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Interview: Nela Lopušanová

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Nela Lopušanová representing Slovakia at the IIHF U18 Women's World Championship
Nela Lopušanová representing Slovakia at the U18 Women’s World Championship (IIHF)

Nela Lopušanová made headlines when she was named MVP at the 2023 IIHF U18 Women’s World Championship as a 14-year-old. Since then, Lopušanová has continued to develop as one of hockey’s top upcoming talents. This season she was again named MVP at the U18 World Championship, despite Slovakia finishing in seventh, and scored 18 (11+7) points in 6 games with the Slovaks in 2026 Winter Olympic qualification.

The Žilina native has spent the past two seasons with the Bishop Kearney Selects 19U team in the United States and is committed to the University of Wisconsin for the 2026-27 season. I had the pleasure of being able to ask Nela about her experiences on the international stage, the trajectory of her career, and the current state of women’s hockey in Slovakia!

Interview

Q: Who/what was your biggest inspiration to begin playing hockey? Were there many playing opportunities for girls in Slovakia?

A: My biggest inspiration to begin playing hockey was my brother Šimon. Since I was little I was watching him play great hockey and I always wanted to be like him. As the majority of girls in hockey I started playing with boys which helped me to be better and faster. There were not that many opportunities to playing only girls hockey in Slovakia how it is now.

Nela Lopušanová playing for the Bishop Kearney Selects

Q: Slovakia has now played in four consecutive Top Division events at the U18 level. How important have these experiences been for you and your teammates?

A: It was really important for me to play at the top level and see how my game has grown  but as well as the growth of women’s hockey in general.  My teammates and I are always looking forward to those big events. We have a lot of fun in the locker room and on the ice to play against amazing players from other countries.

Q: You are now in your second season with Bishop Kearney. Can you explain how playing against top players in North America has helped you improve your game?

A: Yes, I do play against a lot really good players in North America, but I also play with a lot of them. My teammates are pushing me every day to be better on the ice, but also off the ice as a person. The competition and high level in practices is incredible and I learn a lot new skills from them. Our coaches are doing an amazing job with our practices and games. The environment that they’ve created has been something I’ve loved and have been having a lot of fun participating in.

Nela Lopušanová celebrates after scoring a goal for Slovakia at the U18 Women’s World Championship (IIHF)

Q: You will be attending the University of Wisconsin in the 2026-27 season. What are your goals at that school and what are you most excited about?

A: It’s an incredible school with some of the top players in the world. It has always been my dream to go there and I am really excited to be apart of the team for the next couple of years. I am most looking forward to continue playing with and competing against these players and working towards a NCAA national championship.

Q: What has been your favourite memory playing for Slovakia in your young career?

A: My favourite memory was scoring my ‘Michigan’ goal during the U18 Worlds, which was during my first year at that tournament. It was an exciting achievement for me and I had a lot of fun playing with the girls in Sweden.

Q: Do you believe that Hockey Slovakia is taking the necessary steps to develop the women’s game and help Slovakia develop into a top nation on the international stage?

A: I believe that Hockey Slovakia is taking the necessary steps. Now we have our own league in Slovakia where girls can play, but unfortunately it’s not as big as in North America. We have a lot of talented players we can work with in the future. Hockey Slovakia is putting a lot of effort and money into women’s hockey but it’s really hard to tell if Slovakia is going to be one of the top nations on the international stage in the future.

Bonus Q: If you had to choose, would you rather play in the PWHL or at the Olympics in the future?

A: I would probably choose PWHL because I could play there for more years.

Interview: Nela Lopušanová Read More »

Never Underestimate Latvia

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Latvia after defeating Canada at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship (IIHF)

Latvia kicked off the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship with a stunning 3-2 shootout win over Canada. The hosts were stunned as Linards Feldbergs made 55 shots and then denied all 8 shootout attempts. Ēriks Mateiko, who also scored in the third period, had the winning shot. Latvia would proceed to reach the quarterfinals for the third time in four years, following a 4-3 overtime win with Germany, which gave them two preliminary round wins for a first time ever.

