2026 World Juniors Preview: Slovakia hoping for a big showing from young team
Two pillars of the Slovak national junior team – Dalibor Dvorsky and Maxim Štrbák – have finally moved on.
After four tournaments for each of them, both finally graduated from the U-20 ranks and continued their careers. Dvorsky has already seen some NHL action with St. Louis over the past two years, while Štrbák is plying his trade in college with Michigan State University for the third straight season.
The Slovaks never won a medal with them, but they’ll forever be remembered for being absolute warriors. Now, it’s time for Slovakia to trek on without them.
Slovakia hasn’t made it out of the quarterfinals since 2015 – the year they shocked Sweden to win bronze. Fortunately, the team has had enough in them to avoid the relegation round throughout that time, but they’re still looking for that next step forward.
In an attempt to make that happen, Slovakia is bringing an incredible 19 players who are eligible to return in 2027. That’s basically unheard of – especially given nearly their entire core can run it back. They’ll need to avoid relegation first, but that shouldn’t be an issue.
Looking Back to 2025
The Slovaks have had some solid teams at the U-18 World Championship in recent years, but did it translate into World Junior success last year? Not exactly.
The team finished in third place in Group B after beating Switzerland and Kazakhstan (in overtime). Those wins were crucial, especially getting the extra point against Kazakhstan. They put up an excellent fight against Czechia, though, and even scored first against the Swedes in the opening game of the tournament. Slovakia gave Finland some fits in the quarterfinal but was ultimately knocked out with a 5-3 loss.
Goaltenders
The Slovaks don’t get a goalie with NHL ties often, but Michal Pradel (Detroit Red Wings) is a legit prospect. He was one of the best goaltenders from start to finish at the U-18s and a big reason why the Slovaks played for a medal for the third straight year. The 6-foot-5 goaltender takes up a ton of the net, and he’s also so quick and agile, too. Pradel was good in the USHL a year ago but has played better this season, despite the record not reflecting that. Pradel battles hard, sees cross-crease passes well and doesn’t let a bad goal bother him. Look for him to handle pressure as well as anyone in this tournament.
The USHL seems to be the popular hangout spot for Slovakians, with both Alan Lenďák and Roberto Leonardo Henriquez also plying their trade there. RLH has been lights out for the Green Bay Gamblers, putting up a .923 save percentage at the time of Slovakia’s roster announcement.
Lenďák is no slouch either, with the 19-year-old having served as Fargo’s starter last season before sharing the net this year with Ajay White, one of the top goalies in the league. Lenďák was Slovakia’s backup a year ago, so expect him to hold that role again this year.
Defensemen
Could Luka Radivojevič become the next Štrbák? He was passed over at the 2025 NHL Draft (mostly due to his 5-foot-10 frame) but has had a productive start to his career at Boston College. Radivojevič is a great passer who can run the power play, and he’s aggressive for his size, too. The 18-year-old has already played in two previous World Juniors, meaning he’ll have a chance to match Štrbák if he suits up for a fourth running next winter. Perhaps the most important defender behind Radivojevič will be Adam Goljer – more on him further below.
If you want to match Radivojevič with someone who can hold their own defensively while bringing the boom, Patrik Rusznyak is a good fit. At 6-foot-4 and 203 pounds, he’s kind of hard to miss. While he won’t exactly go out of his way to knock someone down, he’s difficult to beat in 1-on-1 situations. As a shutdown D, he can get the job done. He can also kill penalties and block shots. He plays his role and sticks to it. On a team like this, that’s fine.
Andrej Fabuš, a 2006-born defender, has plenty of experience with the Slovaks internationally. He’s not much of a shooter, but he can move the puck and has a good long reach. Matus Lisy doesn’t drive much play, but he’s competitive and can shut guys down. He could afford to engage with the puck more often because he’s actually not bad at getting the puck where it needs to be.
If you’re looking for more size, Michal Čapoš is a pure defensive defender who will likely see a lot of penalty kill time. Adam Belusko can also shut guys down, although he’s more than half a foot shorter. His shutdown qualities stem more from his excellent footwork, a trait he often displays in the WHL.
Forwards
The Slovaks will have some familiar help up front, with Los Angeles Kings prospect Ján Chovan leading the way. Chovan was one of my favorite Slovak players at the U-18s, even though almost all his offense came in one game. He’s a detail-oriented player who can win faceoffs and play all situations. He was also quite involved around the net – more so than I remember at the Hlinka. Being 6-foot-3 doesn’t hurt, either. Expect Chovan to get plenty of power-play time, most likely in a position to blast home one-timers.
