Worlds Preview: Czechia Brings Best Roster Ever
Czechia has appeared in three straight bronze medal games. They won two of the bronze medals, and lost the third last season in a shootout against Finland.
For Czechia's women's hockey program, it's unprecedented success. This season however, Czechia is bringing what can only be seen as their best roster ever to the 2025 IIHF World Championships.
It's fitting timing for the nation to bring all of their top players to an event however, for the first time, in Czechia. When the puck drops in České Budějovice, here's a look at Czechia's hopes.
For the first time ever, Kristyna Kaltounkova will play for Czechia at the IIHF World Championships. It's a significant moment considering she might already be the nation's best offensive player. Czechia has lacked players with game changing offensive ability, but Kaltounkova brings a net front presence, power forward attributes, and can shoot off the rush, or opportunistically around the net to beak games open. When you consider Kaltounkova is a newcomer, and last season Czechia played without Katerina Mrazova and Dominika Laskova, who are both expected to be in the lineup this year, it's clear Czechia has their best ever roster coming to the tournament. With nine players coming from the PWHL, and Kaltounkova and Natalie Mlynkova set to join the league as top ten draft picks, this roster is ready to push back against Canada and USA in a way they haven't experienced recently.
Czechia's x-factor is their youth and newcomer Kaltounkova. We know Czechia can hold on against Canada, USA, and Finland with their nine current PWHL players and Natalie Mlynkova, a World Championship All-Star last year, all healthy and in the lineup. But Czechia's x-factor in how far they can actually go is in their youth. Adéla Šapovalivová is their best young player, and any development from Šapovalivová or Tereza Plosová, Barbora Juříčková and Tereza Pištěková are Czechia's greatest areas where they can tangibly close the gap. Even in the defensive trio of Andrea Trnková, Sára Čajanová, and Tereza Radová. All have PWHL upside, but all remain in the NCAA or Europe and continue to develop. They'll need to attempt the jump to the PWHL at some point, but even the tiniest growth from Czechia's non-PWHL core has the potential to pay dividends in a short tournament.
Daniela Pejsova has been one of the best defenders in the world in international competition she she exploded onto the scene being named the Best Defender at the World Championships in 2022. Still only 22, Pejsova is the youngest player in the PWHL, and despite the fact she hasn't been utilized as anticipated in Boston this year, she's still a player with sky high potential. If Boston supports her development instead of burying her as a 6-7 defender or more recently, playing her as a winger, they've got a future star. The Worlds, with Pejsova returning to a prominent role alongside the veteran mentors who have helped grow with the national team, should help Pejsova thrive yet again in this tournament on both sides of the puck. When the restrictions are removed, it will be interesting to see how quickly Pejsova can recoup her confidence in a short event.
Next season Czechia's roster will get another developmental boost as some of their young players including Adéla Šapovalivová and Tereza Plosová will head to the NCAA with Wisconsin and Minnesota respectively. They'll likely be joined next season, or shortly after by national team members Barbora Juříčková and Tereza Pištěková who are both looking at the NCAA. These players need to go to the NCAA to keep Czechia building. The nation will see a large group of younger players left off this group including Anezka Cabelova, Julie Jebouskova, Adela Pankova, Aneta Senkova, Linda Vocetkova, and Barbora Proskova join the NCAA in the next two seasons as well. Czechia's roster has a few seasons left with their current veteran core, and the team looks like they'll continue to improve in that window.
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A more detailed framework can be read at This framework is already circulating in universities, picking up steam, and outlines a 'Varsity Club' model and clear action plan that any university can run with, immediately. Let's not allow the business of entertaining adults to come at the cost of educating students through sports. This is a tipping point. A few voices can tip this in the right direction. Brent Richard is a career investor, operator and entrepreneur in sports and education, the CEO of IMG Academy, and a former Division I soccer player. This op-ed was developed in collaboration with Drew Weatherford, founder of Weatherford Capital, co-founder of Collegiate Athletic Solutions, and former Florida State starting quarterback.
