General Manager Róbert Švehla Ground Ondrej Nepela Arena | Most games Miroslav Šatan (175) Most points Miroslav Šatan (162) | |
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Nickname(s) Repre, Chlapci, Naši chlapci Assistants Ernest BokrošMiroslav Miklošovič Association | ||
The Slovak men's national ice hockey team is the national ice hockey team of Slovakia and is controlled by the Slovak Ice Hockey Federation. As of March 2010, the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), the world governing body of hockey, ranks them as the seventh strongest national team in the world. It is one of the most successful national ice hockey teams in the world. The team's general manager is Róbert Švehla and their head coach is Zdeno Cíger.
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In the last sixteen years, Slovakia has won four medals at the World Championships, including a gold medal in 2002 in Sweden. In winter Olympic games, Slovakia's highest achievement is 4th place in Vancouver 2010. In the tournament they won against favourites Russia and Sweden, and lost against Canada in the semifinals and against Finland in the bronze medal game.
History
The Slovak national team was formed following the breakup of Czechoslovakia, as the country was split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia. For years, the Czechs kept control over how the national team was run, and even had quotas instituted to ensure a minimal participation of Slovak players on the Czechoslovak national team. While the Czechs were allowed to compete at the highest pool (A), the IIHF ruled that because fewer players of the former Czechoslovak team were Slovaks, Slovakia would be required to start international play in Pool C. However, Slovakia's play in the lower pools won it promotion to pool A by 1996. See also Post-Cold War period of the IIHF world championships.
In the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, Utah, the Slovak team was unable to use its National Hockey League (NHL) players in the preliminary round due to a scheduling conflict. This affected all of the smaller countries, but devastated the Slovak team as most of their players were coming from NHL teams. The NHL had decided to only allow their players to participate in the final medal round, and thus Slovakia failed to qualify, finishing a disappointing 13th. This turn of events was troubling to the entire hockey community, and the rules were changed for the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Turin, Italy.
Slovak national team members and notable players include Marián Gáborík of the Los Angeles Kings; Marián Hossa of the Chicago Blackhawks; Marcel Hossa; Miroslav Šatan; star goaltender of the New York Islanders Jaroslav Halák and the tallest player in NHL history, Zdeno Chára. In the late 1990s, the St. Louis Blues placed Ľuboš Bartečko, Michal Handzuš, and Pavol Demitra on the same line. This trio became known as the "Slovak Pack," and were able to communicate in their native language without the opposition knowing what they were saying, unless, of course, they also understood Slovak.
Following the successful years for the Slovaks in the early 2000s at the World Championship, when they won the silver in St. Petersburg at the 2000 edition after a loss to the Czechs, winning the (so far) only title in Goteburg at the 2002 edition and securing bronze in Helsinki (2003), the results of Slovak national team worsened and Slovakia began to drop out in the quarterfinals. The closest Slovakia came to a relegation into Division I was in 2008, when they avoided relegation only thanks to two victories over Slovenia in the Relegation Round. Following was a series of three subsequent eliminations in the Qualifying Round (Round of 12), including one at a 2011 edition Slovakia hosted in Bratislava and Košice for the first time, since dissolution of Czechoslovakia.
Largely unexpected however, was Slovak silver medal in the 2012 edition, again won in Helsinki. This was the first tournament after the introduction of the new two group format, followed by the quarterfinals. Due to the surprise this medal was after number of unsuccessful tournaments, it was by many regarded as with a value of a triumphal gold. In the following years however, Slovakia again failed to repeat medal successes and even failed to qualify to the quarterfinals, with the exception of 2013.
World Cup
At the 2016 edition, Slovakia was not represented. Instead 6 Slovakian players were a part of Team Europe.
Current roster
Roster for 2016 IIHF World Championship.
Head coach: Zdeno Cíger
Player statistics
Source: [1] [2]
As of 12 May 2015Players in bold are still active.
Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games Played; G = Goals; GPG = Goal per game;
Head coaches
This table shows all Slovakia national team head coaches and their record at the IIHF World Championships, World Cup of Hockey and Winter Olympic Games.
Source:
As of after the 2015 World Championship.
Retired numbers
All-time record
The following table shows Slovakia's international record from 1940 – 1945 and since 1993, correct as of 22 May 2016. Teams in italics are no longer actively competing.
Source: