IOWA WILD DEFENSEMAN DAVID SPACEK NAMED TO CZECH OLYMPIC TEAM
Jan 6, 2026DES MOINES, Iowa – The National Hockey League (NHL) and the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) announced rosters for the 2026 Winter Olympic Games, as selected by each National Association (Hockey Canada, Czech Ice Hockey Association, Finnish Ice Hockey Association, French Ice Hockey Federation, German Ice Hockey Federation, Swedish Ice Hockey Association, and USA Hockey). Iowa Wild defenseman David Špaček has been named to the 2026 Czech Olympic roster.
Iowa Wild alumni Matt Boldy (United States), Louis Boudon (France), Joel Eriksson Ek (Sweden), Erik Haula (Finland), Darcy Kuemper (Canada), Nico Sturm (Germany) and Jesper Wallstedt (Sweden) will each represent their respective country.
Špaček, 22 (2/18/23), owns 16 points (2-14=16), 55 shots and 10 penalty minutes (PIM) in 32 games with Iowa this season, leading the team in assists and ranking second in points. The 6-foot, 190-pound native of Columbus, Ohio, recorded 31 points (4-27=31), 31 PIM and 117 shots in 72 games with Iowa during the 2024-25 season, leading the team with 18 power play assists, ranking second in assists, and pacing team defensemen in scoring. For his career, Špaček owns 59 points (9-50-59), 62 PIM and 245 shots in 165 games over three AHL seasons (2023-26).
Špaček has represented Czechia at multiple international competitions, including the 2025 IIHF World Championship, where he recorded two assists in eight games, and the 2024 IIHF World Championship, where he posted five assists in 10 games to help Czechia secure gold. He also helped Czechia to a silver medal at the 2023 IIHF World Junior Tournament, recording eight points (3-5=8), 11 shots and a plus-7 rating in seven games.
Špaček was selected by Minnesota in the fifth round (No. 153 overall) of the 2022 NHL Draft.
Boldy, 24 (4/5/2001), recorded 28 points (10-18=22), eight PIM, and a plus-5 rating in 24 games over two seasons (2020-22) with Iowa. The 6-foot-2, 201-pount native of Millis, Mass., owns 292 points (128-164=292), 169 PIM, and a plus-39 rating through 329 NHL games with Minnesota. Boldy previously won a gold medal with Team USA at the IIHF World Junior Championship (2020-21) and represented his country at the IIHF World Championship (2021-22, 2023-24), and the NHL 4 Nations Face-Off (2024-25).
Boudon, 27 (10/4/1998), recorded two points (1-1=2), four PIM, and a minus-3 rating in 14 games with Iowa from 2022-24. The 5-foot-11, 187-pound native of Grenoble, France previously represented his country at four IIHF World Championships (2021-25).
Eriksson Ek, 28 (1/29/1997), recorded 18 points (8-10=18), 16 PIM, and a minus-5 rating through 18 games with Iowa from 2016-19. The 6-foot-2, 207-pound native of Karlstad, Sweden has posted 331 points (147-184=331), 262 PIM, and a plus-78 rating through 588 NHL games with Minnesota. Eriksson Ek skated for Team Sweden at two IIHF World Junior Championships and won a gold medal at the 2016-17 IIHF World Championship. Eriksson Ek has played in two IIHF World Championship tournaments and represented Sweden at the 2024-25 NHL 4 Nations Face-Off.
Haula, 34 (3/23/1991) recorded 27 points (14-13=27), 14 PIM, and a plus-2 rating in 31 games with Iowa during the 2013-14 season. The 6-foot, 192-pound native of Pori, Finland has posted 360 points (160-200=360), 409 PIM, and a plus-39 rating in 800 NHL games. Haula previously represented Finland at the IIHF World Junior Championship (2010-11), the IIHF World Championship (2013-14), and NHL 4 Nations Face-Off (2024-25).
Kuemper, 35 (5/5/1990), posted a 9-13-0 record with two shutouts, a 2.63 goals-against average (GAA), and a .922 save percentage (SV%) in 22 games with Iowa from 2013-15. The 6-foot-5, 216-pound native of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan owns a 221-153-59 record with 38 shutouts, a 2.53 GAA, and a .915 SV% in 465 NHL games. Kuemper has appeared in two IIHF World Championships and won gold with Team Canada in 2020-21.
Sturm, 30 (5/3/1995), recorded 32 points (12-20=32), 18 PIM, and a plus-9 rating in 55 games with Iowa during the 2019-20 season. The 6-foot-3, 209-pound native of Augsburg, Germany has posted 100 points (49-51=100), 88 PIM, and a minus-35 rating in 353 NHL games. Sturm skated for Germany at the 2014-15 IIHF World Junior Championship and appeared in two IIHF World Championships (2022-24).
Wallstedt, 23 (11/14/2002) posted a 49-48-4 record with four shutouts, a 2.90 GAA, and a .902 SV% in three seasons with Iowa (2022-25). The 6-foot-3, 214-pound native of Västerås, Sweden owns a 13-5-4 record with five shutouts, a 2.55 GAA, and a .916 SV% in 22 NHL games with Minnesota. Wallstedt represented Sweden at two IIHF World Junior Championships (2020-22) and two World Championships (2022-24).
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