A familiar figure to Nashville Predators fans will be leading the Slovak men’s ice hockey team at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina. Hockey Slovakia announced on Tuesday that Vladimir Orszagh, a former Predators forward who played with the team from 2001 to 2004, has been appointed as Slovakia’s head coach for the February Olympic Games.
Orszagh recently took on the role of interim head coach for Slovakia at the 2025 IIHF World Championships and has prior experience as an assistant coach for the national team. He has signed a three-year deal with the Slovak Ice Hockey Association and currently serves as the head coach of HC ’05 Banská Bystrica, competing in Slovakia’s top ice hockey league, the Slovak Extraliga.
Originally drafted 106th overall by the New York Islanders in the 1995 NHL Draft, Orszagh joined the Predators as a free agent in 2001. Throughout his time with Nashville, he played 223 games, recording 47 goals, 58 assists, and totaling 105 points. His standout season came in 2003-04 when he notched 37 points in 82 games.
Following the 2005 NHL lockout, Orszagh returned to Slovakia, where he played for Slovak Extraliga’s extra Riga, tallying 30 points in 37 games. He had one final NHL season with the St. Louis Blues during 2005-06, scoring 14 points in 16 games. Internationally, Orszagh represented Slovakia on eight occasions, winning the nation’s first-ever gold medal at the 2002 IIHF World Championships and capturing a bronze medal the following year.
Orszagh will take over the head coaching duties from Craig Ramsay, Slovakia’s longtime coach since 2017, who previously led the Buffalo Sabres for 14 seasons. Under Ramsay, Slovakia earned its first-ever Olympic medal, a bronze, by defeating Sweden 4-0 at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.
Also noteworthy is that two former Predators, Roman Josi (Switzerland) and Juuse Saros (Finland), are part of the Olympic reserve roster. The 2026 Winter Olympics will run from February 11 to 22, marking the first time NHL players will be participating since 2014.
Fan Take: Vladimir Orszagh’s appointment as Slovakia’s head coach is an exciting development that brings NHL and international experience to the forefront. This move not only strengthens Slovakia’s Olympic prospects but also highlights the growing influence of former NHL players in coaching roles, which can uplift the sport’s development worldwide.
