David Pastrňák in the pre-game warmup before a road game against the Vegas Golden Knights on Mar 20, 2025. © Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/12b485c2-0c95-4dfe-9c64-7f3a829bc6da.jpeg] David Pastrňák in the pre-game warmup before a road game against the Vegas Golden Knights on Mar 20, 2025. © Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images Czech national team head coach Radim Rulík spoke to the media on Friday as the team begins preparations to defend its World title, which it won on home ice last year in Prague. However, many of the players who were part of last year’s team won’t be returning this year, for a variety of reasons. “Some have excused themselves due to injuries or personal reasons, but there are also players who are interested,” Rulík said in an iSport.cz article [https://isport.blesk.cz/clanek/hokej-reprezentace-ms-v-hokeji/460358/rulik-o-tymu-pro-ms-pastrnak-premysli-vranu-sleduju-ale-extraliga-nechci-sedme-finale.html]. The players who will definitely not go include a few who have performed well for the Czech national team in the past, such as Dominik Kubalík [https://thehockeynews.com/international/latest-news/opt-out-deadline-passes-no-nhl-for-kubal%C3%ADk-this-season], who had five goals in 10 games last year, David Tomášek [https://thehockeynews.com/international/latest-news/david-tomasek-was-close-to-nhl-contract-swedish-media-reports], who led the Swedish Hockey League in scoring and just signed a contract with the Edmonton Oilers [http://thn.com/edmonton], and Radko Gudas [https://thehockeynews.com/international/latest-news/radko-gudas-its-a-dream-come-true-to-play-final-in-prague] of the Anaheim Ducks [http://thn.com/anaheim], who was a stalwart on the Czech defense last year, but is due to have surgery at the end of this season. Others who will definitely not go are David Jiříček of the Minnesota Wild [http://thn.com/minnesota] and Filip Chytil of the Vancouver Canucks [http://thn.com/vancouver], who are both out for the season with injuries. As recently as February, it appeared that David Pastrňák [https://thehockeynews.com/international/latest-news/semifinal-vs-sweden-a-family-affair-for-david-pastrnak] did not plan to play at this year’s Worlds; however, Rulík indicated that the Boston Bruins [http://thn.com/boston] star is reconsidering and he will almost definitely be available. The fact that Pastrňák’s fiancée is from Sweden and he has many conections there from his junior hockey days is probably a drawing card. Semifinal vs Sweden a family affair for David Pastrňák [https://images.saymedia-content.com/.image/MjA2NTk2ODgzNTU1MDM0NTU4/usatsi_23305981.jpg] Semifinal vs Sweden a family affair for David Pastrňák Pastrňák couldn’t hide how happy he was for Boston Bruins teammate Pavel Zacha, <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/international/latest-news/its-official-pastrnak-zacha-will-both-join-czechia">who flew overseas with him this week to play in his first World Championship</a>. [https://thehockeynews.com/international/latest-news/semifinal-vs-sweden-a-family-affair-for-david-pastrnak] “If they made the playoffs, he obviously wouldn’t,” the Czech coach said. “At this moment and in this situation, as we spoke... I’ll put it this way, he’s thinking about it.” However, fellow Bruins Pavel Zacha and Jakub Lauko are apparently less likely to go due to injuries. Rulík expressed optimism about Anaheim goaltender Lukáš Dostál [http://s/lukas-dostal-after-winning-gold-at-home-ill-remember-it-forever] and Vancouver defenseman Filip Hronek, whom he and GM Jiří Šlégr [https://thehockeynews.com/international/latest-news/jiri-slegr-becomes-new-gm-of-czech-national-team] spoke to on a recent scouting trip to North America. Lukáš Dostál after winning gold at home: “I’ll remember it forever” [https://images.saymedia-content.com/.image/MjA2NzE2Mjk0NjUxNzE2ODEy/usatsi_22286973.jpg] Lukáš Dostál after winning gold at home: “I’ll remember it forever” The offensive heroes have changed