The Czech Republic’s olympic hockey hopes are facing a potential setback as the team prepares to compete in the 2026 Winter Games in Italy. Captain Radim Šimek and forward Ondřej Beránek both sustained injuries during Tuesday’s Tipsport Extraliga play, casting doubt on their availability for the tournament. Head coach radim Rulík has confirmed Beránek will be sidelined for several weeks, and Šimek is undergoing evaluation with his Olympic debut now uncertain.
Radim Šimek
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Foto: Jiří Princ, hcbilitygri.cz
Czech Olympic hockey team faces uncertainty as key players sustain injuries ahead of the 2026 Winter Games. Captain Radim Šimek’s participation is now in question, and another potential team member, Ondřej Beránek, will be sidelined due to a recent injury.
The Czech team is grappling with potential roster disruptions just weeks before the start of the Winter Olympics in Italy. Head coach Radim Rulík revealed that Šimek did not finish his most recent game and is undergoing evaluation. “We are waiting to see the results of his examination today, because I think his start is threatened,” Rulík told Radiožurnál Sport.
Šimek, an experienced defenseman, was expected to make his Winter Olympics debut. The news comes as a blow to the team’s preparations, as injuries can significantly impact a team’s performance on the world stage.
Beránek’s absence is confirmed, with Rulík stating the forward will be out for several weeks. “There was an injury that will require a longer recovery period. He will be out for several weeks,” the coach explained. Beránek was a potential replacement player for the Olympic squad.
The forward was designated as a backup player, ready to step in if any member of the nominated team became unavailable. “He was also supposed to attend the camp, and if anyone who is nominated or being considered for a spot is ruled out, he was prepared to replace them immediately,” Rulík added.
“We are waiting to see the results of his examination today, because I think his start is threatened.”
Both Šimek and Beránek were forced to leave Tuesday’s game of the Tipsport Extraliga. Šimek sustained a hand injury after a collision with Viktor Kalus of Vítkovice, while Beránek left the game following a hit from Českobudějovice’s Valský. Beránek briefly lay motionless on the ice after the impact.
“We are monitoring the health of the players, because there are a lot of games,” Rulík said. “I’m praying that everything goes well and no one from the nominated team gets injured at the last minute, so that we can enter the Olympic tournament with what we have planned.”
Nominace národního týmu na ZOH 2026
Brankáři (3):
Lukáš Dostál (Anaheim, NHL), Daniel Vladař (Philadelphia, NHL), Karel Vejmelka (Utah, NHL).
Obránci (8):
Radko Gudas (Anaheim, NHL), Tomáš Kundrátek (Třinec), Michal Kempný(Brynäs, Švédsko), Jan Rutta (Geneve-Servette, Švýcarsko), David Špaček(Iowa, AHL), Filip Hronek (Vancouver, NHL), Jiří Ticháček (Kärpät, Finsko), Radim Šimek (Liberec).
Útočníci (14):
David Pastrňák, Pavel Zacha (oba Boston, NHL), Roman Červenka, Lukáš Sedlák (oba Pardubice), Martin Nečas (Colorado, NHL), Dominik Kubalík (Zug, Švýcarsko), Jakub Flek (Brno), Ondřej Palát (New Jersey, NHL), Tomáš Hertl(Las Vegas, NHL), David Kämpf (Vancouver, NHL), Ondřej Kaše (Litvínov), Radek Faksa (Dallas, NHL), David Tomášek (Färjestad, Švédsko), Matěj Stránský (Davos, Švýcarsko).
Ondřej Beránek | Foto: Jakub Knap, hokejkv.cz
Realizační tým:
Generální manažer: Jiří Šlégr
Manažer: Milan Hnilička
Hlavní trenér: Radim Rulík
Asistenti trenéra: Marek Židlický, Jiří Kalous a Tomáš Plekanec
Trenér brankářů: Ondřej Pavelec
Scouting trenér: Patrik Augusta
Analytik: Jan Morkes
Kondiční trenér: Michal Hamršmíd
Videotrenéři: Denis Havel a Jakub Zelenka
Lékaři: Antonín Chochola a Tomáš Vyskočil
Fyzioterapeuti: Radovan Sakaláš a Pavel Kolář
Kustodi: Petr Šulan, Zdeněk Šmíd a Oldřich Kopecký
Media manažer: Michael Schuster
Program české reprezentace na ZOH
Čtvrtek 12. února:
16:40 Česko – Kanada
Pátek 13. února:
16:40 Francie – Česko
Neděle 15. února:
12:10 Švýcarsko – Česko