This wasn’t the first time that a Latvian national team made noise on the international stage. Below is a list of the most significant upsets Latvia has made in hockey.

Latvia 3 – 2 Russia

Latvia stunned Russia with a 3-2 win at the 2000 World Championship in Saint Petersburg. Aleksandrs Semjonovs scored a pair of goals within a 1:40 in the second period and Artūrs Irbe made 37 saves, to lead Latvia to the win. A 1-1 draw in their next against the United States helped send the Latvians to their first ever quarterfinal appearance, meanwhile the Russians shockingly missed the playoffs at a third consecutive championship.

Artūrs Irbe spoke about the game years later: “It was good for soul, including myself and I do not think I have really cried in my whole career by winning games or winning tournaments but that was the one game I cried and I am not in any way ashamed of it. That was the proudest moment being a Latvian as far as I can remember in my whole life. It (beating Canada) would be big but you can’t compare those two teams. It (beating Russia) is more sticking it to the oppressors and we have been oppressed for so long. It (resentment towards Russia) is in our hearts and bodies and our soul and it does not have to be taught. It is just there and when you play them you want to beat them and you know what it means for the coach, for the relatives and for the ones that have suffered during the Gulag (prisons) and all the oppressed years.”

Latvia 3 – 3 United States

While it was not a victory, tying the reigning Olympic silver medallists, the United States, was certainly a historical result for Latvia. The Latvians got three consecutive goals from Aleksandrs Ņiživijs, Atvars Tribuncovs, and Herberts Vasiļjevs, while Artūrs Irbe made 39 saves in a 3-3 draw. Unfortunately, that was Latvia’s high-point at the Turin Olympics. They later suffered defeats to Slovakia (3-6), Sweden (1-6), Russia (2-9), and Kazakhstan (2-5).

Latvia 3 – 2 Sweden

Latvia had never beat Sweden at any level ahead of the 2009 Men’s World Championship. That changed when Latvia pulled off a 3-2 shootout win during Group C action. Edgars Masaļskis was stellar in net and made 38 saves, while Aleksandrs Ņiživijs — who was known for his shootout success with Latvia — had the winning goal. This victory would mark a winning streak of four games, also notably taking down hosts Switzerland in a shootout, to achieve a third ever quarterfinal appearance.

Latvia 2 – 0 Canada

Latvia began the 2021 World Championship with a remarkable 2-0 victory over Canada. The Latvians had just 1 tie and 19 losses in their previous 20 meetings with the eventual world champions. Goals from Miks Indrašis and Oskars Batņa, along with a 38-save shutout by the late Matīss Kivlenieks, were the difference in this upset. Sadly, no fans were able to attend the spectacle in Rīga due to COVID-19 regulations.

Matīss Kivlenieks tragically passed away just under two months after this stunning win.

Latvia 5 – 2 Czechia

Latvia was not supposed to participate at the Top Division of the 2022 World Junior Championship. Thanks to the tournament being rescheduled to August and both Russia and Belarus being banned, Latvia was promoted in replacement. Latvia took advantage of the opportunity by forcing Slovakia to a shootout and then upsetting Czechia by a 5-2 score. Defender Ralfs Sebastjans Bergmanis was the hero in their first ever preliminary round victory, by scoring a natural hat-trick against the Czechs.

The Latvians gave Sweden their all in a 2-1 quarterfinal loss and ultimately placed seventh — their best finish to date.

2023 Men’s World Championship

The entire 2023 World Championship in Riga and Tampere was historical for Latvia. After opening the tournament with losses to Canada (0-6) and Slovakia (1-2), the Latvians found their game and went on a magical run. It all began with a 4-3 overtime victory against Czechia, which remains their only win against the Czechs at the senior level. Oskars Batņa’s winning goal started the party at Arēna Rīga.

