Iowa Wild, Barracuda players named to Slovakia Olympic roster

Samuel Hlavaj and Pavol Regenda earned spots on Slovakia's roster for Milano Cortina 2026, giving AHL fans two more names to watch on the Olympic stage. Hlavaj, the Iowa Wild netminder, and Regenda, a forward with the San Jose Barracuda, bring AHL experience and recent form into a Slovak squad that will lean on both domestic- and affiliate-league talent.

Hlavaj’s season numbers reflect a goalie who has seen a mix of starts and relief work: he entered the season 4-7-2 with a 3.47 goals-against average and an .876 save percentage in 13 appearances. Those figures suggest Slovakia is looking beyond pure stats and valuing Hlavaj’s size, poise and potential to handle international pressure in a tournament setting. For Iowa, his absence for the Olympics will shift goaltending duties onto the next options on the depth chart and create opportunities for backup goalies to log meaningful minutes.

Regenda comes in with momentum. He posted four goals and eight assists in 28 games for the Barracuda in 2025-26 and has already earned a recall to the San Jose Sharks after a hot NHL stretch. That NHL taste and his AHL production make him a versatile pick who can slot into Slovakia’s forward group and provide energy, playmaking and a scoring touch. San Jose’s system will feel the hole when he joins the Olympic camp, but the recall shows the pathway AHL performance creates for international and NHL opportunity.

These selections are part of a broader trend: AHL contributors are playing significant roles on national teams this Olympic cycle. For communities that follow their local squads, the Olympics will be a chance to follow familiar faces in a different jersey and measure AHL development against the world stage. Teams will have to manage short-term roster gaps, and that equals opportunity for reserves, younger prospects and players pushing for ice time.

The takeaway? Treat the Olympics as a midseason showcase for AHL talent. Expect lineups to shift and for familiar names to pop up on international rosters. Our two cents? Mark the Olympic schedule, follow Hlavaj in net and Regenda on the wing, and be ready to cheer when your AHL boys trade their affiliate sweaters for Slovakia's blue and white—those performances can ripple right back to strengthen AHL clubs once the tournament ends.