Finland
2022 Olympic finish
Bronze medal. Defeated Switzerland 4-0. Viivi Vainiikka, Susanna Tapani, Nelli Laitinen and Michele Karvinen each scored goals and Anni Kesala made 15 saves.
2025 IIHF Women's World Championship finish
Bronze medal. Defeated Czechia 4-3 in overtime.
IIHF World Ranking
1st overall.
The IIHF uses results from four years (2022-2025) to determine these rankings. New rankings will be released after the Olympics.
Forwards
Elisa Holopainen, Michelle Karvinen, Ida Kuoppala, Julia Liikala, Petra Nieminen, Emma Nuutinen, Jenniina Nylund, Julia Schalin, Susanna Tapani, Noora Tulus, Viivi Vainikka, Sanni Vanhanen, Emilia Vesa
Defense
Jenni Hiirikoski, Sini Karjalainen, Nelli Laitinen, Sanni Rantala, Ronja Savolainen, Elli Suoranta, Siiri Yrjölä
Goaltenders
Sanni Ahola, Anni Keisala, Emilia Kyrkkö
Head coach
Tero Lehterä
Honestly, he could be the question mark here. He was named head coach seven months ago, but had no experience coaching women prior to being named. When he was announced he told press that he wasn't very well informed about women's hockey. I can't be the only one who wonders what the heck is happening in the Finnish Federation.
The one thing I will say is that with leaders like Jenni Hiirikoski and Michelle Karvinen, this is the kind of team that can win in spite of its coach. I truly hope it doesn't come to that, but honestly every time I read about this guy and think about this hire I get key-smashingly mad.
Recent results against Olympic opponents (last two seasons):
v. USA: L 7-1 (9 April 2025)
v. Canada: L 8-1 (19 April 2025), L 5-0 (10 April 2025)
v. Czechia: L 5-0 (12 December 2025), W 4-1 (7 November 2025), W 5-2 (28 August 2025), W 4-3 (20 April 2025), W 4-2 (12 April 2025), L 7-2 (7 February 2025), L 2-1 (8 November 2024), L 3-2 (29 August 2024)
v. Switzerland: L 4-3 (11 December 2025), W 2-1 (5 November 2025), W 5-0 (30 August 2025), W 2-1 (14 April, 2025), W 3-1 (6 February 2025), W 4-0 (13 December 2024), W 3-0 (6 November 2024), W 2-1 (31 August 2024)
v. Sweden: W 2-1 (OT) (8 November 2025), W 5-2 (29 August 2025), W 3-2 (17 April 2025), W 3-2 (SO) (4 April 2025), L 2-1 (15 December 2024), W 3-1 (9 November 2024), L 7-5 (30 August 2024)
(results in italics are from official IIHF tournaments)
Background & Analysis
Well the one bonus of my procrastination is that I have the benefit of writing this knowing Finland cancelled their last practice before puck drop as at least four players have come down with an illness. Finnish outlet Yle is saying the players have norovirus and those affected and their roommates have been isolated from the rest of the team. Yle also reports that a Swedish outlet, Sportsbladet, has Fredrik Joulamo, team manager for the Swedish Olympic Committee, saying France and the USA have also been affected by illness.
That aside, Finland comes into this tournament in a very interesting spot. They have the best scorers in the SDHL, several PWHL standouts and some young talent doing well in the NCAA. But their U18 squad was just relegated at the U18 World Championships three weeks ago. That probably puts a bit of urgency on the Finns to win now since there's a worry they might not be back in this position again in the near future.
They're in an interesting spot because the most likely outcome for them is a spot in the bronze medal game and a toss-up as to whether they win it. They have won bronze at the last two World Championships and last two Olympics. There is definitely a chance they could upset the US or Canada in the semifinals and play for gold, but the most likely outcome is for them to stay exactly where they are or finish fourth and be disappointed. That's an interesting place to be when you know you've got a well-rounded, improved team.
There's a really great mix of veterans and young talent on this team. As mentioned above, I'm not thrilled with the leadership and I worry about load management among other things. I'm excited to see this team use Viivi Vainikka's speed and the transition game in general as well as how they can be more clinical in how they move the puck and find seams.
While some of Finland's biggest names have seemed hesitant to join the PWHL, the rumors have been swirling that Petra Nieminen and others may enter the draft next season. This Olympics will be a big stage to make their case. I don't think it's the biggest driver for anyone, I do think it's probably a bit of a subplot to keep an eye on here.
