Previous ranking: 7
2026-27 team: New York Sirens
Kaltounková is a goal scorer through and through. Entering the 2025-26 season after going first overall in the 2025 PWHL Draft, she had big expectations. Kalty, as she is known, was instantly a fixture on New York’s top line. She isn’t afraid to get to the dirty areas, taking the net-front role on the power play. In her rookie season, she quickly endeared herself to Sirens fans with an appreciation for physicality. Kaltounková laid 34 hits in 21 games, along with tallying an impressive 11 goals to lead all rookies.
Making her Olympic debut for Team Czechia at the 2026 Games, Kaltounková recorded 1 goal and 1 assist in five games. She was one of the most penalized players, tied for first in the tournament with 8 penalty minutes. Surprisingly, she was tasked with playing a depth role on the third line. Czechia struggled as a whole to break through in this tournament, finishing 1-2-1 — good for just third in group A. They subsequently lost to Sweden in the quarterfinals.
After she returned from Milan, Kaltounková’s PWHL season was cut short by a lower-body injury on Mar. 18. The Sirens sorely missed her in critical games down the stretch as they competed in a tight race for the final playoff spot. During the 2026 expansion process, New York secured Kaltounková as one of their three protected players in Phase 1. The management group under general manager Pascal Daoust clearly considers her to be a pillar of the organization going forward.
As she enters her sophomore season, look for Kaltounková to continue to make her presence felt both on the scoresheet and by whoever dares enter into a puck battle with her. While teammates Casey O’Brien and Sarah Fillier are high-end playmakers, Kalty may still need to develop her set-up game. We can certainly expect an increase from her single assist in 2025-26. She will continue to develop her power-forward game by finding ways to manipulate the defensive coverage to create space for teammates.
