World Championship Preview: Czechia Eyes The Podium Missing Key Veterans

Czechia's women's national team roster looks different than it has in the past. They'll enter the 2026 IIHF women's World Championships in Denmark without Tereza Vanisova, Denisa Krizova, and Dominka Laskova. The trio have played crucial roles with Czechia for a decade, but the 2026 Worlds will usher in an opportunity for new players to make their mark on Czechia's program.

The team will remain without defender Andrea Trnkova as well, who has yet to make her debut this season remaining out with injury. Trnkova, Vanisova, Krizova, and Laskova aren't the only members of Czechia's Olympic roster who won't be back at this tournament, a group which also includes netmidners Michaela Hesová and Julie Pejsova.

Czechia's roster is younger adding 20-year-old Aneta Šenková and 19-year-old Daniela Nováková in net, 18-year-old Aneta Paroubková and 17-year-old Ellen Jarabková on the blueline, and 18-year-old Tereza Gildainová, and 22-year-old Barbora Bartáková who are all making their IIHF World Championship debuts with Czechia. Czechia is also welcoming back 24-year-old Tereza Radová on the blueline and 20-year-old Anežka Čabelová up front.

Czechia's PWHL standouts will be crucial, but it's their non-PWHL players who are going to make or break their success. In net, Klára Peslarová needs to be on top of her game as the veteran anchor of this roster. 

On the blueline, Sára Čajanová continues to trend upward in her game, and without Trnkova and Laskova, Czechia will need her to be better than ever alongside Aneta Tejralová, Daniela Pejšová, and Noemi Neubauerová in the top four.

Up front, Kristýna Kaltounková needs to be the star, but NCAA forwards like Adéla Šapovalivová and Tereza Plosová are the names Czechia really needs to see take another step forward in their development and performance.

Czechia had a strong finish at the Women's Euro Hockey tour beating Finland and Switzerland, but Sweden had their number. Expect to see Czechia playing a bit of a different style under new head coach Brian Idalski than they were with Carla McLeod. How it all plays out will depend on how well Czechia's young standouts can stack up against not only Canada and USA, but Sweden, Finland, and Switzerland. Can they win bronze? Absolutely? Will they? It's the roll of a dice at this point. Czechia could finish anywhere from third to sixth in this tournament.

Goalkeepers (3): Daniela Nováková, Klára Peslarová, Aneta Šenková.

Defensemen (8): Sára Čajanová, Ellen Jarabková, Noemi Neubauerová, Aneta Tejralová, Aneta Paroubková, Daniela Pejšová, Tereza Radová, Klára Seroiszková.

Forwards (14): Anežka Čabelová, Tereza Gildainová, Klára Hymlárová, Barbora Juříčková, Kristýna Kaltounková, Natálie Mlýnková, Kateřina Mrázová, Michaela Pejzlová, Tereza Pištěková, Tereza Plosová, Vendula Přibylová, Adéla Šapovalivová, Linda Vocetková, Barbora Bartáková.