Latvia’s tournament continued with wins against Norway (2-1), Slovenia (3-2), Kazakhstan (7-0), and Switzerland (4-3 OT). Their winning ways continued into the playoffs where they pulled off another upset, this time beating Sweden 3-1, to advance to a first ever semifinal. Miks Indrašis scored a stunning goal in the third period which stood as the winner, thanks to 40 saves by Artūrs Šilovs.

The semifinal round shifted from Rīga to Tampere, but you could not tell from the pro-Latvian crowd. Despite falling 4-2 against Canada in a hard-fought game, the Latvians still had a lot to play for in the bronze medal game. Latvia had beat the United States 3 times in 17 meetings ahead of this match. Despite trailing 3-2 with under six minutes remaining, Latvia did not give up, and got a tying goal from Kristiāns Rubīns. The defender then made history by completing a two-goal effort with his electric overtime winner. This win was marked as a national holiday in Latvia!

Artūrs Šilovs, who was just 22-years-old at the time, was named the tournament’s Best Goaltender and Most Valuable Player for his terrific performance. The Vancouver Canucks goaltender had 7 wins, a 92.1 SV%, a 2.20 GAA, and 1 shutout in 10 games at the championship.

Never Underestimate Latvia Read More »

Thailand Win Gold In Their World Junior Championship Debut

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Chayaphon Jaratkorn
Chayaphon Jaratkorn
Chayaphon Jaratkorn celebrates after scoring a goal at the World Junior Championship (IceHockeyFamily)

Thailand has completed a sweep of the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship Division 3, Group B to win gold. This was Thailand’s debut at the World Juniors and did not disappoint, going 3-0-0-0 with a 19-5 goal differential.

The Thai team earned dominant victories over Luxembourg (6-1), Kyrgyzstan (5-2), and South Africa (8-2). The victory against runner-up Kyrgyzstan on the second day already secured the gold medal. To go along with the strong play, Thailand had over 600 fans in attendance for their final match and their livestreams did not struggle to reach over 7,000 viewers at a time.

Thailand’s star player in this tournament was 17-year-old defender Natchayatorn Yannakornthanapunt — leading in scoring with 7 (5+2) points in 3 games. Goaltender Vijak Niyomvong, who is also just 17, starred in net with a 95.7 SV% over his 2 wins. Other notable producers include Natapat Patong (5+1), Chayaphon Jaratkorn (2+3), and Tanat Limpanyakul (2+3).

Kyrgyzstan also made history at this tournament by earning a silver medal. That marks their first ever medal at the World Junior Championship, after participating in Division 3/3A at the previous three championships. With an average age of just 16.44 years, it would appear this group has lots of room to grow going into the future.

The bronze medallists were South Africa, who edged out last-place Luxembourg with a dramatic 7-6 overtime win in their second game. Defender Raees Baker — playing in his fourth World Juniors — had the honours of scoring the deciding goal. South Africa finally put an end to their 17-game losing streak at the World Junior Championship, dating back to the 2020 tournament. The lone African participant was outscored 159-36 during the drought.

Final Standings:

  1. Thailand – 3-0-0-0 (9P) / 19-5 GD
  2. Kyrgyzstan – 2-0-0-1 (6P) /14-9 GD
  3. South Africa – 0-1-0-2 (2P) / 11-21 GD
  4. Luxembourg – 0-0-1-2 (1P) / 9-18 GD

Thailand Win Gold In Their World Junior Championship Debut Read More »

Interview: Simon Chen

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Simon Chen representing China as their captain in international action (IIHF)

Simon Chen has become a mainstay for the Chinese National Team in recent years. Since making his debut at the 2019 World Championship D2A, Chen has gone on to score 5 (1+4) points in 29 major international games, most notably playing at the 2022 Olympics in Beijing.

The Beijing native has experience playing junior hockey in North America, including two seasons in the BCHL, and a total of 61 professional games with Chinese-based clubs in the KHL and VHL. This has made the 27-year-old Chen a veteran amongst a Chinese program that has taken massive strides in a short period of time. China recently competed in the inaugural IIHF Asia Championship, so I decided to ask Chen about his experience at the event, along with other questions about ice hockey in the country.

