On Tuesday morning, Team Czechia announced its roster [https://thehockeynews.com/womens/international/czechia-names-2026-olympic-women-s-hockey-roster] for the upcoming Milano Cortina Olympics, and, unsurprisingly, Montreal Victoire left wing Natalie Mlynkova made the cut. Despite being a rookie in the PWHL, the 24-year-old will already be skating in her second Olympic Games. In Beijing in 2022, Czechia finished second in Group B behind Japan, and ahead of Sweden, China, and Denmark. Their second-place finish earned them the right to play the United States in the quarterfinals. The Czechs put up a good fight, but ultimately, the heavily favoured USA eliminated them with a 4-1 win. In five games, Mlynkova picked up a goal in a 3-2 loss against Japan. The games weren’t Mlynkova’s first international experience, however, as she represented Czechia in multiple World Junior Championships and World Championships while continuing her hockey career in the NCAA, first with the University of Vermont and then with the University of Minnesota. From her sophomore season in the NCAA, it was clear that the winger was offensively gifted; she posted 42 points in 36 games, then followed with 33 and 35 points in the next two seasons before declaring for the PWHL draft [https://thehockeynews.com/womens/pwhl/2025-pwhl-draft-profile-natalie-mlynkova]. The Victoire picked up Mlynkova in the second round of the 2025 draft, with the 12th overall pick. So far, it looks like a steal of a pick, as the Czech forward has been very impressive in PWHL play. So far, she has five points in nine games for Montreal and has been a mainstay on the Victoire’s first power play unit alongside Marie-Philip Poulin, Abby Roque, Laura Stacey and Erin Ambrose. A hard worker, Mlynkova is not afraid to get to the hard areas and battle for space in front of the net, where she both shields the goalie’s view and tries to tip some of the hardest shots in the league from the likes of Stacey and Poulin. Her understanding of the game and willingness to learn earned her high praise from Kori Cheverie and Poulin [https://thehockeynews.com/womens/pwhl/victoire-natalie-mlynkova-is-a-big-asset]. On team Czechia, Mlynkova will be joining two former Victoire players in Dominika Laskova (who played five years in the PWHL last season [https://thehockeynews.com/womens/pwhl/dominika-laskova-returns-to-pwhl-after-missing-more-than-a-year-due-to-injury] before returning to Sweden this season) and Tereza Vanisova, who played 17 games with the Victoire in the league’s inaugural season before being moved to the Ottawa Charge in return for Amanda Boulier. After spending the following season in Ottawa, Vanisova signed with the Vancouver Goldeneyes last summer. Natalie Mlynkova highlights Mlynkova and the aforementioned Vanišová were among several PWHL players named to Czechia's roster, a list that also includes Kristýna Kaltounková (New York Sirens), Kateřina Mrázová (Ottawa Charge), Denisa Křížová (Minnesota Frost), Klára Hymlárová (Minnesota Frost), Natálie Mlýnková (Montreal Victoire), Aneta Tejralová, and Daniela Peišová (Boston Fleet). Expect several more Victoire players to be named as Olympians this week, as Team Canada will announce its roster on January 9 [https://thehockeynews.com/womens/international/canada-to-announce-women-s-roster-january-9-is-there-still-time-for-player-movement]. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Follow Karine on X @KarineHains [https://x.com/KarineHains] Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/karinehains.bsky.social] and Threads @karinehains [https://www.threads.net/@karinehains].
