THE IOWA WILD ROSTER IS A COLLECTION OF DEDICATED TOP LEVEL ATHLETES THAT HAVE COME FROM AROUND THE WORLD TO CHASE THOSE NHL DREAMS. THREE OF THE GUYS ON THIS YEAR’S TEAM HAPPEN TO HAVE A LOT IN COMMON. THEY ALSO HAVE EACH OTHER’S BACKS ON AND OFF THE ICE. HERE’S KCCI SHANNON EARHART, OWNED BY KRIEGER ON THE BACK. CHECK ALONE. ADAM RASKA. ADAM RASKA AFTER SPACEK BLASTS DAVID SPACEK FROM THE BLUE LINE. AND SAMUEL HALAVA. MY GOODNESS. SAMUEL HOLLOWAY, GET EACH OTHER. SO I’M THE GOALIE. DAVID IS D-MAN AND RASK IS FORWARD. WHILE THEIR LINE COMBINATIONS ARE DIFFERENT, THEY ALL SHARE THE SAME KEY. I LIVE WITH DAVID SPACEK AND SAMUEL HOLLOWAY. WE SPEAK CZECH, BUT SAMMY CARLISLE, I SPEAK SLOVAK, BUT IT’S PRETTY, PRETTY SIMILAR. WE FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE THAT WE DON’T LIVE WITH SOME US GUY OR A CANADA GUY. IT’S JUST DIFFERENT. JUST DIFFERENT THAT YOU CAN SPEAK YOUR OWN LIKE YOUR FIRST LANGUAGE. THE WILD HAVE PLAYED FIVE GAMES IN 11 DAYS, AND RASKA WITH AN EARLY RIGHT. BUT HOCKEY FADES WHEN THESE GUYS STEP THROUGH THEIR FRONT DOOR. WE ARE NOT TRYING TO TALK ABOUT HOCKEY WHERE WE ARE RIGHT AT HOME. I DON’T LIKE TALKING AT HOCKEY. LIKE IN MY FREE TIME, QUITE LITERALLY, TRADING THOUGHT FOR FOOD. SAMMY IS A PRETTY GOOD COOK, SO SAMMY DOES MOST OF THE COOKING. I COOK PROBABLY LIKE EVERY MEAL WE HAVE. HE’S ACTUALLY KIND OF A MASTER CHEF. I LIKE TO MAKE MY BURRITOS. THEY’RE AWESOME. WE’RE KIND OF LIKE CUSTOMERS. YEAH, WE SOMETIMES I, I CHIRP HIM THAT IT’S THERE’S A LITTLE BIT TOO MUCH OF THAT SHOW THAT HE GETS — OFF. SO COMMUNICATION IS KEY. WHATEVER THE LANGUAGE. I MEAN, WE SPEAK OUR LANGUAGE HERE IN A, IN A IN AN ARENA TOO. AND SOMETIMES THE GUYS GET — OFF. BUT SOME OF THEM LEARN A LOT OF A LOT OF WORDS. SHANNON EARHART, KCCI, IOWA’S SPORTS LEADER. THANK YOU. SHANNON. IOWA HOSTS TEXAS SATURDAY AT 6:00 ON COUNTRY NIGHT. THERE’S A FREE POST GAME. DILLON SCO
Iowa Wild goalie Samuel Hlavaj named to Slovakia’s 2026 Olympic hockey team
Updated: 4:58 PM CST Jan 8, 2026
Iowa’s footprint on the Olympic hockey stage continues to expand.The Slovak Ice Hockey Federation announced Thursday that Iowa Wild goaltender Samuel Hlavaj has been named to Slovakia’s roster for the 2026 Winter Olympic Games, adding another current Iowa player to the international field. Hlavaj joins Iowa Wild defenseman David Špaček, who was previously named to Czechia’s Olympic team, as well as seven Iowa Wild alumni who will represent their home countries in 2026.Hlavaj, 24, is in his second season with the Iowa Wild and has split time between the Wild and the Iowa Heartlanders. This season, the 6-foot-4 goaltender owns a 3.47 goals-against average and a .876 save percentage in 13 games with Iowa. He posted a strong 14-4-4 record during the 2024-25 campaign, finishing with a 2.85 GAA and .904 save percentage, while also seeing action in the ECHL with the Heartlanders.Before arriving in North America, Hlavaj played professionally in Europe, including a 28-game stint with HC Škoda Plzeň of the Czech Extraliga during the 2023-24 season and two years with HC Slovan Bratislava in Slovakia’s top league. A native of Martin, Slovakia, he has been a regular fixture in international competition, representing his country at multiple IIHF World Junior and World Championship tournaments and earning a silver medal at the 2017 IIHF Under-18 World Championship. Beyond the current roster, Iowa’s Olympic influence extends through its alumni ranks. Seven former Iowa Wild players will compete in the 2026 Games: Matt Boldy (United States), Louis Boudon (France), Joel Eriksson Ek (Sweden), Erik Haula (Finland), Darcy Kuemper (Canada), Nico Sturm (Germany) and Jesper Wallstedt (Sweden).With two current players and seven alumni headed to the Olympics, the Iowa Wild’s role as a launching point for elite international talent will be on full display when the world’s top hockey nations gather in 2026.» Subscribe to KCCI’s YouTube page» Download the free KCCI app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play
DES MOINES, Iowa —
Iowa’s footprint on the Olympic hockey stage continues to expand.
The Slovak Ice Hockey Federation announced Thursday that Iowa Wild goaltender Samuel Hlavaj has been named to Slovakia’s roster for the 2026 Winter Olympic Games, adding another current Iowa player to the international field. Hlavaj joins Iowa Wild defenseman David Špaček, who was previously named to Czechia’s Olympic team, as well as seven Iowa Wild alumni who will represent their home countries in 2026.
Hlavaj, 24, is in his second season with the Iowa Wild and has split time between the Wild and the Iowa Heartlanders. This season, the 6-foot-4 goaltender owns a 3.47 goals-against average and a .876 save percentage in 13 games with Iowa. He posted a strong 14-4-4 record during the 2024-25 campaign, finishing with a 2.85 GAA and .904 save percentage, while also seeing action in the ECHL with the Heartlanders.
Before arriving in North America, Hlavaj played professionally in Europe, including a 28-game stint with HC Škoda Plzeň of the Czech Extraliga during the 2023-24 season and two years with HC Slovan Bratislava in Slovakia’s top league. A native of Martin, Slovakia, he has been a regular fixture in international competition, representing his country at multiple IIHF World Junior and World Championship tournaments and earning a silver medal at the 2017 IIHF Under-18 World Championship.
Beyond the current roster, Iowa’s Olympic influence extends through its alumni ranks. Seven former Iowa Wild players will compete in the 2026 Games: Matt Boldy (United States), Louis Boudon (France), Joel Eriksson Ek (Sweden), Erik Haula (Finland), Darcy Kuemper (Canada), Nico Sturm (Germany) and Jesper Wallstedt (Sweden).
With two current players and seven alumni headed to the Olympics, the Iowa Wild’s role as a launching point for elite international talent will be on full display when the world’s top hockey nations gather in 2026.
Sam Hodde
David Spacek #82 of the Minnesota Wild controls the puck during the second period of a preseason game against the Dallas Stars at American Airlines Center on September 25, 2024 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images)
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