The Lidl Hockey Games are set to get underway from November 5-8 in Ängelholm, Sweden featuring women's national teams from Czechia, Finland, Sweden, and Switzerland in what will be one of the final events ahead of the Olympics.
The Lidl Hockey Games, Sweden's annual stop on the Women's Euro Hockey Tour will hold additional significance this season with Olympic roster spots on the line for Finland, Sweden, Czechia, and Switzerland. It will also be the final tuneup prior to PWHL training camps for many.
Each nation took a different approach heading into the tournament.
Switzerland The Heavy Underdog Without Their Stars
No Lara Stalder, Alina Muller, Andrea Brandli, Lara Christen, Rahel Enzler, Nicole Vallario, Sinja Leeman and others. It's going to be a rough go for the Swiss considering Czechia, Finland, and Sweden all have the bulk of their top rosters coming for the event. It's also a spectacular opportunity for Switzerland to evaluate their depth.
Switzerland has remained competitive at recent international competitions on the strength of their top players. For that to continue, the Swiss need to find another wave of players who can fill their Olympic roster from the bottom.
There are several teenagers on Switzerland's roster including Ivana Wey, Naemi Herzig, Laure Mériguet, Norina Müller, and Lucie Tenenbaum who have promise to be part of that solution. This will be their time to step forward.
Czechia Brings Sneak Peek Of Olympic Roster
Finland and Sweden are bringing strong rosters featuring PWHL and SDHL players, but both rosters are missing small pockets of their top rosters. Czechia on the other hand is bringing a nearly complete lineup. Up front PWHL players including Kristyna Kaltounkova, Katerina Mrazova, Denisa Krizova, Tereza Vanisova, Klara Hymlarova, and Natalie Mlynkova will give Czechia top end punch. Add in NCAA standouts Adela Sapovalivova, Tereza Plosova, and European pro Micheala Pejzlova and Czechia is running three deep and talented lines. On the back end, past and present PWHL players Aneta Tejralova, Daniela Pejsova, Dominika Laskova, and Noemi Neubauerova give Czechia a solid base. NCAA standout Andrea Trnkova and SDHL veteran Sara Cajanova give Czechia depth at the position. Add in veteran Klara Peslarova in net and you can see how complete Czechia's roster is.
Czechia is the favorite, as long as they can overcome the mental barriers they've faced against Finland.
Finland and Sweden Look To Round Out Rosters
Finland will take a look at a handful of players competing in Europe as several of their NCAA players, aside from Ohio State's Sanni Vanhanen, will not be in attendance. They're also missing Petra Nieminen due to injury. Finland however, will have manf of their top players in attendance, and are welcoming back long-time captain and future Hockey Hall of Famer Jenni Hiirikoski. Hiirikoski underwent heart surgery in July after missing most of last season with a mystery ailment.
Sweden will be without defender Maja Nylen Persson who will focus on her return to the PWHL after a season ending injury cut her rookie PWHL campaign short. They also left goaltender Emma Soderberg behind in favor of a new tandem in net. Sweden recently announced they'll be replacing head coach Ulf Lundberg with Erika Holst following the Olympics, signalling this is a team in transition. What's clear however, is that Sweden's roster continues to close the gap toward the other nations in this tournament, as well as the North American powerhouses.
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