Interview

Q: How did you first begin playing ice hockey in China? Who/what was your biggest inspiration?

A: I needed to pick a sport to lose weight since I was a very chubby kid. My aunt and uncle live in Sweden and they suggested ice hockey since it’s the most popular sport in that region. I saw pictures of hockey players in their gear and thought it was the coolest looking sport in the world.

Simon Chen and China competing against Great Britain at the 2026 Winter Olympic Qualifiers (IIHF)

Q: You have had the honour of representing China at the 2022 Olympics and four World Championships, among other tournaments. What has been your favourite experience?

A: I think the Olympics was by far the most unforgettable experience of my life. As a Chinese hockey players, no one could’ve imagined one day we get to play in the Winter Olympics on home soil. It has been my biggest goal when I was a teenager to represent my country in the Olympics (after they announced that Beijing won the bid). Finally realizing my dream after all these years was truly amazing. However, I think my favourite experience has to be the World Championship last year. We came in the tournament with zero heritage players. As the under under dog, people expected us to get rolled over by other teams and suffer relegation. But the boys really pulled together as one and proved to the hockey world that Chinese hockey can still be competitive and successful with strictly local players.

Q: China recently had a strong showing at the Asian Championship, even beating South Korea. Can you explain the emotions after the event and the importance of playing in that tournament?

A: Obviously, it was crucial to get a win against Korea, the first time in 18 years I believe. More importantly, we proved to ourselves that we are a force to be reckoned with in Asia. We can put up a good fight against stronger teams like Kazakhstan and Japan. Our goal is to eventually become a top 2 team in Asia. This tournament is the first step into the right direction.

Simon Chen playing for the Kunlun Red Star in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL.ru)

Q: China has a strong domestic women’s league that has some games reach thousands of fans. What is the current situation for men’s hockey?

A: The plan is to start the men’s league this December with 4 teams and 18 regular season games, plus playoffs. The league allows 5 imports for each team, but no goalies. It’s a good starting point to let the players play some competitive hockey. Hopefully in the future we can attract more teams and sponsors.

Q: Hockey appears to be rapidly growing in China with an increase in players, more rinks, and better international results. What do you believe to be the catalyst behind this and what must be done to ensure development continues?

A: We had a brand new hockey federation after the Olympics. The management really wanted to [put an emphasis] on youth hockey development, creating more game opportunities for minor hockey, and hiring proven high-level professional coaches for all the national teams. For the men’s team, the core of the team have had the experience of playing in the KHL, VHL, and other professional leagues. These experiences carried over to the national team, allowing the vets to better guide the younger players, to develop. At the end of the day, we are on a mission, and that is to make Chinese hockey competitive again.

Simon Chen playing for China at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing (?)

Bonus Q: Who is the best player you have played with and the best player you have played against during your career?

With: Elias Pettersson — I assisted his goal in the 3v3 overtime during the 2018 Canucks youngster game.

Against: Alexander Nikishin — SKA (KHL)

Interview: Simon Chen Read More »

Kazakhstan and Japan Become Champions of the Inaugural Asian Championship

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Kazakhstan celebrating after winning gold at the 2025 IIHF Men’s Asia Championship (IIHF)

The IIHF hosted the inaugural Asian Championships for both men and women, during the most recent international break. China, Japan, Kazakhstan, and South Korea all played in round robin tournaments to determine the champions.

This is the beginning of a cycle of competition that will be played until 2028. The goal is to allow the top Asian nations to play competitive matches during the season without having to travel across the world, like their European counterparts.

These events were also used as an exhibition for the upcoming 2025 Asian Winter Games, which will be played in Harbin, China, in February. It is projected that the top groups will be played amongst the same top four ranked nations in each category.

China playing Kazakhstan at the 2025 IIHF Men’s Asia Championship (IIHF)

Men’s Tournament

Kazakhstan came away victorious on home ice in Almaty, however it did not come easily. The Kazakhs, the top seeded team, were upset by South Korea in their opening match, 4-1. Despite the slow start, Kazakhstan rebounded to defeat China (6-1) and runners-up Japan (5-1).

