Czech Republic Suffers Blow as Jan Rutta Exits Olympic Opener
Milan, Czech Republic – The Czech Republic men’s hockey team suffered an early setback at the 2026 Winter Olympics as defenseman Jan Rutta was forced to leave their opening game against Canada. The injury occurred during a hard hit from Canadian star Nathan MacKinnon, and Rutta did not return to the game.
Rutta’s Injury and Impact on the Lineup
According to Jiří Šlégr, the team’s General Manager, Rutta sustained an upper-body injury. “Jan Rutta suffered an injury in the upper body during the game against Canada, which forced him to prematurely end the duel. He is currently under the care of the national team’s physiotherapists and doctors. He will not play in today’s game against France,” Šlégr stated.
The injury appears to be in the rib area, as Rutta left the ice in a bent-over position, visibly in pain. Tomáš Kundrátek replaced Rutta in the lineup, stepping in as the seventh defenseman.
“He is currently under the care of the national team’s physiotherapists and doctors.”
Looking Ahead: Kundrátek and Ticháček
With Rutta sidelined for the game against France, Kundrátek is expected to feature in one of the defensive pairings. There’s also a possibility that Jiří Ticháček, who watched the game against Canada from the stands, will create his Olympic debut.
Potential Forward Line Changes
The Czech coaching staff is also considering changes to the forward lines. Filip Chlapík or Jakub Flek are likely to get an opportunity, potentially replacing David Tomášek in the rotation.
Czech Olympic Team Roster
Goaltenders: Lukáš Dostál (Anaheim, NHL), Daniel Vladař (Philadelphia, NHL), Karel Vejmelka (Utah, NHL).
Defensemen: Radko Gudas (Anaheim, NHL), Tomáš Kundrátek (Třinec), Michal Kempný (Brynäs, Sweden), Jan Rutta (Geneve-Servette, Switzerland), David Špaček (Iowa, AHL), Filip Hronek (Vancouver, NHL), Jiří Ticháček (Kärpät, Finland), Radim Šimek (Liberec).
Forwards: David Pastrňák (Boston, NHL), Roman Červenka, Lukáš Sedlák (both Pardubice), Martin Nečas (Colorado, NHL), Dominik Kubalík (Zug, Switzerland), Jakub Flek (Brno), Ondřej Palát (New York Islanders, NHL), Tomáš Hertl (Las Vegas, NHL), David Kämpf (Vancouver, NHL), Ondřej Kaše (Litvínov), Radek Faksa (Dallas, NHL), David Tomášek (Färjestad, Sweden), Matěj Stránský (Davos, Switzerland), Filip Chlapík (Sparta).
Coaching Staff:
General Manager: Jiří Šlégr
Manager: Milan Hnilička
Head Coach: Radim Rulík
Assistant Coaches: Marek Židlický, Jiří Kalous and Tomáš Plekanec
Goaltending Coach: Ondřej Pavelec
Scouting Coach: Patrik Augusta
Analyst: Jan Morkes
Conditioning Coach: Michal Hamršmíd
Video Coaches: Denis Havel and Jakub Zelenka
Doctors: Antonín Chochola and Tomáš Vyskočil
Physiotherapists: Radovan Sakaláš and Pavel Kolář
Equipment Managers: Petr Šulan, Zdeněk Šmíd and Oldřich Kopecký
Media Manager: Michael Schuster
FAQ
Q: What is Jan Rutta’s injury?
A: Jan Rutta sustained an upper-body injury during the game against Canada.
Q: Will Jan Rutta play against France?
A: No, Jan Rutta will not play against France.
Q: Who will replace Jan Rutta in the lineup?
A: Tomáš Kundrátek replaced Rutta in the game against Canada, and is expected to play against France. Jiří Ticháček may also get a chance to play.
