Slovakia Advances to Quarterfinals at 2026 Winter Olympics, Faces Germany or France

Milan – The Slovakian hockey team has secured a direct promotion to the quarterfinals of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, finishing atop their group and avoiding a preliminary round matchup against hockey powerhouses Canada and the United States. This advancement comes after a strong performance in the group stage, surpassing both Finland and Sweden.

Quarterfinal Matchup

Thanks to their first-place finish, Slovakia will face the winner of the upcoming European duel between Germany and France. The quarterfinal match is scheduled for Wednesday, February 17th, at 12:10 PM local time.

Round of 16 Schedule (February 17th)

• 12:10 PM: Switzerland vs. Italy
• 12:10 PM: Germany vs. France (winner to face Slovakia)
• 4:40 PM: Czech Republic vs. Denmark
• 9:10 PM: Sweden vs. Latvia

Looking Ahead

Slovakia is aiming to repeat or improve upon their bronze medal finish from the 2022 Beijing Olympics. The team’s strong group stage performance, led by Juraj Slafkovský, provides optimism for a deep run in the tournament.

Recent Coaching Change

Vladimír Országh is serving as the head coach of the Slovak national team at the 2026 Olympics, replacing Craig Ramsay, who coached the team since the 2017-18 season. Országh previously served as an assistant coach under Ramsay at the 2018 and 2022 Olympics and took the helm during the 2025 IIHF World Championship [NHL.com]. He is also currently the head coach of HC MONACObet Banská Bystrica [Wikipedia].

Key Players

The Slovakian roster includes several NHL players, including Erik Černák (Tampa Bay Lightning), Martin Fehérváry (Washington Capitals), Simon Nemec (New Jersey Devils), Martin Pospíšil (Calgary Flames), Juraj Slafkovský (Montreal Canadiens), and Tomáš Tatar [NHL.com].