Croatia men's national ice hockey team

Last updated

Croatia
Coat of arms of Croatia.svg
Association Croatian Ice Hockey Federation
Head coachVlastimil Wojnar
Assistants Marko Šakić
Miro Smerdelj
Captain Borna Rendulić [1]
Most gamesIgor Jačmenjak (79) [2]
Top scorerBorna Rendulić (34) [3]
Most pointsBorna Rendulić (74) [4]
Home stadium Various
Team colors   
IIHF codeCRO
Croatia national ice hockey team Home & Away Jerseys.png
Ranking
Current IIHF 32 Decrease2.svg 1 (27 May 2024) [5]
Highest IIHF25 (2018)
Lowest IIHF32 (2024)
First international
Slovakia  Flag of Slovakia.svg 6–1 Flag of Banate of Croatia (1939-1941).svg Croatia
(Bratislava, Slovakia; 9 February 1941) [6]
Biggest win
Croatia  Flag of Croatia.svg 34–1 Flag of Turkey.svg  Turkey
(Zagreb, Croatia; 20 November 1993)
Biggest defeat
Slovenia  Flag of Slovenia.svg 15–1 Flag of Croatia.svg  Croatia
(Zagreb. Croatia; 7 November 1992)
Slovenia  Flag of Slovenia.svg 15–1 Flag of Croatia.svg  Croatia
(Ljubljana, Slovenia; 15 April 2001)
IIHF World Championships
Appearances31 (first in 1993 )
Best result24th (2014)
International record (W–L–T)
93–152–9
The Croatian under-20 team, who won the 2009 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships - Division II Group B 2009 IIHF World U20 Championship Croatia team.JPG
The Croatian under-20 team, who won the 2009 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships - Division II Group B

The Croatian men's national ice hockey team is the Ice hockey team that represents Croatia at International Ice Hockey Federation events. Less than a year after declaring independence from Yugoslavia, Croatia was admitted into the IIHF on May 6th, 1992. [7] Croatia would make their international debut in 1993 when they participated in the 1993 Men's Ice Hockey World Championships, handily losing both of their games to fellow Yugoslavian breakaway state, Slovenia. [8]

Contents

The highest division Croatia has ever reached is Division I B, which they have been in on numerous occasions, including for five straight years from 2014 to 2018. [9] Croatia's best ever finish at the Ice Hockey World Championships was a second place finish in Division I B of the 2014 tournament (24th overall) where they missed out on promotion to Division I A by just two points as Poland finished one point ahead and had beat Croatia earlier in the tournament, giving them the tiebreaker. [10]

Arenas

Croatia has played in several arenas since they joined the IIHF in 1992. In the years they hosted IIHF World Championship events between 2003 and 2016, games took place at the Dom Sportova in Zagreb. [11] [12] [13] [14] In 2022, Croatia hosted Division II A of the World Championship with games being played at Klizalište Velesajam. [15]

Croatia has also hosted Olympic Games qualifiers on two different occasions. Group K of Preliminary qualification for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi were hosted at the Dom Sportova. [16] Croatia again hosted Olympic qualifiers in December of 2019 for the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, these games were hosted at Ledena dvorana Zibel in Sisak. [17]

World Championship record

YearDivisionPositionGPWDL
TierDiv.OvDiv.
1939–1992as part of Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg  Yugoslavia
Slovenia 1993 3Group CNR2002
Spain 1994 4Group C23147403
South Africa 1995 4Group C23017610
Slovenia 1996 3Group C2887007
Andorra 1997 4Group D2916411
Hungary 1998 3Group C2956132
Netherlands 1999 3Group C2955212
China 2000 3Group C2734112
Slovenia 2001 2Div I2445131
Netherlands 2002 2Div I2655104
Croatia 2003 2Div I2765140
Spain 2004 3Div II3225410
Croatia 2005 3Div II2915500
Estonia 2006 2Div I2765005
Croatia 2007 3Div II2915500
Japan 2008 2Div I2555104
Lithuania 2009 2Div I2655104
Slovenia 2010 2Div I2865005
Croatia 2011 3Div II3125401
Iceland 2012 4Div II A3135302
Croatia 2013 4Div II A2915500
Lithuania 2014 3Div I B2425401
Netherlands 2015 3Div I B2645203
Croatia 2016 3Div I B2645302
Great Britain 2017 3Div I B2755104
Lithuania 2018 3Div I B2865104
Serbia 2019 4Div II A3025401
Croatia 2020 4Div II ACancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic [18]
China 2021 4Div II ACancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic [19]
Croatia 2022 4Div II A2934112
Spain 2023 4Div II A3135302
Serbia 2024 4Div II A2915500
Estonia 2025 3Div I B2865023

