Olympic Men's Hockey: Czechia Hasn't Performed As Medal Contenders Like Many Expected

As the round-robin portion of the 2026 Olympic men’s hockey tournament draws to a close, a few things are readily apparent.

For starters, the teams we thought would be the most dominant – Team Canada and Team USA – are looking like they deserve to be the co-favorites to win the gold medal.

However, one team that many observers pegged as a dark-horse team to make noise in the competition has not lived up to expectations. That's Team Czechia.

Despite pre-tournament hype that pegged them as a dark-horse pick to do damage at the 2026 Olympics, Czechia has faltered in virtually every game and now faces a tougher path toward Olympic gold. Can they rebound and make it to the podium?

thehockeynews.comOlympic Men's Hockey: Czechia Hasn't Performed As Medal Contenders Like Many ExpectedDespite pre-tournament hype that pegged them as a dark-horse pick to do damage at the 2026 Olympics, Czechia has faltered in virtually every game and now faces a tougher path toward Olympic gold. Can they rebound and make it to the podium?

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