Slovakia is bringing three OHL forwards to vie for 2026 World Junior Championship roster spots.
Erie Otters' Alex Misiak, Sudbury Wolves' Jan Chovan, & Kingston Frontenacs' Tomas Pobezal (from left to right). Credit: OHL ImagesAlong with Czechia announcing their World Juniors selection camp roster, their nation’s rival, Slovakia, has also announced its. 28 Slovaks will attend their camp, with OHLers Jan Chovan, Alex Misiak, and Tomas Pobezal aiming to represent their country at the 2026 World Junior Championship.
Chovan and Pobezal are potential returnees to Slovakia’s U20 roster. They finished sixth, losing in the quarterfinals to Finland. It wouldn’t be surprising if both players start on a line together in Slovakia’s top six forward corps.
Kingston Frontenacs forward Pobezal recorded only one assist in five games at last year’s event. After playing in the top Slovak league last year, he decided to jump overseas and continue his development in the OHL. In 30 games with Kingston, he has put up seven goals and eight assists. His transition has been a rocky go, and gaining some confidence with his national team could do him and Kingston well.
Sudbury Wolves forward and Los Angeles Kings prospect, Jan Chovan, has recently found his groove with the Wolves since the beginning of November. He has recorded at least one point in eight of his last 13 games, with three goals and eight assists in that time frame. Like Pobezal, he’ll be leaned on by his country to be an offensive contributor.
Erie Otters forward Alex Misiak has had the opportunity to watch his older brother Martin represent Slovakia at three World Junior Championships. I’m sure Martin will share some words of wisdom with his younger brother as to what he will need to do to follow in his brother’s footsteps.
Misiak is known primarily as an offensive winger who can flash bursts of speed in transition and use his vision to identify passing lanes to create scoring chances. He’s tallied 10 assists and three goals in 28 games with the Otters. Production for him and the entire team has been a struggle, as Erie has experienced the effects of losing so many players from last year’s roster.
While Pobezal and Chovan should have a spot on Slovakia’s roster, Misiak will have to earn his spot. His defensive game isn’t a strength in his play style, so will the coaching staff want a player who has a stronger 200-foot game?
Slovakia’s selection camp gets underway on Dec. 14. They have the honors of playing the first game of the 2026 World Juniors, facing off against Sweden on Boxing Day.
Make sure you bookmark THN's OHL site for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, be sure to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum.
Latest OHL News:
