not chosen include goaltender Patrik Rybár, defensemen Christian Jaroš and Michal Čajkovský and forwards Adam Ružička and Tomáš Jurčo.
Conspicuously absent from the roster are Peter Cehlárik, the top forward of the 2021 World Championship, and NHLers Juraj Slafkovský and Erik Černák. Questions about their omissions were not specifically answered.
“After communication with the players, which was sometimes difficult, and after communication with the GM of their clubs, the decision was made that they (Slafkovský and Černák) would not come,” said Šatan.
“Every year the players change and it is important that we have leaders,” said Ramsay. “Some could not come for various reasons. Cehlárik said that he will be available for the next event. I am convinced that we will do our best with what we have.”
Slovakia will host Austria, Hungary and Kazakhstan in the four-team round-robin tournament, with only the winner advancing to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.
Goaltenders: Denis Godla (Slovan Bratislava), Samuel Hlavaj (Iowa Wild), Stanislav Škorvánek (Mountfield Hradec Králové).
Defensemen: Peter Čerešňák (Dynamo Pardubice), Martin Fehérváry (Washington Capitals), Mário Grman (Admiral Vladivostok), Martin Gernát (Lokomotiv Yaroslavl), Michal Ivan (Bílí Tygři Liberec), Samuel Kňažko (Cleveland Monsters), Patrik Koch (Utah HC), Šimon Nemec (New Jersey Devils)
Forwards: Marek Hrivík (Leksands IF), Miloš Kelemen (Utah HC), Róbert Lantoši (Bílí Tygři Liberec), Adam Liška (Severstal Cherepovets), Lukáš Cingel (Kometa Brno), Kristián Pospíšil (Kometa Brno), Martin Pospíšil (Calgary Flames), Miloš Roman (Oceláři Třinec), Libor Hudáček (Oceláři Třinec), Pavol Regenda (Anaheim Ducks), Marián Studenič (Färjestad BK), Matúš Sukeľ (HC Litvínov), Adam Sýkora (Hartford Wolf Pack), Tomáš Tatar (New Jersey Devils).
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