Michal Kempny is a world champion after Team Czechia defeated Switzerland 2-0 in the gold medal game of the 2024 IIHF World Championship on Sunday.
David Pastrnak scored the game-winning goal and David Kampf added an empty-netter. Lukas Dostal pitched a 31-save shutout. The Czechs hosted the tournament with the final game taking place in Prague.
Kempny skated 20:21 of ice time in the win, second-most among all Czech skaters. Overall, across 10 games, he averaged 21:18 time on ice per game, the most of any Czech skater. Kempny also posted three assists and had a plus-minus of plus-9, the best mark on the team.
After the game, he smiled for a photo with the trophy, his new gold medal, and a celebratory beverage. He also shared a kiss with his wife.
Kempny wasn’t the only former Washington Capitals player to win gold as he was joined by defensemen Radko Gudas and Tomas Kundratek.
“I don’t think I really realized yet what happened,” Gudas said postgame. “It’s a dream come true for every kid. Especially playing in front of the home crowd and having the fans behind you cheering for the whole game. I’m just happy that our team pulled together like they did today and yesterday.”
The gold is Czechia’s first medal at the tournament since they took home bronze in 2022 with a roster that also featured Kempny.
Kempny, a Stanley Cup champion with the Capitals in 2018, has spent the past two seasons with Sparta Praha in the Czech Extraliga after an unsuccessful stint in the Seattle Kraken organization to start 2022-23. His last game in the NHL came with the Caps in March of 2022.
The 33-year-old rearguard has represented his country at five different World Championships, the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, and the 2010 World Junior Championship. This is his first-ever gold medal.
Czechia has won gold six other times with the most recent win coming in 2010. Team Sweden secured the bronze medal in Sunday’s earlier game as they took down the Canadians 4-2.
