Head Coach’s Insights
Dmytro Khrystych, head coach of the Ukrainian national ice hockey team, has shared his thoughts on the squad’s preparation and prospects ahead of the 2026 World Championship. Ukraine is set to compete in Division IA, facing off against Kazakhstan, France, Japan, Poland, and Lithuania. This marks the team’s second consecutive year in this division, having secured a third-place finish last year.
Ukraine played one unofficial match against a depleted Hungarian side, which was missing several key players. Khrystych remarked:
“We believe we prepared as best we could, and we’ll bring our strongest game to the ice. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to play full-strength matches against opponents.”The head coach also stressed that the team is approaching every game with full focus, noting that “there are no weak opponents.”
Match Schedule and Team Roster
Ukraine’s schedule for the 2026 World Championship is as follows:
- 02.05.2026 at 20:30 — Poland vs. Ukraine;
- 03.05.2026 at 17:00 — Ukraine vs. Lithuania;
- 05.05.2026 at 17:00 — France vs. Ukraine;
- 07.05.2026 at 17:00 — Ukraine vs. Kazakhstan;
- 08.05.2026 at 17:00 — Ukraine vs. Japan.
All matches will be broadcast on the Suspilne Sport platform and local Suspilne channels.
The Ukrainian roster for the 2026 World Championship includes goaltenders:
- Bohdan Dyachenko (Polonia Bytom, Poland),
- Oleh Petrov (Sokil, Ukraine),
- Oleksandr Levshyn (Prince George Cougars, Canada).
Defensemen on the team are:
- Ihor Merezhko (Plzeň, Czechia),
- Artem Hrebenyk (Caen, France),
- Denys Matusevych (Kremenchuk, Ukraine),
- Oleksii Dakhnovskyi (Košice, Slovakia),
- Yevhenii Ratushnyi (Sokil, Ukraine),
- Ivan Sysak (Feltre, Italy),
- Mykola Kosarev (Stavanger Oilers, Norway).
Forwards include:
- Oleksandr Peresunko (Unia, Poland),
- Daniil Trakht (Lukko, Finland),
- Andrii Denyskin (Toruń, Poland),
- Oleksii Voron (Toruń, Poland),
- Vitalii Lialka (Kremenchuk, Ukraine),
- Stanislav Sadovikov (Berani Zlín, Czechia),
- Ilarion Kupriianov (Dukla Jihlava, Czechia),
- Yevhen Fadieiev (Snackpoint Eaters Limburg, Netherlands),
- Felix Morozov (Morzine-Avoriaz, France),
- Viktor Zakharov (Sokil, Ukraine),
- Denys Borodai (Sokil, Ukraine),
- Mykyta Oliinyk (Sokil, Ukraine),
- Artem Buzoveria (Coventry Blaze, Great Britain),
- Oleksii Yevtiekhov (Pardubice B, Czechia).
Prior to the World Championship, Ukraine cut seven players from the roster. Khrystych concluded:
“Favorites? You can talk and analyze the opponents all you want, but the games will show what we’re capable of.”
Ukraine’s preparation for the 2026 World Championship is a key step for the growth of hockey in the country, as the team has a chance to showcase its potential on the international stage. Competing in Division IA will provide Ukrainian players with valuable experience needed to improve future results. Importantly, the squad is determined to fight hard against every opponent, reflecting their ambition to succeed in this tournament.
As the Ukrainian national team gears up for the World Championship, it's worth noting the impressive performance of the U18 hockey squad, which recently opened their championship with a notable victory over Slovenia. This success not only highlights the potential of Ukrainian hockey but also sets a positive tone for the senior team as they prepare for their upcoming matches.