Czech Storylines to Watch as 2025 PWHL Playoffs Begin
The 2025 PWHL Walter Cup Playoffs are set to begin this week (Wednesday at 7pm to be exact), and Czech hockey fans have plenty of reasons to be excited. Four teams remain in the hunt for the championship, the Montréal Victoire, Toronto Sceptres, Ottawa Charge, and Minnesota Frost, and each squad features potential contributions from Czech players. From Kateřina Mrázová’s storybook overtime heroics to Denisa Křížová’s quest for a repeat title, these playoffs are sure to be infused with pride and emotion. Below, we highlight the major Czech player storylines to keep your eyes on, and what these moments mean for Czechia’s women’s hockey stars and their supporters back home!
Ottawa: Mrázová’s Heroics and Vaníšová’s Impact
Ottawa enters the playoffs riding the high of Kateřina Mrázová’s dramatic return from injury and clutch scoring touch. On Sunday, in the final regular-season game, a win-and-in scenario in Toronto, Mrázová provided an unforgettable moment, scoring with under three minutes left in overtime to secure a 2–1 victory and Ottawa’s first-ever playoff berth. It was only her fourth game back after missing much of the season, yet the 31-year-old forward came through when it mattered most. “It was an exciting moment. A relief,” Mrázová said of her top-shelf snipe, describing how proud she was of the team’s effort in that must-win game. As the puck hit the back of the net, Ottawa fans erupted in joy, celebrating a franchise first playoff milestone and a triumphant comeback for Mrázová. Her heroics epitomize the resilience and clutch skill that Czech and North American fans alike have come to love about Kateřina‘s game.
Just as vital to Ottawa’s success is Mrázová’s long-time national team teammate Tereza Vanišová, who has been a force for the Charge all season. Vanišová not only set up the tying goal in that playoff-clinching game with a smooth assist, but she also finished the regular season as Ottawa’s leading scorer. The 28-year-old forward tallied 15 goals and 22 points to top the Charge’s scoring charts , including a torrid stretch where she netted six goals in the final four games of the season. Time and again, Vanišová has delivered in big moments. That poise will be essential as Ottawa heads into a semifinal showdown with powerhouse Montréal. Vanišová’s relentless two-way play and knack for timely goals will certainly help give the underdog Charge a fighting chance. For Czech fans, seeing Vanišová thrive as a go-to star after years of watching her career from Písek to the PWHL is immensely rewarding. And she has a chance, with two Isobel Cups under her belt already from the former NWHL/PHF, to win a Walter and remain the most decorated Czech player in North America. Ottawa will continue to lean on her and Mrázová for offense and leadership as they chase an upset. (We also can’t help but mention the poise and consistency of Aneta Tejralová on defense, we imagine she’ll play a big part if Ottawa is to find success.)
Minnesota: Hymlárová’s Debut and Křížová’s Legacy
The defending Walter Cup champions feature a blend of rising Czech talent and established greatness. On one end is Klára Hymlárová, a 23-year-old rookie who caps her first pro regular season with a milestone first ever PWHL goal. In Minnesota’s final game, an 8–1 rout of Boston that clinched the PWHL’s last playoff spot, Hymlárová scored her first, finding the net with just 46 seconds remaining to put an exclamation point on the victory. The goal may have been Minnesota’s eighth of the night, but for Hymlárová it was a momentous personal achievement (despite the cruel twist of fate being that she scored on fellow national team team Klára Peslarová). The former St. Cloud State standout became the first Husky alumna in the PWHL, and after adjusting to the pro level all season, she finally “lit the lamp” at the perfect time. As Minnesota enters the playoffs, Hymlárová will hopefully carry that confidence into her first postseason appearance. Even if her role remains modest (she primarily has skated on the fourth line and saw limited minutes before that breakthrough), her fresh energy adds depth to a potent Frost attack. Czech supporters can take pride in this new face making her mark on the big stage.
On the other end of the spectrum is Denisa Křížová, a name already etched in Czech hockey lore who is now chasing a second straight Walter Cup with Minnesota. At 30, Křížová is a veteran forward for the Frost and one of only a three Czech’s ever to win a North American professional title. Now Křížová is eager to build on that legacy by leading the Frost to a repeat championship, a feat that would further solidify her among the all-time Czech greats. While she isn’t the flashiest name on Minnesota’s star-studded roster (which includes Olympic gold medalists like Kendall Coyne-Schofield and Taylor Heise), Křížová’s contributions are integral. She is a savvy playmaker and reliable two-way presence, often anchoring the middle-six forward lines. Last postseason, Křížová chipped in clutch goals during Minnesota’s title run, and she brings valuable calm and experience to a team that had an up-and-down road this year. Indeed, Minnesota had to claw their way into the playoffs as the fourth seed, winning their final two games (including that blowout of Boston) to sneak in. As they prepare to face the second-seeded Toronto Sceptres in the semifinals, the Frost will look to Křížová for veteran leadership. For Křížová, this playoff is another chance to show the world what Czech players can achieve at the highest level. Her pursuit of back-to-back titles is certainly not lost on us. A second Walter Cup would be not only a personal triumph but a proud moment for Czech women’s hockey, further proof of its growing impact on the global stage.
