Czechia men's national ice hockey team
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The Czech Republic men's national ice hockey team is the national ice hockey team of the Czech Republic. Since 2021, the team has been officially known in English as Czechia. It is one of the most successful national ice hockey teams in history and a member of the so-called "Big Six", the unofficial group of the six strongest men's ice hockey nations, along with Canada, Finland, Russia, Sweden and the United States. It is governed by the Czech Ice Hockey Association. The Czech Republic has 85,000 male players officially enrolled in organized hockey (0.8% of its population).
History
The Czech national team was formed following the breakup of Czechoslovakia, as the country was split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The Czech Republic was recognized as the successor to Czechoslovakia and retained in the highest pool (A), while Slovakia was required to start international play in pool C. See also Post-Cold War period of the IIHF world championships.
The Czechs won the gold medal at the 1998 Winter Olympics. In 2024, the team was recognized with the IIHF Milestone Award, given by the International Ice Hockey Federation to a team that made a significant contribution to the development of international hockey. The 1998 Olympic hockey tournament was also the first the include National Hockey League players. The IIHF reported the gold medal to be "the most important event in the country's history after the 1968 Uprising".
The Czechs won three straight gold medals at the world championships from 1999 to 2001. In the next three years, the team did not get a medal at the world championships—not even home at the 2004 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships held in Prague and Ostrava, thus keeping the "world championship home ice curse" alive. The following year, however, the Czechs won gold at the 2005 tournament, the only world championship where, due to the 2004–05 NHL lockout, all NHL players were available to participate.
At the 2006 Winter Olympics, the Czechs won a bronze medal, defeating Russia 3–0 (roster) in the bronze medal game. At the 2006 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships, the Czechs earned silver, falling to Sweden in the final, the only time the Czechs have lost the final game of the tournament. The Czech Republic won the 2010 World Championships in Germany. For the first time in history, the Czech Republic did not qualify for the quarterfinals at the 2022 Winter Olympics and finished in ninth place, their lowest placement in history. However, they won a bronze medal at the 2022 IIHF World Championship later the same year, ending its longest medal drought in IIHF tournaments history, which had lasted since 2012. In 2023, the Czech Republic finished in eighth place at the World Championship, which is the worst placement in history. At the 2024 IIHF World Championship, they ended their 14-year gold drought after winning it for the first time since 2010, also as hosts.
Tournament record
Olympic Games
| Games | GP | W | OW | T | OL | L | GF | GA | Coach | Captain | Finish | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920–1992 | As part of Czechoslovakia | |||||||||||
| Norway 1994 Lillehammer | 8 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 30 | 18 | Ivan Hlinka | Otakar Janecký | 5th place match | 5th |
| Japan 1998 Nagano | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 19 | 6 | Ivan Hlinka | Vladimír Růžička | Champions | |
| United States 2002 Salt Lake City | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 8 | Josef Augusta | Jaromír Jágr | Quarter-finals | 7th |
| Italy 2006 Turin | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 23 | 20 | Alois Hadamczik | Robert Lang | Bronze Medal Game | |
| Canada 2010 Vancouver | 4 | 2 | 1 | – | 0 | 2 | 13 | 11 | Vladimír Růžička | Patrik Eliáš | Quarter-finals | 7th |
| Russia 2014 Sochi | 5 | 2 | 0 | – | 0 | 3 | 13 | 15 | Alois Hadamczik | Tomáš Plekanec | Quarter-finals | 6th |
| South Korea 2018 Pyeongchang | 6 | 2 | 2 | – | 0 | 2 | 16 | 15 | Josef Jandač | Martin Erat | Bronze Medal Game | 4th |