Evgeny Rymarev, the top forward, and Evgeny Korolinsky were tied for the lead in points for Kazakhstan with 5 (2+3) in 3 games. Only Japan’s Taiga Irikura was ahead, with 4 goals and 1 assist. Japan also had the top defender in Riku Ishida, who is having a strong first season with HC Merano in the AlpsHL, while the top goaltender was 19-year-old Stephen Chen on China.

Defender Dmitry Breus on Kazakhstan was a standout, as he was was awarded honours as tournament MVP for the home team. The 20-year-old plays for Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod in the KHL and has been climbing the ranks of the national team. During the win against China, Breus scored his first hat-trick in senior competition, ultimately finishing as the defensive points leader.

Despite finishing in last place, China managed to pull off a significant upset against South Korea. It came in their final game, as the Chinese side won 2-1 in overtime, thanks to a goal by Zesen Zhang and 37 saves from the aforementioned Stephen Chen. This was the first win for China against South Korea in men’s action since the 2006 World Championship, however it was not enough to take over third place in the final standings.

Final Standings: 1. Kazakhstan, 2. Japan, 3. South Korea, 4. China

Women’s Tournament

The women’s tournament was dominated by Japan. A Top Division mainstay since 2019, Japan won all three games with a combined goal differential of 25-0. Easy wins against against South Korea (12-0) and Kazakhstan (8-0) set-up a final bout against host China. While it was by far their toughest challenge, Japan would win 5-0 and be crowned the inaugural Asian champions.

Despite none of their European league talent being available, the Japanese were still a step ahead of the competition. This was evident as the top eight scorers were all on Japan, highlighted by top forward Rui Ukita with 8 (4+4) points. Sitting in third with 7 (1+6) points was 18-year-old defender Kohane Sato, who had a massive breakout event and will likely be a key player in 2026 Olympic Qualification. The Japanese goaltenders were far from busy, as Riko Kawaguchi and Miyuu Masuhara faced a combined 19 shots over three matches.

There was strong fan support at the Shougang Ice Rink in Beijing. Games where host China was playing had crowds of 1,330 on average, with the final game bringing an attendance of 1,956.

Final Standings: 1. Japan, 2. China, 3. Kazakhstan, 4. South Korea

Japan celebrating after winning gold at the 2025 IIHF Women’s Asia Championship (IIHF)

Future Developments

With the creation of this Asian Championship, fans can now imagine the possibility of the IIHF adding regional tournaments across other continents.

IIHF President Luc Tardif actually hinted towards that idea of the Women’s Asia Championship. “We’re taking the first steps here and using this platform to evaluate the impact in multiple areas. We may potentially organize more regional competitions and championships in the future. I thank the national federations and their Presidents for their commitment to working with us in this manner,” said Tardif.

It sounds like hockey fans and players should be excited about the future landscape of the international game.

Kazakhstan and Japan Become Champions of the Inaugural Asian Championship Read More »

Türkiye To See A Major Shift In Goal

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Tolga Bozaci makes a glove save while playing for Türkiye (IIHF)

Tolga Bozaci made his debut with the Turkish Men’s National Team at the 2016 IIHF World Championship Division 3. By 2019, he had emerged as the nation’s starting goaltender. Unfortunately, that era is coming to an end, as Bozaci has announced his retirement from the sport of ice hockey at the age of 26.

The Kocaeli native retires with an 11-17 record, an 85.11 SV%, and a GAA of 4.26 in major international competition for Türkiye. He won a gold medal and promotion at the 2016 World Championship Division 3, later won silver medals at the 2019 Division 3 and 2022 Division 3A championships, and also earned a bronze medal in Division 3 in 2018. Bozaci also played a total of 16 games for the U18 and U20 national teams, where he would win gold medals at the 2015 U18 World Championship Division 3B and 2017 World Junior Championship D3.