Montréal: Lásková Back for the Top Seed
The Montréal Victoire enter the playoffs as the top seed the no doubt, de facto #1. Dominika Lásková, a skilled two-way defender, is finally healthy and poised to contribute after a challenging year of rehab. Lásková, 28, had missed over a year of action with a serious knee injury, playing only seven games last season before going on the shelf and just three games early this season before being shut down again. For a while, it was uncertain if she’d return in time to help Montréal’s playoff run. But her dedication paid off, in late February, the Victoire activated Lásková from long-term injured reserve, signaling that she was ready to rejoin the lineup.
For Lásková, this playoff appearance is a long-awaited moment. A year ago, she could only watch as her team fell short in the semifinals; now she has a chance to be on the ice as Montréal chases the title. The Victoire earned the right to choose their semifinal opponent by finishing first overall, and they selected Ottawa, preferring that matchup over facing defending champion Minnesota. That decision speaks to Montréal’s confidence, and Lásková’s return only bolsters their roster. Before her injury, Lásková was logging nearly 20 minutes a night for Montréal, she was arguably the team’s top puck-moving defender, trusted in all situations. It may take a couple more games for her to get fully up to speed (she shook off some rust at the IIHF World Championship, even scoring for her home nation), but even at less than 100%, her presence is a boost. Lásková’s blend of defensive poise and offensive instinct (honed from her championship experience with the Toronto Six in the PHF’s final season) gives Montréal another weapon on the blue line. For Czech fans, seeing Lásková back on the ice is a triumphant storyline in itself. Right now, though, she’s focused simply on contributing to a deep playoff run. After more than a year away, Lásková is hungry to make up for lost time, and her journey adds a layer of inspiration to the Victoire’s championship quest.
Toronto: Neubauerová’s Depth Role on a Contender
While Toronto’s headline-makers are big stars like Sarah Nurse and Renata Fast, Czech forward Noemi “Nemo” Neubauerová is a quieter X-factor on the Sceptres’ roster. The 25-year-old Neubauerová cracked Toronto’s lineup as a fifth-round draft pick and provided depth to the forward corps. Used primarily in a bottom-six role, she has become known for her work ethic and physical play. In fact, Toronto’s depth is so strong that one trade-deadline analysis called Neubauerová “a coach’s dream” – a forechecking, hard-nosed player who reliably does her job every shift . Though she didn’t register a point in 20 games this season, her contributions often came in the form of grinding along the boards, killing penalties, and providing energy when called upon.
With playoff intensity ratcheting up, coaches love having players like Neubauerová available, the kind of depth forward who can be plugged in to shake up the momentum or fill in due to injuries. There is a chance she might rotate in and out of the lineup during the postseason, depending on matchups. Even if her minutes are limited, simply being part of a championship-caliber squad in only her rookie PWHL season is a point of pride. Should she get the nod in a playoff game, watch for Neubauerová’s tenacious shifts to continue making a subtle difference.
Heartbreak in Boston: Pejšová and Peslarová Miss Out
Amid all the excitement, there is also heartbreak: the Boston Fleet were eliminated from playoff contention on the final day of the regular season, meaning two prominent Czech players won’t be seeing postseason action. Daniela Pejšová, a 22-year-old defenseman, and Klára Peslarová, a 27-year-old goaltender, had hoped to help Boston defend their home ice in the playoffs. Instead, they watched their season end in disappointment as Boston fell just short of the last berth. The Fleet needed one point in their finale to get in, but a lopsided loss to Minnesota dashed those hopes . For Pejšová and Peslarová – both coming off stellar performances in international play for Czechia – the near-miss was a tough pill to swallow.
Not having Peslarová in the playoffs is a loss for spectators – her heroics in IIHF tournaments are well-known, and she could have been an intriguing wild card if called upon. The same goes for Pejšová’s booming shot from the point, which will be absent from postseason highlight reels. For Czech fans, the absence of Boston’s Czech duo is a somber footnote to an otherwise thrilling playoff picture. It’s a reminder of how fine the line can be between elation and disappointment in sports: Boston came within a whisker of advancing, only to falter at the end.
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As the puck drops on the 2025 PWHL semifinals, the stakes have never been higher. Whether it’s Mrázová and Vanišová trying to author another chapter of underdog magic, Křížová aiming to hoist the trophy once more, Lásková completing her comeback, or Neubauerová ready to seize her moment, each storyline carries special significance. They represent years of hard work and dreams, not just for the players themselves, but for the fans and young girls watching in Czechia, inspired by their heroes abroad. Emotions will run high with every goal, knowing how much these opportunities mean.
In the end, no matter which team prevails, Czech hockey supporters can already consider this playoff a victory: never before have so many Czech women been at the heart of a North American professional league’s postseason narrative. Truly a testament to the growth of the game and the talent emerging from Czechia. As the Walter Cup quest begins, all eyes in the Czech hockey community will be on these trailblazing women, living and breathing every moment with them. After all, these aren’t just hockey games, they are the culmination of dreams, the forging of legacy, and a source of collective national pride. Let the playoffs begin!
