The last time Czechia was not playing for a bronze medal was the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. Since then, Czechia's women's hockey team has played for bronze at four consecutive World Championships, winning twice.

This year, after falling to Sweden in the quarterfinals, Czechia will only be able to watch the medal round of the Olympics instead of playing in it themselves. 

What went wrong for Czechia? What went right? Here's a look.

Behind only Canada and the United States, Czechia entered the 2026 Olympics with the most current PWHL players (8) and players with PWHL experience (11). Only two of those players however, PWHL rookies Natalie Mlynkova and Kristyna Kaltounkova managed to score in the tournament with Mlynkova leading Czechia with three goals and four points in five games. 

Tereza Vanisova, Katerina Mrazova, and Klara Hymlarova all finished their tournament's with a single assist in five games, while Aneta Tejralova, Denisa Krizova, Daniela Pejsova, Noemi Neubauerova, and Dominika Laskova were all held off the scoresheet. So was veteran Michela Pejzlova, who saw her ice time shrink in the tournament, which may be the veteran's last with Czechia as her play has declined playing in weaker international leagues rather than joining the PWHL or SDHL. 

Carla MacLeod gave Czechia belief. She showed them they could compete with and against the best in the world, and they did. She remained positive in the face of losses and showed her team that there would be bumps. It was an important step in Czechia's progress, but despite that growth, and despite the top level experience this team has both internationally and professionally, other nations continue to catch up, and now pass the Czech's. Much like with the Ottawa Charge in the PWHL, MacLeod's teams are often more free flowing as she's never shown strength in implementing systems or set plays. MacLeod's strengths have always been in her ability to connect with athletes, motivate them, and to bring out untapped potential through confidence. With Czechia's current state however, MacLeod's assets may have taken them as far as they can, and it may be time for a different, more regimented approach, particularly with some of the undisciplined play that inevitably cost Czechia in the quarterfinals.

It was bizarre to see Czechia play three goaltenders at the Olympics. Klara Peslarova remains Czechia's top goaltender, and she finishes with a strong .936 save percentage. It's hard to blame Peslarova for a one goal game, but Czechia's deployment of goaltenders throughout was confusing. Starting Julie Pejsova against Canada, a goaltender who has never appeared in a World Championship game for the nation, and who has never played in a league outside Czechia to face stronger competition was baffling. Michaela Hesova had positive moments posting a .905 save percentage, but still needs time at this level. 

Czechia's future remains bright, although they'll only see a slight trickle coming to the PWHL moving forward. Next year defender Andrea Trnkova could be picked in the 2027 Draft, and Adela Sapovalivova and Tereza Plosova are prospects for 2029. Tereza Pistekova and Sara Cajanova could also make the move, with Cajanova likely after her contract expires next season. 

Beyond this group, youngsters Barbora Jurickova (St. Lawrence) and Linda Vocetkova (Colgate) are both NCAA bound. Their U-18 national team beat Sweden this year to win bronze. That roster also has several players heading to the NCAA in commits Tereza Gildainova (Cornell), Julie Jebouskova (Maine), Adéla Pánková (Northeastern), and Kateřina Pěnčíková (RIT). They'll certainly be joined by other members of Czechia's U-18 roster as many of the younger players on their roster aren't able to commit, yet. 

With their strongest players at this tournament at every position, whether it was Mlynkova or Kaltounkova up front, or Cajanova and Pejsova on the blueline being in their early 20s, the future remains bright.

There are clear reasons certain nations are climbing while others are falling in women's hockey. USA has surpassed Canada due to their added development efforts and streamlined system of identification at younger ages. Sweden has climbed beyond Czechia, and will likely soon surpass Finland whose girls and women's hockey system is in a death spiral, due to their structured plan focusing on building girls and women's hockey from the grassroots level to the pros. Most in North America believe their plan to vastly reduce the number of international players who can compete in the SDHL over the next few seasons will backfire and slow development by lowering the level of competition in Europe, but the nation is the only European team with a functioning system from top to bottom. Czechia added a key piece this year with the launch of their first ever all-girls league at the U-16 level. It will take time before those types of developments pay off, but the addition of girls hockey, girls skills camps, and funding for development for women in Czechia at all levels is a must. Czechia, like other nations who are currently stalled or moving in the wrong direction also lacks a team in any competitive league in Europe. Geographically, joining Germany's DFEL, or the EWHL would benefit those wanting to stay in Czechia, but needing better competition. It would provide another positive intermediary step for players.