Among the deepest and most competitive international groups heading into the Olympic Games in Milan is Czechia. Long regarded as a goaltender producing nation, the program once again enters an international tournament with three proven professionals, each with their own credible claim to the starting job.
Lukas Dostal (Anaheim Ducks)
Age: 25
Born in 2000, Dostal has steadily developed into one of the most reliable young starters in the NHL. Since emerging from the Czech development system and being named the Finnish Liiga’s Top Goalie in 2019/20, Dostal transitioned to North America and is now in his third season as the starting goaltender for the Anaheim Ducks. Due to the rebuilding nature of Anaheim’s franchise in those years, Lukas has seen a lot of rubber while maintaining a .900%+.
In the first of his two instances starting for Czechia at the U20 World Juniors, he posted a staggering .957% across four games. That trend has continued at the senior level. In 2024, Dostal backstopped Czechia to a gold medal at the World Championships and was named the tournament’s Top Goaltender, cementing his status as a legitimate No. 1 option not just in Anaheim, but anywhere in the NHL. He posted a .939% and went 6-2 in the tournament.
Dan Vladar (Philadelphia Flyers)
Age: 28
Dan Vladar represents the veteran stability of Czechia’s group. Drafted 75th overall by the Boston Bruins in 2015, Vladar has spent much of his career fighting for opportunities to prove himself at every level. His breakout moment came in 2019/20, when he posted a 1.79 GAA and .936 save percentage in 25 games with the Providence Bruins, numbers that firmly established him having serious NHL potential. This of course earned him the job as Calgary’s NHL back up post pandemic.
At the international level, Vladar earned a silver medal with Czechia at the U18 World Junior Championship in 2014, and has since matured beyond comprehension. As the current starter for the Philadelphia Flyers, he has appeared in 27 NHL games this season with a .907 save percentage, handling a heavy workload behind an undeveloped roster.
Karel Vejmelka (Utah Mammoth)
Age: 29
Karel Vejmelka is the most intriguing of the trio. Born in 1996, he first found team success in Europe, winning back-to-back Czech Extraliga championships in 2016/17 and 2017/18 before making the jump to North America. Since then, he has quietly built one of the longest continuous starting résumés among Czech goalies, serving as an NHL starter for five seasons with Arizona before the franchise’s relocation to Utah.
Vejmelka’s international performances have been particularly eye-catching. He earned bronze at the 2022 World Championships, was named a Top 3 Player for Czechia in 2023 after posting a .944 save percentage in four games, and followed that with a gold medal at the 2024 World Championships backing up Dostal.
At 29, Vejmelka sits squarely in his prime unlike Dostal (who may not have hit his yet) and Vladar (whose ceiling is likely not as high).
Who gets the crease when Czechia chases Olympic glory in Milan? Is it simply Dostal’s to lose?