Czechs in the NHL: The players to watch in the 2026–27 season

Czech hockey fans will have plenty of reasons to stay up late this winter. A total of 59 Czech players have reported to NHL training camps ahead of the 2026–27 season, ranging from some of the league's biggest stars to teenagers hoping to make their first appearance.

Fifty-one already have NHL contracts, while another eight drafted prospects are attending camps without one. Boston leads the Czech contingent with five players, including David Pastrňák and Pavel Zacha, while Nashville and Winnipeg are the only clubs without a Czech player in camp.

The new NHL season begins Sept. 29 with another change for fans to get used to: teams will play 84 regular-season games instead of 82 for the first time since the early 1990s.

For Czech fans, however, the bigger story may be the number of players capable of making a significant impact.

After years in Pastrňák's shadow, Nečas enters the new season as the reigning winner of the Golden Hockey Stick award for Czech player of the year.

The 27-year-old enjoyed the best season of his career in 2025–26, scoring 38 goals and adding 62 assists for exactly 100 points in 78 games. He added 13 points in 13 playoff games and helped Colorado win the Presidents' Trophy as the NHL's best regular-season team.

Pastrňák remains the most recognizable Czech name in the NHL and is coming off his fourth consecutive 100-point season.

The Boston winger recorded 29 goals and 71 assists in 77 games last season. Now 30, he enters 2026–27 with 933 career NHL points, putting the 1,000-point milestone within reach if he maintains his recent production.

Boston is also the most Czech-heavy NHL camp this fall. Alongside Pastrňák are forwards Pavel Zacha and Ivan Ivan, and goalies Jiří Patera and Šimon Zajíček.

Dostál has emerged as one of the leading faces of Czech goaltending and helped Anaheim return to the playoffs last season after an eight-year absence. He appeared in 56 regular-season games, posting a 30-20-4 record, and has also established himself as a leading option in goal for the Czech national team.

But he is far from the only Czech goalie to watch. Philadelphia's Daniel Vladař emerged as a starter last season, while Montreal's Jakub Dobeš enjoyed a breakthrough campaign. Utah's Karel Vejmelka led all NHL goalies with 64 appearances and 3,962 minutes played.

Hronek has quietly become one of Czechia's most important NHL players. The Vancouver defenseman played all 82 games last season and averaged exactly 25 minutes on the ice per game, the highest figure among Czech players. He also contributed 49 points, including 41 assists.

With Quinn Hughes no longer in Vancouver, Hronek enters the season with an even larger role on the Canucks' blue line.

At 32, Hertl remains one of the Czech Republic's most established NHL forwards. He recorded 24 goals and 58 points while playing all 82 games last season, then added 14 points during Vegas' run to the Stanley Cup Final.

Hertl's combination of experience, physical play and scoring around the net should again make him one of the most prominent Czech players on a team with championship ambitions.

Pastrňák isn't the only Czech forward worth following in Boston.

Zacha enjoyed one of his strongest NHL seasons in 2025–26, scoring 30 goals and recording 65 points in 78 games. That made him the third-highest-scoring Czech player behind Nečas and Pastrňák — and he actually finished with one more goal than his more famous Boston teammate.

Beyond the established names, this year's camp list offers a glimpse at the next generation of Czech NHL talent.

Buffalo has forward Jiří Kulich and defenseman Radim Mrtka in camp, while brothers David and Adam Jiříček are with Philadelphia and St. Louis, respectively. Seattle has forward Eduard Šalé, and highly rated goalie Michael Hrabal is among three Czechs in Utah's camp.

Vancouver's Adam Novotný is among the younger names trying to make an impression, while Los Angeles has three Czechs in camp: defenseman Jakub Dvořák and forwards Vojtěch Čihař and Jan Jeník.

Not all 59 players will make NHL opening-night rosters. Training camps will result in cuts and some younger players will return to junior hockey or move to minor-league affiliates.

Still, the numbers underline the depth of Czech representation in North American hockey this season: established stars at the top, a particularly deep collection of goaltenders, and another group of prospects trying to break into the league.

Here are all 59 Czech players attending NHL training camps ahead of the 2026–27 season. Bold names indicate some of the more established or notable players to watch.

G = goaltender; D = defenseman; F = forward. Training-camp participation does not guarantee a place on the opening-night NHL roster.