The only other NHL-drafted forward on the team is Michal Svrček, who was taken in the fourth round by the Red Wings. Svrček is a great skater who never stops moving. His offensive game can be a mixed bag (he hadn’t registered a single point in either the SHL or Allsvenskan at the time of Slovakia’s roster announcement), but he can dominate against his own age group. He’s better as a support player, but scouts like him that way.
One of Slovakia’s few 2006-born forwards is Tomáš Poběžal, who is making his second tournament experience. He’s having an OK year in the OHL but was one of Slovakia’s better players during summer U-20 action. Poběžal is a bit undersized, but that hasn’t stopped him from thriving internationally.
One player who was surprisingly left undrafted last year was Andreas Straka. He’s ferocious on the forecheck, often winning individual battles and getting the puck into scoring lanes. He’s a tough SOB because he plays with so much force – he just felt like someone a team would use a late-round pick on. He hasn’t put up many points in the QMJHL, but he’s easy to like as a support player.
So much of Slovakia’s attack will be dominated by three draft eligibles – Tomas Chrenko, Tobias Tomík and Adam Nemec. We’ll focus on them a bit later, but they’re definitely going to be some of the team’s top stars, both this year and in Alberta in 2027.
As for the rest of the supporting cast, Alex Misiak doesn’t have as much energy or skill as his brother, Chicago Blackhawks prospect Martin Misiak. But he’s still a decent playmaker and will give it his all just about every shift. Tobias Pitka will serve as Slovakia’s third-line center, combining his huge 6-foot-4, 225-pound frame with his two-way reliability. Samuel Murin also has some solid skill and can hit players, but can be a bit streaky. When he’s on his game, though, he’s a menace.
2026 NHL Draft
It hasn’t been easy being a Slovak defender internationally this year. But Adam Goljer has stayed calm, cool and collected every time I’ve watched him. He has rarely not been one of my favorite Slovak players when I’ve seen him, both in U-18 and U-20 competition. Goljer is a smart defender who likes to get physical and he’s no slouch as a playmaker, either. He doesn’t have much to show for against men, numbers-wise, but has played as much as 24 minutes in the top Slovak league this year.
After watching Simon Nemec thrive with the New Jersey Devils this year, let’s see what Adam Nemec is capable of. Nemec has spent his career to date playing against men in Slovakia, where he has developed some muscle and speed. He’s not a high-end producer, but he’s intelligent and will win many individual battles. He is producing well for an 18-year-old playing against men, and his two-way commitment has earned him more respect from his coaches.
Scouts thought Tobias Tomík could be a first-rounder earlier in the year. His offense has all but dried up since moving to North America, unfortunately, with most expecting him to fall on draft day. That being said, he has always impressed internationally, and we’ll see if that happens again under the spotlight.
The most impressive draft prospect, though, might be forward Tomas Chrenko. Chrenko had an absolutely bonkers showing at the U-18s back in April and has remained productive in the top Slovak league. The Slovaks didn’t have nearly enough scoring help when he wasn’t on the ice, and he definitely deserved some more all-star team love. He’s a high-shot generator who decimated the Slovak U-20 league last year. I expect Chrenko to play a big role, especially if given the power-play responsibilities previously held by Dalibor Dvorsky.
Projection
This is a young, young team with many draft eligibles looking to take center stage. There isn’t a clear star on this team after watching Dvorsky lead the way for four years. But we’ve seen people doubt the Slovaks at the U-18 level, only for them to challenge for a medal three years in a row. It’s unlikely they’ll make it to the final four, but they clearly saw something in their young guns, enough to leave some older players – including Miroslav Satan Jr., the son of GM Miroslav Satan – off the roster. At the very least, the Slovaks should give one of the contenders a run for their money – but anything better than a trip past the quarterfinal would be a surprise.
Schedule
Dec. 21 vs. Latvia – 8:00 PM ET (Pre-tournament)
Dec. 23 vs. Czechia – 8:00 PM ET (Pre-tournament)
Dec. 26 vs. Sweden – 1:00 PM ET
Dec. 27 vs. Slovakia – 2:00 PM ET
Dec. 29 vs. USA – 6:00 PM ET
Dec. 31 vs. Switzerland – 1:00 PM ET
NHL Prospects
Forwards:
Jan Chovan (Los Angeles Kings)
Michael Svrcek (Detroit Red Wings)
Goaltenders:
Michal Pradel (Detroit Red Wings)
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