Story Summary
Matěj Machovský, the 33-year-old Olomouc goaltender, expects to be busy again as he begins his third season with the club after facing 1,203 shots last season, the second-highest total in the league. He accepts Olomouc’s status as an Extraliga outsider but believes the team’s speed could be a strength if it comes together.
Machovský said Olomouc must collect points early and sustain its level after strong starts gave way to declines in each of the past two years. He also described the league’s move towards sharing starts between two goaltenders, with workloads often closer to 60:40 or 50:50 than a traditional single-starter model.
Key Facts
- Matěj Machovský is 33 years old and plays for HC Olomouc.
- He begins his third season with Olomouc.
- Last season Machovský faced 1,203 shots, the second-highest total in the league.
- Olomouc is traditionally considered an Extraliga outsider and is often rated by bookmakers as a candidate for the relegation play-off (baráž).
- Machovský identifies speed as Olomouc’s potential strength if the team can put it together.
- He welcomed players returning to the Czech Extraliga from abroad, including players leaving one-way NHL contracts, though he called that choice ‘a bit crazy’.
- Machovský said he and the team must collect early points to build confidence and avoid mid-season slumps.
- He became a father in the autumn and says fatherhood has changed his daily routine and planning.
- Machovský described Olomouc’s stadium as a traditional ‘zimní stadion’ – cold in winter, hot in summer – and disputed claims it is the worst arena in the league.
- On goalie usage, he says the league has shifted from a single starter to more even splits, with examples around a 60:40 or 50:50 workload; he cited Sparta and Třinec as clubs that have used two strong goalkeepers effectively.
IHM Discussion
Machovský’s interview sets out a familiar challenge for Olomouc: producing enough consistency to stay clear of trouble in a competitive Extraliga. The figure of 1,203 shots faced last season, the second-highest total in the league, underlines the workload he expects to carry again.
The goaltender said he finds it easier to remain focused when he is regularly involved than when he faces only a few shots, some of them breakaways. That does not make a high workload straightforward, however; he stressed that he must be at his best in every game to give the team a chance of taking points.
His comments also reflect a changing approach to goaltending across the league. Machovský has experienced both the traditional model of one clear starter and more balanced splits. In his view, two strong, active goaltenders can give a team useful options when the play-offs arrive.
Why It Matters
Machovský’s form will be important to Olomouc’s aim of staying in calmer waters and returning to the play-offs. He wants the team to turn early points into belief and to avoid the drop in form that followed encouraging starts in the previous two seasons.
His view of goaltender usage also captures a wider Extraliga trend: teams increasingly use two capable netminders rather than relying solely on one starter. That can keep both goaltenders prepared and give coaches options when form becomes decisive.
Mini Q&A
How many shots did Machovský face last season?
He faced 1,203 shots, the second-highest total in the league.
How old is Matěj Machovský and what season is he starting with Olomouc?
Machovský is 33 years old and is starting his third season with Olomouc.
What does Machovský see as Olomouc’s main strength?
He believes the team’s speed will be the principal strength if it is well organised.
How has fatherhood changed his routine?
He says it has made his daily routine more structured, with more planning and attention to regime.
What is his view on Olomouc’s arena?
He calls it a traditional ‘zimní stadion’ – cold in winter, hot in summer – and rejects the claim it is the worst in the Extraliga.
Does he favour a single starter or shared goaltending?
He notes the league is moving from one clear starter toward more even splits, around 60:40 or 50:50, and sees value in playing two prepared goalkeepers.
Coach Mark Comment
A busy goaltender can stay engaged, but the key is that the workload must give the team a chance to compete. Olomouc will need to pair its speed with a consistent team game if it is to turn strong spells into points.
IHM Final View
Machovský expects another demanding season, but he sees no value in lowering Olomouc’s ambitions. The club wants to take points, make life difficult for the league’s bigger teams and return to the play-offs. For that to happen, early momentum must last longer than it did over the previous two seasons.