Blades alumnus Matej Stransky representing Team Czechia at 2026 Winter Olympics
Former Saskatoon Blade Matej Stransky will represent Team Czechia at the upcoming 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, ITA.
The Ostrava, CZE native played three seasons with the Bridge City Bunch between 2010 and 2013. In 213 career Western Hockey League (WHL) games with the Blades, Stransky scored 93 goals and 99 assists for 192 points. The right-handed shot’s best production came in 2012-13, scoring 40 goals and 45 assists for 85 points in 72 games, all career highs.
Stransky helped the Blades qualify for the postseason in all three years with the team. After a first-round exit in 2013, the Blades returned to the ice in May as the Memorial Cup hosts. In the team’s tournament opening game, Stransky scored a pair of goals in a gutsy 5-2 win over Nathan MacKinnon and the powerhouse Halifax Mooseheads.
Following his junior career, Stransky played four seasons with the American Hockey League’s (AHL) Texas Stars. In his rookie season in 2013-14, Stransky scored 23 points (9G, 14A) in 65 regular season games. The former Blade helped Texas capture the Calder Cup that same year, scoring one goal and four assists in 21 playoff games.
The 32-year-old forward followed his AHL career with two seasons in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) and a year in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). Stransky returned to the Czech League in 2019 and played two seasons with Trinec Ocelari HC. The sniper potted 33 goals and 19 assists for 52 points in 50 games with the club during the 2020-21 season. Stransky helped lead the club to their second league championship in three seasons and their third in a decade.
Stransky has spent the past five seasons with Davos in National League, netting 120 goals and 93 assists for 213 points in 244 games.
Selected by the Dallas Stars in the sixth round (165th overall) of the 2011 NHL Draft, Stransky’s won two medals on the international stage. First was a bronze medal at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Bejing, CHN, the first time Stransky represented his country at the Olympics. The seasoned pro followed it with a gold medal at the 2024 World Championships in Gothenburg, SWE.
The 2026 Winter Olympics begin Friday, Feb. 6. Men’s Olympic Ice Hockey begins Wednesday, Feb. 11 as Team Finland takes on Team Slovakia at 11:40am CST. Team Czechia’s first taste of action is Thursday, Feb. 12 at 11:40am CST against Team Canada. Men’s Ice Hockey concludes with the Gold Medal Game on Sunday, Feb. 22 at 9:10am CST.