Bozaci also had a successful domestic career in the Türkiye InterCity Süper Lig, from 2014 to 2024. He captured four Turkish titles with Zeytinburnu Belediye SK in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. These victories resulted in five appearances in the IIHF Continental Cup, where he went 2-5-0 and had an 83.0 SV%.

Tolga Bozaci playing for Zeytinburnu Belediye SK in Süper Lig (TBHF)

This leaves the question in regards to who will replace Tolga Bozaci in net? It was just reported that Russian goaltender Savely Voronov has obtained Turkish citizenship and is eligible to represent the national team. Once Voronov makes his debut with Türkiye then he will become the first ever naturalized player in the national team’s history.

The 26-year-old, who was born in Tver, has played in the Türkiye InterCity Süper Lig since 2019. Voronov won championships with Buz Beykoz in 2020 and Buz Adamlar GSK in 2022.

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Queen of Thailand Makes Debut With Women’s National Team

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Queen Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshana competing with the national team (Tadamasa Nagayama/IHAT)

The International Ice Hockey Federation has named the Queen of Thailand, Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshana, as the first IIHF Women’s Global Ambassador.

This unique moment was celebrated by playing an exhibition match between the women’s national teams of Thailand and China. Prior to the match, IIHF President Luc Tardif honoured Her Majesty with an honourary certificate, pin, and trophy. Afterward, both Queen Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshana and King Maha Vajiralongkorn were gifted official IIHF jerseys.

With a packed crowd at the Ice Hockey Arena in Bangkok, the highlight of the match would certainly be Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshana suiting up for the Thai National Team. This would mark the first time Her Majesty, aged 46, played in a game for Thailand. The final score ended in a 6-6 tie against the Chinese team, who are ranked 14th in the world.

The Queen wore the name “HMQ” on the back of her jersey (Tadamasa Nagayama/IHAT)

While it is not uncommon for politicians to support their country’s national teams, it is certainly rare to watch them throw on a jersey and compete. According to Garrett Zemlak, a coach in Thailand, “The Queen sometimes trains three times per week and will play scrimmages starting around midnight.” He continues to add that, “She really loves hockey and will skate with selected national team players until 3 a.m.”

There is no denying that this dedication to growing the sport of ice hockey in Thailand can help the country, along with those in the surrounding region, reach new heights. “Her Majesty’s commitment to promoting ice hockey, particularly among women, will inspire athletes from all over the world for generations to come,” says Tardif, who has the same beliefs as the prior statement.

The Queen receiving her award from IIHF President Luc Tardif (IIHF.com)

Last season saw both Thailand’s men’s and women’s national teams earn historic promotions at the IIHF World Championship. The men swept through Division 3, Group A with five wins in five games and will debut in Division 2 in 2025. Their women made a first ever appearance at the World Championship and dominated the Division 3, Group B tournament with a 4-0-0-0 record and 20-1 goal differential, en route to a gold medal win.

Source: IIHF.com

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Former NHLer Roman Lyubimov signs in the United Arab Emirates

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Roman Lyubimov playing for the Philadelphia Flyers in the NHL (phantomshockey.com)

A shocking signing has taken place in the Emirates Ice Hockey League, the top men’s league in the United Arab Emirates, as former NHL forward Roman Lyubimov signed with the Galaxy Warriors for the 2024-25 season.

The 32-year-old previously played in the National Hockey League for the Philadelphia Flyers during the 2016-17 season, scoring 6 (4+2) points in 47 games. Once Lyubimov debuts in the EIHL, it will make him the third former NHLer to ever play in the league, after Shaone Morrisson (2020-2021) and Ilya Zubov (2022-2024).

First NHL goal vs Detroit:

Lyubimov spent last season playing for the Brûleurs de Loups de Grenoble in the Synerglace Ligue Magnus. He scored 34 (12+22) points in 35 games, also helping the club win the Coupe de France, by recording 5 (2+3) points in 4 games.

