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{{Infobox KHL team
{{Infobox Pro hockey team
| clubname  = Medveščak Zagreb
| team = Medveščak
| image    = [[File:Medvescak Zagreb Logo.png|200px|Club crest]]
| bg_color = background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#2A2C7E 5px solid; border-bottom:#2A2C7E 5px solid;
| fullname  = '''Klub Hokeja Na Ledu Medveščak Zagreb'''
| text_color = #000000
| nickname   = ''Medvedi'' (The Bears)
| logo = KHL_Medveščak_Admiral_logo.jpg
| founded   = 1961
| logosize = 200px
| dissolved  =
| name2 = '''KHL Medveščak Admiral'''
| based_in  = [[Zagreb]], [[Croatia]]
| nickname = ''Medv(j)edi'' (The bears)
| arena     = [[Dom Sportova]] (main venue)<br />(capacity: 6,500)<br/>[[Arena Zagreb]]<br />(capacity: 15,024)
| founded = 1961 (as ''KHL Medveščak'')
| league     = [[Kontinental Hockey League]]<br /><small>(2013–present)</small><br>
| city = [[Zagreb]], Croatia
[[Croatian Ice Hockey League]]<br /><small>(1991–2012)</small><br><small>
| arena = Admiral Ice Dome<br /> [[Dvorana Velesajam]]<br />(capacity: 500)<br />[[Dom Sportova]]<br />(capacity: 5,000)<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sportskiobjekti.hr/default.aspx?id=105|title = Ustanova Upravljanje sportskim objektima – Dvorane Doma sportova}}</ref><br />[[Arena Zagreb]]<br />(capacity: 15,500)
*[[Austrian Hockey League|Erste Bank Eishockey Liga]]<br /> 2009–2013
| league =  
*[[Slovenian Ice Hockey League]] <br />1991–2012
*'''[[Yugoslav Ice Hockey League|Yugoslav Hockey League]]''' <br />(1961–1991)
*[[Yugoslav Ice Hockey League|Yugoslav Hockey League]] <br />1961–1991</small>
*'''[[Croatian Ice Hockey League]]'''<br />(1991–present)
| division   =
*'''[[Interliga (1999–2007)|Interliga]]'''
*'''[[Slohokej League]]'''<br />(2007–2009)
*'''[[Austrian Hockey League|Erste Bank Eishockey Liga]]'''<br />(2009–2013; 2017–2019)
*'''[[Kontinental Hockey League]]'''<br />(2013–2017)
 
| division =
| conference =
| conference =
| uniform   =
| uniform =
| team_color = {{Color box|#2A2C7E}} {{Color box|white}}
| colours = {{Color box|#2A2C7E}} {{Color box|#FFFFFF}}
| captain   =  
| captain =  
| website   = [http://www.medvescak.com/hrv/index.html Official website]
| website = https://medvescak.com/
| current    =2014–15 KHL Medveščak season
}}
}}
'''KHL Medveščak Zagreb''' (Croatian: ''Ice Hockey Club Medveščak Zagreb'') is a [[Croatia|Croatian]] ice hockey team. It is the most successful and popular ice hockey team in Croatia. The team plays in the [[Bobrov Division]] in the [[Kontinental Hockey League]] for the [[2014–15 KHL season | 2014-15 season]]. The team's namesake is derived from the location of its original arena in [[Gornji Grad – Medveščak]].
 
[[File:Medvescak Zagreb Logo.png|thumb|200px]]
'''KHL Medveščak Admiral''' (Croatian: Klub hokeja na ledu Medveščak Admiral), also known as '''KHL Medveščak Zagreb''', is a Croatian professional [[ice hockey]] team based in [[Zagreb]], established in 1961. The team's name derives from the location of its original arena in the Medveščak area in central Zagreb, with KHL the abbreviation of the Croatian words for ice hockey club. It is by far the most successful and popular ice hockey team in the country.
 
From 1961 to 1991 the club was member of the [[Yugoslav Ice Hockey League|Yugoslav League]], before joining the [[Croatian Ice Hockey League|Croatian League]] amid the breakup of Yugoslavia. In 2007 they also played in the [[Slovenian Ice Hockey League|Slovenian League]] for two seasons, and then the [[Austrian Hockey League|Austrian League]] from 2009 to 2013. From 2013 until 2017 they played in the [[Kontinental Hockey League]], before returning to the EBEL. They have also participated in multiple editions of the [[IIHF Continental Cup]].
 
