(Photo from sloveniantimes.com)

The Olympic Games in Sochi ended months ago, the life continued “as usual” in most aspects soon as the closing ceremony was over and after the last sparkling candle burned out. Was the Sochi’s a good tournament overall or not? Well, the answer differs of course, depended on who you ask. Personally though, I think the Games were alright, but perhaps it did not have the same sweet taste afterwards as the previous Olympics due to the occurred political conflicts in Russia and Ukraine.

Although, there is a highlight that I haven’t let go totally because it is a true highlight, and I’m not talking about Teemu Selänne’s last international tournament, the Finnish Bronze or the Canadian dominance in the final game against Sweden.

No, the great wonder of all that happened during the hockey tournament, the extraordinary at least to say I have in mind is the Slovenian hockey team and their triumphs on the ice. I was myself stunned, even happy as a child when the Slovenian’s outplayed such an experienced team as Slovakia with Zdeno Chara, Tomas Tatar etc., and reached the quarterfinals.

So, for a while ago, I decided to ask Mr. Marko Lukan from the Slovenian hockey club HD Jesenice, to explain for all of us about the Slovenian hockey and the work behind the Slovenian wonder in Sochi.

Let us take part what he, Mr. Lukan, tells us about the Slovenian hockey. I do assure you: it’s worth it.

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Me: – Tell me how Slovenia have become so good in hockey the latest years? When did this work begun? Is it just a coincidence or is there a plan behind all these latest success as in the Olympics in Sochi? I mean, Slovenia outplayed Slovakia totally in Sochi, and did a decent game in the quarterfinals, that can’t be an accident? Has the success in Sochi attracted more fans and those who wish to play hockey?

Mr. Lukan:

– To give a straight answer on how Slovenia became so good in hockey is really a complex thing. Many things can simply be named a complete disaster – for example, Slovenian national championship in season 2013-14 was over in 4 (FOUR!!!) games. But to cut the long story short – I firmly believe it all started with a national championship winning for Jesenice back in 2004-05 season. That was the season HK Acroni Jesenice brought back The Cup from Ljubljana (Olimpija) after 10 longest years in history of Jesenice’s hockey. There were times when the team from the »Steel City« (referring to steel/ironworks in the place) won 15 consecutive titles in former Yugoslavian Championship, but there was this big gap from 1995-2004 due to financial problems. When somehow the majority of Jesenice grown players re-joined the team in 2004’05 season and won the championship back for the red jersey – the golden era started. Not that there were no good players produced before, but there was always this little something missing. It all continued in winning so called International league (teams from Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary, even Poland) without a single defeat in the season, topping that with another Slovenian Championship title. National team at the time struggled in third and later second level of international hockey due to many former Soviet Union teams also competing for top level. Having such impressive result in International League Acroni Jesenice were invited as first non-Austrian team to join the commercial Austrian based so called EBEL league in 2006. And competing in EBEL finally made a big breakthrough for local Jesenice guys.

There’s no coincidence that Slovenia played well in Sochi Olympics. Some people around the world were surprised that Slovenian National team even qualified for The Olympics, but Coach Matjaž Kopitar pointed that as the main goal for his coaching work when he was appointed back in 2011. Players got the approval that they are as good as any opposition in EBEL and started to play abroad. Consequently, the national team got more experienced players and the home team (Jesenice) was once more ready to collapse. The old, famous hugely supported team last played a game in EBEL in the spring of 2012 and sadly faded after due to financial problems. There is another mostly amateur player packed team formed and it started to play a month ago. Success in Sochi didn’t attract fans and neither sponsors to support the sport. There are only 7 (SEVEN!) ice-hockey rinks in the whole country and that’s the situation originating in ex-Yugoslav times. There is only one so-called professional team in the country (Olimpija Ljubljana) still competing in EBEL, but their players are familiar with delays in payments. Those delays are usually several months old and they can be years long in some cases. The team in Ljubljana actually exists only because of morally controversial tricks and loopholes in the Slovenian laws. At least they continue to play on a professional level, although they are rock bottom of the league for most of their seasons. Olimpija hardly generates more than 1000 spectators to their games. As for newly re-born Jesenice (with a great re-constructed ice-hall) there are usually several hundreds of people watching the games (let’s say 500) and there used to be crowds of 4000-5000 during the greatest EBEL era.

