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.
It is one of the most successful national ice hockey teams in the world.
The team's general manager is Miroslav Šatan and their head coach is Craig Ramsay.
In the last sixteen years, Slovakia has won four medals at the World Championships, including
a gold medal in 2002 in Sweden.
In the 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.
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.
Slovakia's first appearance in an elite ice hockey competition was at 1994 Winter Olympics
in Lillehammer.
With a lineup led by star Peter Šťastný, the Slovaks finished first in their group
with three wins and two ties before losing to Russia in overtime in the quarterfinals.
In the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano and the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake
City, 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 Slovaks as most of their
best players were from NHL teams.
The NHL only shut down its schedule in time for the second group stage, and thus Slovakia
failed to qualify among the final eight teams both times.
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 Slovakia worsened and Slovakia began to drop out in the quarterfinals.
The closest Slovakia came to 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 the dissolution of Czechoslovakia.
Largely unexpected, however, was Slovakia's silver medal at 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.
== Tournament record ==
=== Olympic Games ===
=== World Championship ===
==== Lower divisions ====
==== Top division ====
=== World Cup === At the 2016 edition, Slovakia was not represented.
Instead 6 Slovak players were a part of Team Europe, which was led by Slovak General Manager
Miroslav Šatan.
== Former National jerseys ==
== Team ==
=== Current roster === Roster for the 2018 IIHF World Championship.Head
coach: Craig Ramsay
=== 2002 World Championship: Gold winning roster ===
=== 2012 World Championship ===
=== 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.
Data as of 15 May 2018.
Source:
=== Retired numbers === 38 – Pavol Demitra The legend of the national
team and a victim of the 2011 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl plane crash - retired from the national team
at the Slovak-hosted World Championship that year.
== All-time record == The following table shows Slovakia's international
record from 1940 – 1945 and since 1993, correct as of 15 May 2017.
Teams in italics are no longer actively competing.
Source:
Overtime and penalty shots victories and losses are counted towards wins/losses.
== See also == List of players in Slovakia men's national
ice hockey team Slovak Extraliga