In 2003 they formed a farm team, [[KHL Medveščak Zagreb II]], which gradually took its place in the Croatian League, and which also competed briefly in regional competitions in the 2003–04 [[Panonian League]] and the 2009–10 [[Slohokej League]].
 
Medveščak hosted most of their games at [[Dom Sportova]], and occasionally at [[Arena Zagreb]]. In their first KHL season in 2013–14, it was the 16th most attended European club, with an average of 7,828 spectators per game,<ref>{{cite web|title=The Bears in Europe's Top 20 most attended clubs again|url=http://www.medvescak.com/en/khl/the-bears-in-europes-top-20-most-attended-clubs-again-no1044|publisher=Medveščak}}</ref> while their attendance during the 2016–17 season, 4,554 per game, was 72nd overall in Europe.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iihf.com/home-of-hockey/news/attendance-2016-2017/|title=Swiss lead attendance study|last=Merk|first=Martin|date=2017-03-14|publisher=IIHF.com|access-date=2017-04-01}}</ref>


==History==
==History==
The team was established in 1961, from the team SD Zagreb. In its first ten seasons in the [[Yugoslav Ice Hockey League|Yugoslav Hockey League]], Medveščak solidified as the second most popular team in Zagreb to football team Dinamo, playing their games in an outdoor rink in the upper-class neighbourhood of [[Šalata]], with a draw of around 5,000 spectators a game. In 1971 the team moved into an indoor rink in Zagreb called the [[Dom Sportova]], with the capacity to hold up to 6,400 fans. Over the first two decades of their existence Medveščak  middled in success however never won the Yugoslav championship and by the early 1980s was mired in a financial crisis to almost suffer relegation from the top league in 1985.<ref name = "form">{{Cite web| url = http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=498744 | title = Across the pond: Pro Hockey returns to Zagreb | publisher=[[National Hockey League]] | date = 16 September 2009 | accessdate = 2010-09-14}}</ref>
[[File:KHL Medveščak 06122009.jpg|thumb|200px|left|The team in Dom Sportova 2009]]
The following season in 1986 the club was sponsored by the Gortan Building company, owned by Zdenko Gradecki, to become the de facto owners. With much needed investment, Gradecki transformed the club and recruited heavily, leading with Russian Hall of Famer, Vyacheslav Anisin. By the late 1980s the team became the best in the Yugoslav Ice Hockey League, winning three consecutive championships from 1989, culminating with an appearance in the [[IIHF European Cup 1991|1991 IIHF European Cup]] in which they progressed to the second round.


With the dissolution of Yugoslavia in 1991, Gortan Building company along with a host of sponsors plunged into financial crisis and pulled out of their backing of the team. Without funding, the club lost its best players and professional status left to compete as an amateur outfit in the [[Croatian Ice Hockey League]].<ref>{{Cite web| url = http://prohockeynews.com/croatian-hockey-the-low-down/ | title = Croatian Hockey: The low-down | publisher=prohockeynews.com | date = 27 February 2010 | accessdate = 2013-07-29}}</ref> However, from the late 1990s to late 2000s the team would dominate the league, winning almost every championship. Medveščak strengthened its position in the 2000s in establishing a farm team, [[KHL Medveščak Zagreb II]]. In search of more competitive play in the team also participated in the [[Slovenian Ice Hockey League]] from 2007, finishing in second place in their inaugural season. The following season, Medvescak was by far the best team in the Slovenian league (without the best two Slovenian teams which joined [[Austrian Hockey League|Erste Bank Eishockey Liga]] a year earlier) during the regular season, losing only one game in regulation.
[[File:Medvescak - Arena - west stand.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Medveščak game in [[Arena Zagreb]]]]
===Yugoslav league (1961–1990)===
The team was established in 1961, as a successor team of the defunct SD Zagreb sports society. In its first ten seasons in the [[Yugoslav Ice Hockey League]], Medveščak built up a following and became the second most popular sports team in Zagreb, behind only the local association football team Dinamo Zagreb. At the time, Medveščak played their home games at an outdoor rink in the upper-class neighbourhood of Šalata, attracting around 5,000 spectators on average. The team and club developed some great players including legends Boris Renaud and Ivo Ratej.
 