Mr. Lukan continues to tell: – There is another mostly amateur player packed team formed and it started to play a month ago. Success in Sochi didn’t attract fans and neither sponsors to support the sport. There are only 7 (SEVEN!) ice-hockey rinks in the whole country and that’s the situation originating in ex-Yugoslav times. There is only one so-called professional team in the country (Olimpija Ljubljana) still competing in EBEL, but their players are familiar with delays in payments. Those delays are usually several months old and they can be years long in some cases. The team in Ljubljana actually exists only because of morally controversial tricks and loopholes in the Slovenian laws. At least they continue to play on a professional level, although they are rock bottom of the league for most of their seasons. Olimpija hardly generates more than 1000 spectators to their games. As for newly re-born Jesenice (with a great re-constructed ice-hall) there are usually several hundreds of people watching the games (let’s say 500) and there used to be crowds of 4000-5000 during the greatest EBEL era.

Me: – Nik Zupančič, latest assistant coach in the Slovenian national team, was and is still for us who knows Finnish Liiga and Swedish hockey league a familiar name from the late 1990’s and early 2000’s. But he was then a bit of an odd bird as we didn’t knew then so much about Slovenian ice hockey at all: how much has his earlier success meant for the other Slovenian players who has come after him?

Mr. Lukan:

– Nik Zupančič really has an impact on Slovenian hockey. He is Ljubljana born and hockey-raised player who proved his quality abroad. As you correctly stated, he played in Scandinavia but also won the European Hockey League with Austrian team VEU Feldkirch in 1998. Mika Asikainen was at the time also a member of Feldkirch. He was an early bird announcing to the world that there are good hockey players coming from Slovenia and everyone inside Slovenian sport would give him such appraisal.

(Photo from foxsports.com)

Me: – Anže Kopitar is the biggest star from Slovenia today, how has his success in the NHL affected the youths who are still in Slovenia and HD Jesenice? Do they look up at him and wish to follow the same route?

Mr. Lukan:

-Anže Kopitar sure is the biggest Slovenian hockey star, no doubt about that. He and fellow companions from national team are the living proof that one can succeed in the world of hockey if he works hard enough and believes firmly in what he does – even if he comes from little Slovenia with 7 rinks and let’s say 30 professional players (take a good look at my attachment from yesterday, the English translation). There are some 120 young players of all ages in the training process in Jesenice, plus a newly formed so-called first team. First team competes in so-called International league INL (that’s second level of Austrian hockey). Olimpija Ljubljana struggles in both – professional and youth categories, but there are approximately similar numbers of players under their organization. The rest of Slovenia is trying hard to survive in the world of hockey, although teams from Zalog (that’s really in the suburbs of Ljubljana), Kranj, Bled, Celje and Maribor already proved that they can produce good players too. Jan Muršak competing in KHL, for example, is from Maribor. Žiga Jeglič (also plays in KHL) was originally hockey-developed in Bled in younger years, but he, of course, exploded in Jesenice during EBEL era. The completion of all this would be – yes, the youngsters are impressed with what Anže Kopitar achieved and they are trying to follow. The sad trend that took place in Slovenia in recent years was that some 15 or 16-year-old kids were sent abroad all across the world because of lack of domestic competitions of high level. The sad part of this is that only kids from wealthy families have the chance to go abroad. Some true talents and hard-working guys that way fade after they are 18 or 19, because there’s no place for them in any serious team or competition.

Me: – And the club HD Jesenice? Are every player professional today?

Mr. Lukan:

– As for Jesenice – as I told before – the old, multi-champion Acroni Jesenice team finally died in 2012. Last season there was a team competing in Jesenice, but it was under National Ice Hockey Federation jurisdiction. The locals never took it as a home team, although there were mostly home grown players in it. The complete new organization was started several months ago and they are now top Slovenian team in INL. They are for now amateur organization with big plans to return EBEL hockey back to Steel City. They are named HDD Jesenice and they work hand in hand with the youth HD Jesenice organization. It’s all very confusing, I know, but that’s the way things are.