| China 2022 Beijing | 4 | 0 | 2 | – | 0 | 2 | 11 | 12 | Filip Pešán | Roman Červenka | Playoffs | 9th |
| Italy 2026 Milan / Cortina d'Ampezzo | 5 | 2 | 0 | – | 2 | 1 | 15 | 18 | Radim Rulík | Roman Červenka | Quarter-finals | 8th |
| France 2030 French Alps | Future event |
World Championship
World Cup of Hockey
| Year | GP | W | OW | T | OL | L | GF | GA | Coach | Captain | Finish | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | 3 | 0 | – | 0 | – | 3 | 4 | 17 | Luděk Bukač | Jaromír Jágr | Round 1 | 8th |
| 2004 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 19 | 15 | Vladimír Růžička | Robert Reichel | Semi-finals | 3rd |
| 2016 | 3 | 1 | 0 | – | 1 | 1 | 6 | 12 | Josef Jandač | Tomáš Plekanec | Group stage | 6th |
Euro Hockey Tour
| Year | GP | W | OW | T | OL | L | GF | GA | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996–97 | 9 | 0 | – | 2 | – | 7 | 15 | 36 | 4th |
| 1997–98 | 12 | 7 | – | 2 | – | 3 | 47 | 29 | |
| 1998–99 | 12 | 3 | – | 5 | – | 4 | 28 | 27 | |
| 1999–00 | 12 | 7 | – | 1 | – | 4 | 31 | 20 | |
| 2000–01 | 12 | 3 | 1 | – | 3 | 5 | 27 | 29 | 4th |
| 2001–02 | 12 | 3 | 2 | – | 1 | 6 | 34 | 36 | 4th |
| 2002–03 | 12 | 4 | 1 | – | 3 | 4 | 33 | 33 | |
| 2003–04 | 12 | 2 | 4 | – | 3 | 3 | 24 | 28 | |
| 2004–05 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 28 | 33 | 4th |
| 2005–06 | 13 | 1 | 1 | – | 2 | 9 | 29 | 46 | 4th |
| 2006–07 | 14 | 2 | 2 | – | 2 | 8 | 33 | 42 | |
| 2007–08 | 12 | 4 | 1 | – | 1 | 6 | 33 | 44 | |
| 2008–09 | 12 | 3 | 1 | – | 2 | 6 | 36 | 43 | 4th |
| 2009–10 | 12 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 31 | 27 | 4th |
| 2010–11 | 12 | 3 | 1 | – | 1 | 7 | 27 | 39 | 4th |
| 2011–12 | 12 | 5 | 2 | – | 1 | 4 | 31 | 29 | |
| 2012–13 | 12 | 6 | 0 | – | 0 | 6 | 16 | 24 | |
| 2013–14 | 12 | 4 | 1 | – | 1 | 6 | 16 | 31 | |
| 2014–15 | 12 | 4 | 1 | – | 2 | 5 | 33 | 31 | |
| 2015–16 | 12 | 4 | 2 | – | 0 | 6 | 32 | 37 | |
| 2016–17 | 12 | 6 | 0 | – | 1 | 5 | 43 | 39 | |
| 2017–18 | 12 | 6 | 1 | – | 0 | 5 | 32 | 31 | |
| 2018–19 | 12 | 4 | 1 | – | 0 | 7 | 30 | 34 | 4th |
| 2019–20 | 9 | 3 | 3 | – | 1 | 2 | 25 | 19 | |
| 2020–21 | 12 | 5 | 1 | – | 2 | 4 | 30 | 29 | |
| 2021–22 | 12 | 5 | 0 | – | 2 | 5 | 33 | 32 | |
| 2022–23 | 12 | 4 | 2 | – | 2 | 4 | 26 | 33 | |
| 2023–24 | – | ||||||||
| 2024–25 | – |
Team
2026 Olympics roster
The first six players of Czechia's roster were announced on 16 June 2025. The remaining roster was named on 6 January 2026. On 7 February, Pavel Zacha was ruled out due to injury, with Filip Chlapík named as his replacement. On 8 February, Roman Červenka was named Czechia's captain, with Radko Gudas and David Pastrňák serving as alternate captains.
Head coach: Radim Rulík
| No. | Pos. | Name | Height | Weight | Birthdate | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | G | Lukáš Dostál | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) | 86 kg (190 lb) | (2000-06-22)22 June 2000 (aged 25) | United States Anaheim Ducks |
| 3 | D | Radko Gudas – A | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | 94 kg (207 lb) | (1990-06-30)30 June 1990 (aged 35) | United States Anaheim Ducks |
| 6 | D | Michal Kempný | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | 89 kg (196 lb) | (1990-09-08)8 September 1990 (aged 35) | Sweden Brynäs IF |
| 7 | D | David Špaček | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | 86 kg (190 lb) | (2003-02-18)18 February 2003 (aged 22) | United States Iowa Wild |
| 10 | F | Roman Červenka – C | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | 88 kg (194 lb) | (1985-12-10)10 December 1985 (aged 40) | Czech Republic Dynamo Pardubice |
| 12 | F | Radek Faksa | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) | 98 kg (216 lb) | (1994-01-09)9 January 1994 (aged 32) | United States Dallas Stars |
| 14 | F | Filip Chlapík | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | 96 kg (212 lb) | (1997-06-03)3 June 1997 (aged 28) | Czech Republic Sparta Praha |
| 17 | D | Filip Hronek | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | 85 kg (187 lb) | (1997-11-02)2 November 1997 (aged 28) | Canada Vancouver Canucks |
| 18 | F | Ondřej Palát | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | 93 kg (205 lb) | (1991-03-28)28 March 1991 (aged 34) | United States New York Islanders |
| 19 | F | Jakub Flek | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) | 78 kg (172 lb) | (1992-12-24)24 December 1992 (aged 33) | Czech Republic Kometa Brno |
| 23 | F | Lukáš Sedlák | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | 98 kg (216 lb) | (1993-02-25)25 February 1993 (aged 32) | Czech Republic Dynamo Pardubice |
| 26 | D | Jiří Ticháček | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | 77 kg (170 lb) | (2003-01-30)30 January 2003 (aged 23) | Finland Oulun Kärpät |
| 44 | D | Jan Rutta | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) | 93 kg (205 lb) | (1990-07-29)29 July 1990 (aged 35) | Switzerland Genève-Servette HC |
| 48 | F | Tomáš Hertl | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) | 97 kg (214 lb) | (1993-11-12)12 November 1993 (aged 32) | United States Vegas Golden Knights |
| 50 | G | Karel Vejmelka | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) | 102 kg (225 lb) | (1996-05-25)25 May 1996 (aged 29) | United States Utah Mammoth |
| 51 | D | Radim Šimek | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | 93 kg (205 lb) | (1992-09-20)20 September 1992 (aged 33) | Czech Republic Bílí Tygři Liberec |
| 64 | F | David Kämpf | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | 90 kg (198 lb) | (1995-01-12)12 January 1995 (aged 31) | Canada Vancouver Canucks |
| 70 | G | Daniel Vladař | 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) | 95 kg (209 lb) | (1997-08-20)20 August 1997 (aged 28) | United States Philadelphia Flyers |
| 73 | F | Ondřej Kaše | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | 85 kg (187 lb) | (1995-11-08)8 November 1995 (aged 30) | Czech Republic HC Litvínov |
| 81 | F | Dominik Kubalík | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | 86 kg (190 lb) | (1995-08-21)21 August 1995 (aged 30) | Switzerland EV Zug |
| 84 | D | Tomáš Kundrátek | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | 91 kg (201 lb) | (1989-12-26)26 December 1989 (aged 36) | Czech Republic Oceláři Třinec |
| 88 | F | David Pastrňák – A | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | 90 kg (198 lb) | (1996-05-26)26 May 1996 (aged 29) | United States Boston Bruins |
| 93 | F | Matěj Stránský | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) | 98 kg (216 lb) | (1993-07-11)11 July 1993 (aged 32) | Switzerland HC Davos |
| 96 | F | David Tomášek | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | 95 kg (209 lb) | (1996-02-10)10 February 1996 (aged 30) | Sweden Färjestad BK |
| 98 | F | Martin Nečas | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | 88 kg (194 lb) | (1999-01-15)15 January 1999 (aged 27) | United States Colorado Avalanche |
Retired numbers
- 4 – Karel Rachůnek
- 15 – Jan Marek
- 63 – Josef Vašíček
Coaching history
Olympics
- 1994 and 1998 – Ivan Hlinka
- 2002 – Josef Augusta
- 2006 – Alois Hadamczik
- 2010 – Vladimír Růžička
- 2014 – Alois Hadamczik
- 2018 – Josef Jandač
- 2022 – Filip Pešán
- 2026 – Radim Rulík
World Championships
- 1993–1994 – Ivan Hlinka
- 1995–1996 – Luděk Bukač
- 1997–1999 – Ivan Hlinka
- 2000–2002 – Josef Augusta
- 2003–2004 – Slavomír Lener[cs]
- 2005 – Vladimír Růžička
- 2006–2008 – Alois Hadamczik
- 2009–2010 – Vladimír Růžička
- 2011–2013 – Alois Hadamczik
- 2014–2015 – Vladimír Růžička
- 2016 – Vladimír Vůjtek
- 2017–2018 – Josef Jandač
- 2019 – Miloš Říha
- 2021 – Filip Pešán
- 2022–2023 – Kari Jalonen
- 2024–2025 – Radim Rulík
Uniform evolution
- National team jerseys
- 1994 Olympic jerseys
- IIHF jerseys 1996–1998
- IIHF jerseys 1998–2002
- 2006 IIHF jerseys
- 2009 IIHF jerseys
- 2014 Olympic jerseys
- 2015–2019 IIHF jerseys
- 2018 Olympic jerseys
- 2019–2021 IIHF jerseys
- 2021 IIHF jerseys
- 2022 Olympic jerseys
- 2022–2023 IIHF jerseys
- 2024 IIHF Jerseys
See also
- Bohemia national ice hockey team
- Czechoslovak national ice hockey team
- Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia men's national ice hockey team