In 1971, the team permanently moved into the indoor rink at the [[Dom Sportova]] sports hall, with the capacity of 6,400. However, during the first two decades of their existence, Medveščak established itself as a mid-table team, and never managed to win the Yugoslav championship. By the early 1980s the club was mired in financial difficulties and narrowly avoided relegation from the country's top league in 1985.<ref name = "form">{{Cite web| url = http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=498744 | title = Across the pond: Pro Hockey returns to Zagreb | publisher=[[National Hockey League]] | date = 16 September 2009 | access-date = 2010-09-14}}</ref>
 
The following season, in 1986, the club made a sponsorship deal with the locally-based Gortan construction company, which ''de facto'' became owner of the club. With much needed investments, the club started aggressively recruiting quality players, beginning with some Canadians including fan-favorites Jim Allison and Mike Coflin who quickly helped the team win and, more importantly, stimulated renewed fan interest in hockey. Crowds went from a few hundred to a regularly sold-out Dom Sportova (6000+ fans) over the next few seasons. After winning their first Yugoslav Cup in the 1987-1988 season with the help of the passionate Canadians, the next few years Gortan recruited some very talented, elite Russian players, including the Russian Hall of Famer Vyacheslav Anisin, the team was transformed into a powerhouse. From the late 1980s to the early 1990s, they became the best in Yugoslavia, dominating the national championship and winning three consecutive Yugoslav titles from 1989 to 1991, culminating in an appearance in the [[1990–91 IIHF European Cup]] in which they progressed to the second round.
 
===Croatian league (1991–present)===
With the dissolution of Yugoslavi] in 1991, the Gortan group, along with a host of club's sponsors, was plunged into a financial crisis, which led to them pulling out of the team. Without generous funding, the club lost its best players and professional status, and was reduced to competing as an amateur outfit in the newly formed [[Croatian Ice Hockey League]].<ref>{{Cite web| url = http://prohockeynews.com/croatian-hockey-the-low-down/ | title = Croatian Hockey: The low-down | publisher=prohockeynews.com | date = 27 February 2010 | access-date = 2013-07-29}}</ref> However, the club gradually improved and between the late 1990s and the late 2000s Medveščak dominated the league again, winning almost every championship.
 
Medveščak was additionally strengthened in the 2000s by establishing a farm team, [[KHL Medveščak II]]. It competed in the regional [[Panonian League]] in the 2003–04 season, and later joined the Croatian league in 2004.
 
In search of more competitive opponents to play, the team also took part in the [[Slovenian Hockey League]] from 2007 to 2009, finishing second place in their inaugural regular season. The following season, Medveščak was by far the best team in the Slovenian league (after the two best Slovenian clubs had joined the [[Austrian Hockey League]] a year earlier) during the regular season.


Starting in the [[2009–10 Austrian Hockey League season|2009–10]] season, Medveščak once again moved up in competitive level, joining the [[Austria]]n [[Austrian Hockey League|Erste Bank Eishockey Liga]]. In marking their moves up the professional ranks the Bears recruited North American coach, Ted Sator from fellow EBEL team [[Alba Volán Székesfehérvár]].<ref>{{Cite web| url = http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=535851 | title = Croatian club Medvescak calls on well-traveled Sator | publisher=[[National Hockey League]] | date = 11 August 2010 | accessdate = 2010-09-14}}</ref> With a commitment to continue to participate in the Croatian Ice Hockey League playoffs, Medveščak made their Austrian debut in front of a sellout crowd at the Dom Sportova in a 6-5 victory against [[Slovenia]]n member [[HK Acroni Jesenice]] on 11 September 2009.<ref name = "form"/> The Bears drew over 200,000 spectators throughout the season home games and were rewarded as the last team to qualify for a position in the playoffs. In their inaugural season, they stunned top seeded [[Graz 99ers]] in the Quarterfinals in win in 6 games, before suffering elimination to eventual champions [[EC Red Bull Salzburg]] in the semi-finals.  
===Austrian league (2009–2013)===
Starting in the [[2009–10 Austrian Hockey League season|2009–10 season]], Medveščak once again moved up in competitive level, joining the Austrian [[Austrian Hockey League|Erste Bank Eishockey Liga]] which featured six Austrian clubs, two from Slovenia and one from Hungary and Croatia each. To mark their move up the professional ranks, the Bears recruited an American coach, Ted Sator, from fellow EBEL team [[Alba Volán Székesfehérvár]].<ref>{{Cite web| url = http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=535851 | title = Croatian club Medvescak calls on well-traveled Sator | publisher=[[National Hockey League]] | date = 11 August 2010 | access-date = 2010-09-14}}</ref> With a commitment to continue to participate in the Croatian league playoffs, Medveščak made their Austrian debut in front of a sellout crowd at the Dom Sportova in a 6–5 victory against Slovenian member [[HK Acroni Jesenice]] on 11 September 2009.<ref name = "form"/> The Bears drew over 200,000 spectators throughout the season's home games, and were rewarded for their efforts as the last team to qualify for a spot in the playoffs. In their inaugural season, they stunned top seeded [[Graz 99ers]] in the quarter-finals to knock them out in six games, before being eliminated by eventual champions [[EC Red Bull Salzburg]] in the semi-finals.  
[[File:Medvescak - Arena - west stand.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Medveščak game in [[Arena Zagreb]]]]
[[File:Medvescak - Arena - west stand.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Medveščak game in [[Arena Zagreb]]]]


