IOWA WILD GOALTENDER SAMUEL HLAVAJ NAMED TO TEAM SLOVAKIA FOR 2026 WINTER OLYMPIC GAMES
Jan 8, 2026DES MOINES, Iowa – The Slovakian Ice Hockey Federation today announced Iowa Wild goaltender Samuel Hlavaj has been named to the Slovakian team’s roster for the 2026 Winter Olympic Games.
Hlavaj, 24 (5/29/2001), owns a 3.47 goals-against average (GAA), a .876 save percentage (SV%), a 4-7-3 record, and one shutout in 13 games with the Iowa Wild this season. Hlavaj posted a 2.85 GAA, .904 SV%, and a 14-4-4 record with the Wild in 2024-25. He also owns a 3.21 GAA, a .885 SV%, and a 2-3-1 record in six games with the Iowa Heartlanders across the 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons.
Hlavaj posted a 3.10 GAA and a .902 SV% in 28 games with HC Škoda Plzeň of the Czech Extraliga during the 2023-24 season. The 6-foot-4, 193-pound native of Martin, Slovakia, spent two seasons with HC Slovan Bratislava (2021-23) of the Slovakia League and recorded a 2.47 GAA, a .912 SV% and one shutout in 27 games.
Hlavaj previously won a silver medal with Slovakia at the 2016-17 IIHF U-18 World Championship. He has represented his home country at three IIHF World Junior Championships (2018-21) and three IIHF World Championships (2022-25).
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