Leon Kolarik Named to Team Austria for the 2026 IIHF World Championship
Published on May 11, 2026 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Peterborough Petes News Release
Peterborough Petes forward Leon Kolarik
(Peterborough Petes, Credit: Kenneth Andersen Photography)
(Peterborough, ON) - Peterborough Petes import forward Leon Kolarik has officially been named to Team Austria for the upcoming IIHF World Championships. The tournament will take place beginning on May 15 in Zurich, Switzerland.
"Congratulations to Leon on being named to Austria's final roster for the World Championships," said Petes General Manager and Vice President of Operations Michael Oke. "Representing your country at a tournament of this caliber is an incredible accomplishment, especially as one of the youngest players in the competition. We're excited to watch Leon compete against some of the world's best players and see how this experience contributes to his development."
Kolarik, a 2007-born forward from Vienna, Austria, was originally selected by the Petes in the second round (63rd overall) of the 2025 CHL Import Draft. In his first season with the Petes, Kolarik played in 63 games, scoring 19 goals and adding 22 assists for 41 points. In 2024-25, Kolarik featured in 7 games for EC Salzburg in the ICEHL (Austria's top league), scoring and adding two assists for three points.
While this marks Kolarik's first appearance at a major senior international tournament, he has previously represented Austria at several youth levels. Most recently, he helped Austria capture a bronze medal at the World Junior Championship Division 1A tournament in December, contributing four assists in five games.
Kolarik is also eligible for the upcoming NHL Draft in Buffalo. He was recently ranked 182nd among North American skaters in NHL Central Scouting's Final Rankings for the 2026 NHL Draft. Fellow Petes players Adam Novotny (14th), Adam Levac (97th), and Aiden Young (223rd) were also included in the rankings.
Images from this story
 Peterborough Petes forward Leon Kolarik (Kenneth Andersen Photography) |
 Peterborough Petes forward Leon Kolarik (Kenneth Andersen Photography) |
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