On 14 and 16 September 2012, Medveščak hosted its first two home games of the 2012–13 EBEL season at the [[Pula Arena]]. The first game in a 3-2 loss to [[HDD Olimpija Ljubljana]] and the second game against the [[Vienna Capitals]] which resulted in a 4-1 win. After the second game, [[Kontinental Hockey League|KHL]] President Alexander Medvedev said that the club might join the [[Kontinental Hockey League|KHL]] next season along with [[Hockey Milano Rossoblu]] from Italy.<ref>http://en.rian.ru/sports/20120904/175772360.html</ref>
In a publicity stunt, Medveščak hosted its first two home games of the 2012–13 EBEL season in September 2012 at the ancient Roman Pula Arena. The first game ended in a 3–2 defeat to [[HDD Olimpija Ljubljana]], and the second game was against [[Vienna Capitals]] which resulted in a 4–1 win.
 
===Kontinental Hockey League (2013–2017)===
On 29 April 2013, the club board announced that Medveščak would move to the [[Kontinental Hockey League]] for the [[2013–14 KHL season|2013–14 season]]. This led to huge changes in both playing and coaching staff, with almost the entire squad replaced. The team was upgraded with lots of players with [[National Hockey League|NHL]] experience, while Canadian Mark French became the club's new head coach.
 
On 6 September 2013, the Bears opened their debut season in the KHL with an impressive 7–1 win over Russian powerhouse [[HC CSKA Moscow|CSKA Moscow]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.medvescak.com/en/khl/watch-a-video-of-the-bears-stepping-into-their-khl-premiere-no562 |title=Watch a video of the Bears stepping into their KHL premiere |access-date=12 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151025102320/http://www.medvescak.com/en/khl/watch-a-video-of-the-bears-stepping-into-their-khl-premiere-no562 |archive-date=25 October 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> On 25 January 2014, Medveščak defeated [[Lokomotiv Yaroslavl]] 1–0 at [[Arena Zagreb]] and qualified for the KHL playoffs in their very first KHL season. In the first round of the playoffs, Medveščak played against later finalist [[HC Lev Praha|Lev Prague]], losing all four games.
 
Medveščak failed to qualify for the playoffs for the next two seasons. In the 2014–15 season, Medveščak took part in the [[2014 Spengler Cup]] in Switzerland, losing all three games. The KHL is considered the best hockey league in Europe and before running into financial challenges, Medveščak iced competitive teams and the roster included some excellent players, including former NHL Rocket Richard trophy winner Jonathan Cheechoo.
 
===Return to Austrian League (2017–2019)===
 
After a difficult [[2016–17 KHL season]], in which the club dealt with financial issues, it was announced they would be rejoining the [[Austrian Hockey League|Erste Bank Eishockey Liga]] for the 2017 season.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.iihf.com/home-of-hockey/news/news-singleview/?tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=11483&cHash=f61c3c26101f1b17a319647ac296f820|title=Back to EBEL|last=IIHF|website=iihf.com|language=en|access-date=2017-05-01}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.total-croatia-news.com/sport/17493-after-four-years-in-khl-medvescak-returns-to-ebel-league|title=After Four Years in KHL, Medveščak Returns to EBEL League|access-date=2017-05-01|language=en-gb}}</ref> In August 2019, they decided to participate with renamed team ('''KHL Medveščak Mladi''') in national league, due to financial difficulties.