almost every game – a testament to the team’s depth – but there’s been a constant as the last line of defense for the Czech World Championship team: Lukáš Dostál, who was voted Top Goalkeeper by the IIHF Tournament Directorate and named to the Media All-Star Team after posting a save percentage of .939 and a goals-against average of 1.58. [https://thehockeynews.com/international/latest-news/lukas-dostal-after-winning-gold-at-home-ill-remember-it-forever] Rulík was asked specifically about Jakub Vrána [https://thehockeynews.com/international/latest-news/jakub-vr%C3%A1na-invited-to-try-out-for-czechia], who has 13 points this season through 34 games with the Washington Capitals [http://thn.com/washington] and Nashville Predators [http://thn.com/nashville]. “I’m following him, but for me, it’s a priority for the players to play,” Rulík responded. “If they haven’t been playing, I probably wouldn’t put them in a comfortable situation, no matter what name they have on their backs. “Same with Tomáš Nosek. I talked to him in Florida [http://thn.com/florida] recently. Since they acquired (Brad) Marchand from Boston, he hasn’t been in the lineup. He’ll wait for his opportunity, but for now, he didn’t play in either of the two games we saw (recently). It’s exactly the same, so I talked to him about it. He respects it, he understands it, but we need players who play.” Meanwhile, the Czechs have begun training camp with a roster of players that either missed or have already been eliminated from the playoffs in their European leagues. They will play exhibition games against Germany, Austria and Slovakia over the next few weekends and most of the players in camp will gradually be replaced as more become available. By the time the Czechs host the final leg of the 2024-25 Euro Hockey Tour in Brno in early May, their roster should be pretty close to the one that will go to the IIHF World Championship in Sweden and Denmark, which begins May 9. Here is Czechia’s current camp roster: Goaltenders: Dominik Frodl (HC Energie Karlovy Vary), Ondřej Kacetl (HC Oceláři Třinec), Šimon Zajíček (HC VERVA Litvínov). Defensemen: Filip Pyrochta (BK Mladá Boleslav), Dominik Mašín (Kärpät, FIN) [https://thehockeynews.com/international/players/ex-lightning-prospect-suspended-4-games-in-finland], Jakub Galvas (Malmö, SWE), Tomáš Cibulka (Banes Motor České Budějovice), Jan Košťálek (HC Vítkovice Ridera), Jiří Ticháček (Rytíři Kladno), Marian Adámek, Tomáš Kundrátek (both HC Oceláři Třinec), David Moravec (HC Energie Karlovy Vary) [https://thehockeynews.com/international/latest-news/david-moravec-goes-from-halifax-to-karlovy-vary]. Forwards: Vít Jiskra, Jiří Černoch, Ondřej Beránek (all HC Energie Karlovy Vary), Petr Kodýtek (IFK Helsinki, FIN), Filip Přikryl, Adam Kubík (both Banes Motor České Budějovice), Radan Lenc (HV71, SWE), Michal Kovařčík (Kärpät, FIN), Daniel Kurovský, Ondřej Kovařčík (both HC Oceláři Třinec), Matyáš Filip, Jaromír Pytlík (both Rytíři Kladno), Daniel Voženílek (Zug, SUI), Ondřej Rohlík (HC Škoda Plzeň), Oscar Flynn (Bílí Tygři Liberec), Vojtěch Hradec (BK Mladá Boleslav). Czechs have lots of options for 2026 Olympics [https://images.saymedia-content.com/.image/MjA2NTIwNDMyODY4NzMwNTc0/usatsi_20485160.jpg] Czechs have lots of options for 2026 Olympics It always seems to be difficult to know what to expect from the Czechs, who often produce wildly different results depending on which players are in their lineup. They surely have some elite talent and then a lot of rather mediocre depth players on both sides of the Atlantic that almost seem interchangeable. For that reason, predicting their roster is a bit of a guessing game. If Radim Rulík remains head coach through the 2026 Winter Olympics, he might stick with the team that gelled very nicely at the 2024 IIHF World Championship and won gold on home ice – especially with the Olympics on a wider European ice surface. [https://thehockeynews.com/international/latest-news/czechs-have-lots-of-options-for-2026-olympics]