Team Czechia
2022 Olympic finish
7th. Lost a quarterfinal game 4-1 to the United States. This was Czechia's first-ever Olympic appearance.
2025 IIHF Women's World Championship finish
4th. Lost the bronze medal game 4-3 in overtime to Finland.
IIHF World Ranking
4th overall.
The IIHF uses results from four years (2022-2025) to determine these rankings. New rankings will be released after the Olympics.
Forwards
Klára Hymlárová, Barbora Juříčková, Kristýna Kaltounková, Denisa Křížová, Natálie Mlýnková, Kateřina Mrázová, Michaela Pejzová, Tereza Pištěková, Tereza Plosová, Vendula Přibylová, Adéla Šapovalivová, Tereza Vanišová, Linda Vocetková
Defense
Sára Čajanová, Dominika Lásková, Noemi Neubauerová, Daniela Pejšová, Klára Seroiszková, Aneta Tejralová, Andrea Trnková
Goaltenders
MichaelaHesová, Julie Pejšová, Klára Peslarová
Head coach
Carla MacLeod
Recent results against Olympic opponents (last two seasons):
v. USA: L 2-1 (19 April 2025), L 4-0 (11 April 2025)
v. Canada: L 7-1 (14 April 2025)
v. Finland: W 5-0 (12 December 2025), L 4-1 (7 November 2025), L 5-2 (28 August 2025), L 4-3 (20 April 2025), L 4-2 (12 April 2025), W 7-2 (7 February 2025), W 2-1 (8 November 2024), W 3-2 (29 August 2024)
v. Switzerland: W 2-1 (10 December 2025), W 1-0 (8 November 2025), W 4-3 (SO) (29 August 2025), W 3-0 (9 April, 2025), W 4-2 (8 February 2025), W 2-0 (14 December 2024), W 3-0 (9 November 2024), L 2-1 (SO) (30 August 2024)
v. Sweden: L 4-1 (5 November 2025), W 2-1 (30 August 2025), L 3-0 (13 December 2024), W 2-1 (OT) (6 November 2024), W 6-3 (31 August 2024)
(results in italics are from official IIHF tournaments)
Background & Analysis
Czechia has been so good of late that I think it's easy to forget that the 2022 Olympics were the first they'd ever qualified for. Winning qualification was such a massive moment for the players and that was just five or so years ago.
This is a talented and deep team that can play as fast and as physical as the North American teams. They draw the US first in group play, so have to hit the ice ready to go immediately. At the 2025 World Championships, hosted by Czechia, the Czechs scored first in their semifinal against the USA before eventually losing 2-1.
One of the ways they remain a bit back from the US and Canada is an inability to go toe to toe for a full 60 minutes. Not only do they need to do that on Thursday, but they then have to be ready to face Switzerland 20 or so hours after they finish playing the Americans.
After winning bronze at the 2022 and 2023 World Championships, they lost the bronze medal game to Finland each of the last two years. But they have continued to improve in the intervening years and they bring in a squad that is well represented in the PWHL as well as making waves at top teams in the NCAA.
Kalty Kaltounková has been every bit as good as expected in her rookie campaign in the PWHL. Her size and physicality add depth to their attack. Adéla Šapovalivová has been one of my favorite players since I first got to watch her play at the 2022 U18 Women's World Championship. She's small but not afraid of contact and has both the skating and puck handling to weave through traffic before unleashing a shot. Tereza Vanišová has carved out a role in the PWHL with her physical net-front presence, work along the boards and ability to turn a simple play dangerous.
Where Finland may be in an end-on-an-era, do-it-now situation, Czechia feels like they're on the brink of even more. They've seen consistency and success at the U18 level and many of those players have come to the senior team to make an impact. I really love the integrated approach they have with U18 coach Dušan Andrašovský serving as an assistant on the senior team.
There aren't a lot of weaknesses immediately apparent on this roster and this feels like the team most likely to serve up an upset in this tournament. One thing Andrašovský in particular has experience with is taking a big loss to a team in the opening round only to come back and score an upset later in the tournament. They don't need to win their group games against the US or Canada, they just have to learn from them and be ready to use that information when they meet up again in the semifinals.
(Finland Photo: Leijonat/FB), Czechia Photo: Czech Hockey/Twitter)