On 29 April 2013, the club board has announced that Medveščak will join [[Kontinental Hockey League|KHL]] in [[2013–14 KHL season|season 2013-14]].
==UNICEF partnership==
On 24 August 2010, KHL Medveščak formed an official partnership with UNICEF, becoming the first European hockey team to cooperate with UNICEF, joining prestigious sports clubs such as FC Barcelona, Manchester United F.C. and Boca Juniors. The Bears were selected after the success they had in their inaugural season in the EBEL league, hosting more than 200,000 spectators watching live matches without a single incident, and also for its support for the relief campaign for victims of the 2010 Haiti earthquake. Under the cooperation between Medveščak and UNICEF, the Bears actively worked on the campaign to Stop Violence Among Children, and wore a UNICEF sleeve logo and change the club's blue logo color to that of UNICEF's cyan at joint events.<ref>{{Cite web | url = http://www.unicef.hr/show.jsp?newscontainer=168870&page=151871&singlenewsid=169058#news169058 | title = Friendship between UNICEF and KHL Medveščak Zagreb for children | publisher = UNICEF | date = 24 August 2010 | access-date = 2010-08-24 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110721102630/http://www.unicef.hr/show.jsp?newscontainer=168870&page=151871&singlenewsid=169058#news169058 | archive-date = 21 July 2011 | url-status = dead }}</ref>


On 6 September 2013, The Bears opened their premiere season in the [[Kontinental Hockey League|KHL]] with a 7:1 victory against [[HC CSKA Moscow|CSKA Moscow]]. <ref>http://www.medvescak.com/en/khl/watch-a-video-of-the-bears-stepping-into-their-khl-premiere-no562</ref>
==Season-by-season record==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
!colspan="9"|Regular season record !!colspan="8"|Playoffs record
|-
!style="width:7%;"| Season !!style="width:5%;"| POS !!style="width:5%;"| G !!style="width:5%;"| W !!style="width:5%;"| OPW !!style="width:5%;"| OPL !!style="width:5%;"| L !!style="width:7%;"| G+ !!style="width:7%;"| G− !!style="width:11%;"| POFF !!style="width:5%;"| G !!style="width:5%;"| W !!style="width:5%;"| OPW !!style="width:5%;"| OPL !!style="width:5%;"| L !!style="width:7%;"| G+ !!style="width:7%;"| G−
|-
| colspan="17"|'''[[Slovenian Hockey League]]'''
|-
| [[2007–08 Slovenian Hockey League season|2007–08]]|| 2/10 || 28 || 18 || 1 || 1 || 8 || 124 || 95 || colspan="8" style="text-align:center;"| ''did not qualify for playoffs''
|-
| [[2008–09 Slovenian Hockey League season|2008–09]]|| 1/10 || 35 || 33 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 227 || 66 || Semi-finals || 7 || 4 || 1 || 0 || 2 || 27 || 17
|-
|style="border-bottom:3px solid black;"| '''TOTAL'''|| 2 || 63 || 51 || 1 || 2 || 9 || 351 || 161 || 1 || 7 || 4 || 1 || 0 || 2 || 27 || 17
|-
| colspan="17"|'''[[Austrian Hockey League]]'''
|-
| [[2009–10 Austrian Hockey League season|2009–10]]|| 8/10 || 54 || 16 || 9 || 7 || 22 || 160 || 182 || Semi-finals || 11 || 3 || 2 || 0 || 6 || 27 || 31
|-
| [[2010–11 Austrian Hockey League season|2010–11]]|| 8/10 || 54 || 17 || 6 || 5 || 26 || 171 || 171 || Quarter-finals || 5 || 1 || 0 || 1 || 3 || 18 || 20
|-
| [[2011–12 Austrian Hockey League season|2011–12]]|| 2/10 || 50 || 26 || 4 || 6 || 14 || 166 || 128 || Semi-finals || 9 || 5 || 0 || 0 || 4 || 25 || 26
|-
| [[2012–13 Austrian Hockey League season|2012–13]]|| 4/10 || 54 || 27 || 4 || 8 || 15 || 175 || 140 || Quarter-finals || 6 || 2 || 0 || 3 || 1 || 19 || 21
|-
|style="border-bottom:3px solid black;"| '''TOTAL'''|| 4 || 212 || 86 || 23 || 26 || 77 || 672 || 621 || 4 || 31 || 11 || 2 || 4 || 14 || 89 || 98
|-
| colspan="17"|'''[[Kontinental Hockey League]]'''
|-
| [[2013–14 KHL season|2013–14]]|| 11/28 || 54 || 24 || 4 || 12 || 14 || 138 || 126 || 1st round || 4 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 4 || 9 || 17
|-
| [[2014–15 KHL season|2014–15]]|| 23/28 || 60 || 17 || 6 || 5 || 32 || 147 || 191 || colspan="8" style="text-align:center;"| ''did not qualify for playoffs''
|-
| [[2015–16 KHL season|2015–16]]|| 20/28 || 60 || 19 || 6 || 9 || 26 ||  144 || 172 || colspan="8" style="text-align:center;"| ''did not qualify for playoffs''
|-
| [[2016–17 KHL season|2016–17]]|| 24/29 || 60 || 19 || 4 || 4 || 33 ||  138 || 186 || colspan="8" style="text-align:center;"| ''did not qualify for playoffs''
|-  
|style="border-bottom:3px solid black;"| '''TOTAL'''|| 4 || 234 || 79 || 20 || 30 || 105 || 567 || 675 || 1 || 4 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 4 || 9 || 17
|-
| colspan="17"|'''[[Austrian Hockey League]]'''
|-
| [[2017–18 Austrian hockey league season|2017–18]]||  || || || || || || || || colspan="8" style="text-align:center;"|
|}
G - games played, W - win, OPW - overtime or penalties win, OPL - overtime or penalties loss, L - loss, G+ - goals for, G− - goals against