Me: – Are there many talented youth players today from HD Jesenice who are coming and have the prospect to play in the other European pro leagues soon? Is there anyone we should already keep in mind? How many from HD Jesenice was in the Olympic team?

(HD Jesenice logo from hdjesenice.si)

Mr. Lukan:

– There are talented players inside youth organization of HD Jesenice, as there always were. I’d recommend international fans and coaches to take a good look at Nik Pem, a 19-year old who spent his last two seasons with Mora in Sweden. There are more youngsters knocking on senior hockey doors and one can never predict who’s really going to make it. As for the Olympic team – believe it or not – there were 16 guys in the team who either were hockey raised and developed in Jesenice or really made themselves a name at international level playing for Acroni Jesenice in EBEL.

Editor’s note, Mr. Lukan also mentions the Jeklič brother’s, Gašper Glavič and Nik Rekar as potential future from Jesenice.

Me: – How does HD Jesenice’s nearest future look like? Which league are you attending at now? Would it be possible for HD Jesenice to join in the KHL like Medvescak from Zagreb, Croatia? Are there any such plans?

Mr. Lukan:

– Jesenice’s plans for the nearest future are to once again become members of EBEL league. Sadly it looks that this is an enchanted circle – sponsors are waiting if the team is going to compete on the top level to contribute and the team cannot compete if there are no financial guarantees. Sports legislation in Slovenia is very restrictive and out of common sense so every professional team in any sport really struggles. Well, there is one exception to that – NK Maribor plays in the Champions League in football. There were some mentioning’s of KHL in recent years, but one has to deal with the cruel reality – there’s no money for such level. Although, on the other hand – if somebody would open his valet and contribute – the nicest ice-hockey hall in the country (capacity 6,500) would be packed as it is in Zagreb. And our friends from Zagreb are still talking about Jesenice as role models for the hockey work in these territories.

Me: – What do you think about the Slovenian national team in coming tournaments? Is it possible to build up a strong Slovenian national team that stays in the A-world championship?

Mr. Lukan:

– Slovenian National team has the potential of becoming regular members of the top level and the Olympics. It is true that there are several over 30 years old players in the team and there are a limited number of players capable of playing on such high level behind. Consequently, every missing player for whatever reason means a big trouble for the team. Youngsters will need to take place in the near future (in a couple of years) and if they turn out to be determined as our current players are – it might work. There are other voices heard to inside Slovenian hockey that are saying there’s a big gap in quality between current players and those who are coming. I guess we just have to wait and see. Probably the most important thing for Ice Hockey federation is to re-build the value and the quality of Slovenian national championship and helps with organizing more hockey centers around the country. That’s the task none of the people at Federation really thought of during last decades.

Me, final question: – If wish to see HD Jesenice play, which TV-channel would you advise to us other who are living outside Slovenia to look for?

Mr. Lukan:

– If you wish to see any of Jesenice’s team in a game – I have to sadly inform that that’s no possible. None of the TV stations really care about INL league and there are hardly any EBEL games on TV. I can send some digital recordings of our own cameraman if you’d like to see it, but that’s not professional filming.

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First of all, thank you Mr. Lukan for taking your time to answer questions and reveal a lot of unknown stuff for the Sportrants.com readers who loves sports and hockey, and are interested about the rest of the hockey world. Secondly, I and probably every hockey lover wish a strong and respectable Slovenian team in the future as well as we wish you the greatest luck, and keep up the good work.

To the last:

I am myself astonished in a happy way when I see the Slovenian attempt to build up their hockey culture to something long-lasting. And, somehow, the whole story, their journey proves also that money isn’t everything, even if it is helpful by any meaning, but money to buy time for practice, equipment’s, educate good coaches and other staff combined with a burning heart and the greatest desire is something else, and that, the last thing, is something that the Slovenian’s have a lot of!

Notable*: if you wish to know more about Slovenian hockey and follow HD Jesenice, you may do so at their homepage: http://www.hdjesenice.si/