A native of Tver in the Tver Oblast, Lyubimov spent most of his career in his native Russia. Lyubimov captained Krasnaya Armiya Moskva to an MHL championship in 2011, went on to score 111 (53+58) points in 514 career games in the KHL, and won a bronze medal with Russia at the 2016 IIHF World Championship — contributing 8 (4+4) points in the tournament.

Former NHLer Roman Lyubimov signs in the United Arab Emirates Read More »

Interview: Bruno Idžan

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Bruno Idžan playing for the Croatian National Team (IIHF)

Bruno Idžan is an 18-year-old forward who represents Croatia internationally. He has already played 32 games, scoring 43 points, at the senior, U20, and U18 levels up until this point. Most notably, Idžan has won gold medals with Croatia at the 2022 World Junior Championship D2B, 2022 U18 World Championship D2B, 2023 World Junior Championship D2A, and 2024 World Championship D2A.

After spending the last three seasons playing junior hockey in Sweden, Idžan has returned home to Croatia and will play his first professional season with KHL Sisak. This will also be the inaugural season for Sisak in the Alps Hockey League. Prior to Sisak’s participation in Round 1 of the IIHF Continental Cup, where Idžan scored 7 (2+5) points in 3 games, I asked the forward questions about his goals for this season, the national team, and the current state of Croatian ice hockey.

Interview

Q: How did you first start playing hockey?

A: I started playing hockey mostly because there was a KHL/EBEL club in my home town Zagreb and I went to all their games and experienced high tier hockey very early. That’s why me and a lot of other kids from Zagreb started training hockey.

Bruno Idžan playing for the Croatian U18 National Team (IIHF)

Q: You have already played in 7 IIHF tournaments for Croatia. What has been your favourite moment(s)?

A: There is a lot of great moments for me and it is hard to pick just one, but if i had to choose, it would probably be winning the two U20 championships in a row in just two months. Because I think it happens very rarely and especially in a non-traditional hockey country like Croatia.

Q: How big of an inspiration is Borna Rendulić to Croatian hockey?

A: I think he is a big inspiration to probably every kid in Croatia in a sense that even though Croatia is such a non-hockey country everything is still possible with dedication and a bit of luck, and reaching the top is not impossible like you would think when you look at a country with no hockey opportunities like Croatia.

Bruno Idžan after scoring a goal for the Malmö Redhawks J20 team (Svenska Ishockeyförbundet)

Q: You played junior hockey in Sweden for three seasons. How has that helped you develop as a player?

A: Everybody knows Sweden is one of the biggest hockey countries in the world, so I think it is safe to say that Sweden helped me very much in becoming a player that I am. I learned most of the hockey stuff I know in Sweden so it helped me a lot.

Q: What are your goals for your first professional season with KHL Sisak?

A: I don’t really know what to expect from the season, but I think we have a good team and chemistry in the team is very good, so I think we can go a long way. Some team goals are probably trying to reach the playoffs of the [AlpsHL] and some personal goals are just to get better and try to adjust to senior hockey.

Bruno Idžan after scoring a goal for KHL Sisak in the Continental Cup (KHL Sisak/Instagram)

Q: Do you believe that Croatia (or any Balkan nation) has the potential to one day compete with the best European teams?

A: To be honest, I don’t think we are in a great position as of right now, because we have no hockey schools, no infrastructure, and the situation is not overall great. I don’t think it’s impossible that it happens one day of course, but we are very far from it as of right now.

Bonus Q: What do you do outside of playing hockey?

A: I like doing a lot of other sports like tennis and basketball, and I just hang out with friends like every other guy my age (laughs).

Interview: Bruno Idžan Read More »

Slovakia, Latvia, and Denmark Qualify for 2026 Winter Olympics

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Latvia’s men’s ice hockey team after qualifying for the 2026 Winter Olympics (Guntis Lazdans/IIHF)

After nearly a year of qualification competition, the men’s ice hockey tournament at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy is nearly set!

Similarly to the 2022 tournament, Slovakia, Latvia, and Denmark won the final qualification groups to advance to the Olympics.