==Honours==
==Honours==
* '''[[Yugoslav Ice Hockey League]]''': 3
{{gold1}} '''[[Yugoslav Ice Hockey League]]''': 3
** 1989, 1990, 1991
** 1989, 1990, 1991


* '''[[Yugoslav Cup]]''': 4
{{gold1}} '''[[Yugoslav Ice Hockey League|Yugoslav Ice Hockey Cup]]''': 4
** 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991
** 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991


* '''[[Croatian Ice Hockey Championship]]''': 18
{{gold1}} '''[[Croatian Ice Hockey Championship]]''': 22
** 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, <br>2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
** 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018


==References==
==References==

Latest revision as of 16:30, 25 July 2024

Medveščak
KHL Medveščak Admiral logo.jpg
City Zagreb, Croatia
League
Founded 1961 (as KHL Medveščak)
Home arena Admiral Ice Dome
Dvorana Velesajam
(capacity: 500)
Dom Sportova
(capacity: 5,000)[1]
Arena Zagreb
(capacity: 15,500)
Franchise history
KHL Medveščak Admiral

main

Medvescak Zagreb Logo.png

KHL Medveščak Admiral (Croatian: Klub hokeja na ledu Medveščak Admiral), also known as KHL Medveščak Zagreb, is a Croatian professional ice hockey team based in Zagreb, established in 1961. The team's name derives from the location of its original arena in the Medveščak area in central Zagreb, with KHL the abbreviation of the Croatian words for ice hockey club. It is by far the most successful and popular ice hockey team in the country.

From 1961 to 1991 the club was member of the Yugoslav League, before joining the Croatian League amid the breakup of Yugoslavia. In 2007 they also played in the Slovenian League for two seasons, and then the Austrian League from 2009 to 2013. From 2013 until 2017 they played in the Kontinental Hockey League, before returning to the EBEL. They have also participated in multiple editions of the IIHF Continental Cup.

In 2003 they formed a farm team, KHL Medveščak Zagreb II, which gradually took its place in the Croatian League, and which also competed briefly in regional competitions in the 2003–04 Panonian League and the 2009–10 Slohokej League.

Medveščak hosted most of their games at Dom Sportova, and occasionally at Arena Zagreb. In their first KHL season in 2013–14, it was the 16th most attended European club, with an average of 7,828 spectators per game,[2] while their attendance during the 2016–17 season, 4,554 per game, was 72nd overall in Europe.[3]

History

Medveščak game in Arena Zagreb

Yugoslav league (1961–1990)

The team was established in 1961, as a successor team of the defunct SD Zagreb sports society. In its first ten seasons in the Yugoslav Ice Hockey League, Medveščak built up a following and became the second most popular sports team in Zagreb, behind only the local association football team Dinamo Zagreb. At the time, Medveščak played their home games at an outdoor rink in the upper-class neighbourhood of Šalata, attracting around 5,000 spectators on average. The team and club developed some great players including legends Boris Renaud and Ivo Ratej.

In 1971, the team permanently moved into the indoor rink at the Dom Sportova sports hall, with the capacity of 6,400. However, during the first two decades of their existence, Medveščak established itself as a mid-table team, and never managed to win the Yugoslav championship. By the early 1980s the club was mired in financial difficulties and narrowly avoided relegation from the country's top league in 1985.[4]

The following season, in 1986, the club made a sponsorship deal with the locally-based Gortan construction company, which de facto became owner of the club. With much needed investments, the club started aggressively recruiting quality players, beginning with some Canadians including fan-favorites Jim Allison and Mike Coflin who quickly helped the team win and, more importantly, stimulated renewed fan interest in hockey. Crowds went from a few hundred to a regularly sold-out Dom Sportova (6000+ fans) over the next few seasons. After winning their first Yugoslav Cup in the 1987-1988 season with the help of the passionate Canadians, the next few years Gortan recruited some very talented, elite Russian players, including the Russian Hall of Famer Vyacheslav Anisin, the team was transformed into a powerhouse. From the late 1980s to the early 1990s, they became the best in Yugoslavia, dominating the national championship and winning three consecutive Yugoslav titles from 1989 to 1991, culminating in an appearance in the 1990–91 IIHF European Cup in which they progressed to the second round.

Croatian league (1991–present)

With the dissolution of Yugoslavi] in 1991, the Gortan group, along with a host of club's sponsors, was plunged into a financial crisis, which led to them pulling out of the team. Without generous funding, the club lost its best players and professional status, and was reduced to competing as an amateur outfit in the newly formed Croatian Ice Hockey League.[5] However, the club gradually improved and between the late 1990s and the late 2000s Medveščak dominated the league again, winning almost every championship.

Medveščak was additionally strengthened in the 2000s by establishing a farm team, KHL Medveščak II. It competed in the regional Panonian League in the 2003–04 season, and later joined the Croatian league in 2004.

In search of more competitive opponents to play, the team also took part in the Slovenian Hockey League from 2007 to 2009, finishing second place in their inaugural regular season. The following season, Medveščak was by far the best team in the Slovenian league (after the two best Slovenian clubs had joined the Austrian Hockey League a year earlier) during the regular season.

Austrian league (2009–2013)

Starting in the 2009–10 season, Medveščak once again moved up in competitive level, joining the Austrian Erste Bank Eishockey Liga which featured six Austrian clubs, two from Slovenia and one from Hungary and Croatia each. To mark their move up the professional ranks, the Bears recruited an American coach, Ted Sator, from fellow EBEL team Alba Volán Székesfehérvár.[6] With a commitment to continue to participate in the Croatian league playoffs, Medveščak made their Austrian debut in front of a sellout crowd at the Dom Sportova in a 6–5 victory against Slovenian member HK Acroni Jesenice on 11 September 2009.[4] The Bears drew over 200,000 spectators throughout the season's home games, and were rewarded for their efforts as the last team to qualify for a spot in the playoffs. In their inaugural season, they stunned top seeded Graz 99ers in the quarter-finals to knock them out in six games, before being eliminated by eventual champions EC Red Bull Salzburg in the semi-finals.

Medveščak game in Arena Zagreb

In a publicity stunt, Medveščak hosted its first two home games of the 2012–13 EBEL season in September 2012 at the ancient Roman Pula Arena. The first game ended in a 3–2 defeat to HDD Olimpija Ljubljana, and the second game was against Vienna Capitals which resulted in a 4–1 win.

Kontinental Hockey League (2013–2017)

On 29 April 2013, the club board announced that Medveščak would move to the Kontinental Hockey League for the 2013–14 season. This led to huge changes in both playing and coaching staff, with almost the entire squad replaced. The team was upgraded with lots of players with NHL experience, while Canadian Mark French became the club's new head coach.

On 6 September 2013, the Bears opened their debut season in the KHL with an impressive 7–1 win over Russian powerhouse CSKA Moscow.[7] On 25 January 2014, Medveščak defeated Lokomotiv Yaroslavl 1–0 at Arena Zagreb and qualified for the KHL playoffs in their very first KHL season. In the first round of the playoffs, Medveščak played against later finalist Lev Prague, losing all four games.

Medveščak failed to qualify for the playoffs for the next two seasons. In the 2014–15 season, Medveščak took part in the 2014 Spengler Cup in Switzerland, losing all three games. The KHL is considered the best hockey league in Europe and before running into financial challenges, Medveščak iced competitive teams and the roster included some excellent players, including former NHL Rocket Richard trophy winner Jonathan Cheechoo.

Return to Austrian League (2017–2019)

After a difficult 2016–17 KHL season, in which the club dealt with financial issues, it was announced they would be rejoining the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga for the 2017 season.[8][9] In August 2019, they decided to participate with renamed team (KHL Medveščak Mladi) in national league, due to financial difficulties.