Group D

It was the Slovaks emerging victorious in Bratislava to earn a spot in the Olympic Games for a ninth consecutive time. The reigning bronze medalists had a few nervous moments in their qualification efforts, but finished with a perfect 3-0-0-0 record.

They began the tournament with a narrow 2-1 win over Austria, then beat down a resilient Hungary side 7-3, before clinching a qualifying spot by defeating Andrey Shutov and Kazakhstan, 3-1.

Forwards Marek Hrivík (1+2) and Martin Pospíšil (0+3) led the team with 3 points each, as 18 different players recorded at least 1 point. Samuel Hlavaj was fantastic in net, posting a 92.9 SV% in his 3 wins.

Standings
  1. Slovakia | 3-0-0-0 | 9P | 12-5 GD
  2. Kazakhstan | 2-0-0-1 | 6P | 8-6 GD
  3. Austria | 0-1-0-2 | 2P | 6-7 GD
  4. Hungary | 0-0-1-2 | 1P | 8-16 GD

Group E

The 2023 World Championship bronze medalists earned their ticket to Milano Cortina with ease. Latvia got the best of Slovenia, 4-2, then cruised to a 5-1 win over Ukraine, and lastly, handed Pierre-Édouard Bellemare and France a heartbreaking 5-2 loss.

This will be Latvia’s seventh Olympic birth, and it came with the help of just one NHL player. That was defender Uvis Jānis Balinskis and his 4 (1+3) points. Rodrigo Ābols, who will look to make the Philadelphia Flyers roster, and tournament MVP Kaspars Daugaviņš, also scored 4 points. Roberts Bukarts added 3 goals, and in exhibition play prior to the event, became the sixth player in national team history to score 100 points.

Kristers Gudļevskis, who is known for his heroic efforts against Canada at the 2014 Olympics, won all 3 games for the Latvians.

Standings
  1. Latvia | 3-0-0-0 | 9P | 15-4 GD
  2. France | 2-0-0-1 | 6P | 14-8 GD
  3. Slovenia | 1-0-0-2 | 3P | 9-11 GD
  4. Ukraine | 0-0-0-3 | 0P | 5-18 GD

Group F

Back in 2021, Denmark upset Norway in Oslo to qualify for their first ever Olympics. The Norwegians wanted to return the favour in Aalborg, but fell short to a Danish team that won 4-1.

With NHL players expected to participate at the 2026 Games, this would be the first time Denmark plays in a best-on-best tournament. It was not an easy qualification by any means, as both Great Britain and Japan — who miraculously got to overtime — pushed the Danes to their limits. A pair of late second period goals from Nicklas Jensen, along with 30 saves from Frederik Andersen, led them past Mats Zuccarello and Norway.

It would be wrong not to mention the appearance of brothers Markus Holton Lauridsen and Oliver Holton Lauridsen. Both players used their mother’s name “Holton” for the first time in a tournament. This was because she is dealing with a severe illness, but still wanted her sons to compete for the Olympic dream.

https://twitter.com/H0ckeyWorldwide/status/1830621780073124328
Standings
  1. Denmark | 2-1-0-0 | 8P | 10-4 GD
  2. Norway | 2-0-0-1 | 6P | 11-8 GD
  3. Great Britain | 1-0-0-2 | 3P | 6-11 GD
  4. Japan | 0-0-1-2 | 1P | 6-10 GD

Final Tournament

The projected groups for the men’s ice hockey tournament are as follow:

Group A: Canada, Sweden, Switzerland, Italy

Group B: Finland, Germany, Czechia, Denmark

Group C: Russia*, United States, Slovakia, Latvia

At the current moment, Russia is still included in the tournament program. The final decision on their ongoing ban will be made in February of 2025. If the Russians are barred from Olympic participation, then the best second place team from the final qualification round will replace them. That nation is France — who are hosting in 2030.

Slovakia, Latvia, and Denmark Qualify for 2026 Winter Olympics Read More »