UNICEF partnership

On 24 August 2010, KHL Medveščak formed an official partnership with UNICEF, becoming the first European hockey team to cooperate with UNICEF, joining prestigious sports clubs such as FC Barcelona, Manchester United F.C. and Boca Juniors. The Bears were selected after the success they had in their inaugural season in the EBEL league, hosting more than 200,000 spectators watching live matches without a single incident, and also for its support for the relief campaign for victims of the 2010 Haiti earthquake. Under the cooperation between Medveščak and UNICEF, the Bears actively worked on the campaign to Stop Violence Among Children, and wore a UNICEF sleeve logo and change the club's blue logo color to that of UNICEF's cyan at joint events.[10]

Season-by-season record

Regular season record Playoffs record
Season POS G W OPW OPL L G+ G− POFF G W OPW OPL L G+ G−
Slovenian Hockey League
2007–08 2/10 28 18 1 1 8 124 95 did not qualify for playoffs
2008–09 1/10 35 33 0 1 1 227 66 Semi-finals 7 4 1 0 2 27 17
TOTAL 2 63 51 1 2 9 351 161 1 7 4 1 0 2 27 17
Austrian Hockey League
2009–10 8/10 54 16 9 7 22 160 182 Semi-finals 11 3 2 0 6 27 31
2010–11 8/10 54 17 6 5 26 171 171 Quarter-finals 5 1 0 1 3 18 20
2011–12 2/10 50 26 4 6 14 166 128 Semi-finals 9 5 0 0 4 25 26
2012–13 4/10 54 27 4 8 15 175 140 Quarter-finals 6 2 0 3 1 19 21
TOTAL 4 212 86 23 26 77 672 621 4 31 11 2 4 14 89 98
Kontinental Hockey League
2013–14 11/28 54 24 4 12 14 138 126 1st round 4 0 0 0 4 9 17
2014–15 23/28 60 17 6 5 32 147 191 did not qualify for playoffs
2015–16 20/28 60 19 6 9 26 144 172 did not qualify for playoffs
2016–17 24/29 60 19 4 4 33 138 186 did not qualify for playoffs
TOTAL 4 234 79 20 30 105 567 675 1 4 0 0 0 4 9 17
Austrian Hockey League
2017–18

G - games played, W - win, OPW - overtime or penalties win, OPL - overtime or penalties loss, L - loss, G+ - goals for, G− - goals against

Honours

1 Yugoslav Ice Hockey League: 3

    • 1989, 1990, 1991

1 Yugoslav Ice Hockey Cup: 4

    • 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991

1 Croatian Ice Hockey Championship: 22

    • 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018

References

  1. ↑ "Ustanova Upravljanje sportskim objektima – Dvorane Doma sportova". http://www.sportskiobjekti.hr/default.aspx?id=105. 
  2. ↑ "The Bears in Europe's Top 20 most attended clubs again". Medveščak. http://www.medvescak.com/en/khl/the-bears-in-europes-top-20-most-attended-clubs-again-no1044. 
  3. ↑ Merk, Martin (2017-03-14). "Swiss lead attendance study". IIHF.com. http://www.iihf.com/home-of-hockey/news/attendance-2016-2017/. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Across the pond: Pro Hockey returns to Zagreb". National Hockey League. 16 September 2009. http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=498744. 
  5. ↑ "Croatian Hockey: The low-down". prohockeynews.com. 27 February 2010. http://prohockeynews.com/croatian-hockey-the-low-down/. 
  6. ↑ "Croatian club Medvescak calls on well-traveled Sator". National Hockey League. 11 August 2010. http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=535851. 
  7. ↑ "Watch a video of the Bears stepping into their KHL premiere". http://www.medvescak.com/en/khl/watch-a-video-of-the-bears-stepping-into-their-khl-premiere-no562. 
  8. ↑ IIHF. "Back to EBEL" (in en). http://www.iihf.com/home-of-hockey/news/news-singleview/?tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=11483&cHash=f61c3c26101f1b17a319647ac296f820. 
  9. ↑ "After Four Years in KHL, Medveščak Returns to EBEL League". (en-gb) 
  10. ↑ "Friendship between UNICEF and KHL Medveščak Zagreb for children". UNICEF. 24 August 2010. http://www.unicef.hr/show.jsp?newscontainer=168870&page=151871&singlenewsid=169058#news169058. 

External links

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