All-time record against other nations

As of 16 April 2025.
OpponentPlayedWonDrawnLostGFGAGD
Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 99004017+23
Flag of Austria.svg  Austria 2002211-9
Flag of Belarus.svg  Belarus 3003320-17
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg  Belgium 75024213+29
Flag of Bulgaria.svg  Bulgaria 76017216+56
Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg  China 94053130+1
Flag of Chinese Taipei for Olympic games.svg  Chinese Taipei 110061+5
Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark 3003424-20
Flag of Estonia.svg  Estonia 114163955-16
Flag of France.svg  France 4004329-26
Flag of Georgia.svg  Georgia 100106-6
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  Great Britain 91081342-29
Flag of Hungary.svg  Hungary 24012330178-148
Flag of Iceland.svg  Iceland 5500376+31
Flag of Ireland.svg  Ireland 1100214+17
Flag of Italy.svg  Italy 5005124-23
Flag of Israel.svg  Israel 7700537+46
Flag of Japan.svg  Japan 6006630+24
Flag of Kazakhstan.svg  Kazakhstan 4004442+38
Flag of Lithuania.svg  Lithuania 1531113256-24
Flag of Luxembourg.svg  Luxembourg 1100110+11
Flag of Mexico.svg  Mexico 110092+7
Flag of the Netherlands.svg  Netherlands 1721143686-50
Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand 33004211+31
Flag of Norway.svg  Norway 4004536-31
Flag of Poland.svg  Poland 5005433-29
Flag of Romania.svg  Romania 135174152-11
Flag of Serbia.svg  Serbia 1712056038+22
Flag of Yugoslavia (1992-2003); Flag of Serbia and Montenegro (2003-2006).svg  Serbia and Montenegro 2020330
Flag of Slovakia.svg  Slovakia 110016-5
Flag of Slovenia.svg  Slovenia 18001818141-123
Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa 1100111+10
Flag of South Korea.svg  South Korea 95132928+1
Flag of Spain.svg  Spain 139135136+15
Flag of Turkey.svg  Turkey 66001147+107
Flag of Ukraine.svg  Ukraine 9108756-49
Flag of the United Arab Emirates.svg  United Arab Emirates 110041+3
Total2549391528851 148-263
Biggest Losses
World ChampionshipQualifications
  • -14 vs. Slovenia (1–15) 1993
  • -14 vs. Slovenia (1–15) 2001
  • -12 vs. Kazakhstan (0–12) 1996
  • -12 vs. Kazakhstan (0–12) 2002
  • -11 vs. Slovenia (2–13) 1996
  • -11 vs. Ukraine (1–11) 1996
  • -10 vs. Hungary (0–10) 1996
  • -10 vs. Hungary (3–13) 2000
  • -13 vs. Hungary (0–13) 2014
  • -7 vs. Hungary (0–7) 1998
  • -7 vs. Poland (0–7) 2006
  • -7 vs. Netherlands (3–10) 2006
  • -6 vs. Hungary (0–6) 1998
  • -6 vs. Netherlands (2–8) 2014
  • -6 vs. Ukraine (0–6) 2018

References

  1. "Croatia - Team Captaincy History". eliteprospects.com. Elite Prospects. Retrieved 14 May 2025.
  2. "Croatia - All Time Regular Season Player Stats". eliteprospects.com. Elite Prospects. Retrieved 14 May 2025.
  3. "Croatia - All Time Regular Season Player Stats". eliteprospects.com. Elite Prospects. Retrieved 14 May 2025.
  4. "Croatia - All Time Regular Season Player Stats". eliteprospects.com. Elite Prospects. Retrieved 14 May 2025.
  5. "IIHF Men's World Ranking". IIHF. 27 May 2024. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  6. "PREHĽAD ZÁPASOV A-tímu SR od roku 1940". Archived from the original on 31 May 2013. Retrieved 17 April 2013.
  7. "IIHF Member National Association Croatia". IIHF International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved 14 May 2025.
  8. "1993 Ice Hockey World Championship Pool C Qualification Group C". hockeyarchive.info. Hockey Archive. Retrieved 14 May 2025.
  9. "Croatia - Roster, News, Stats & more". www.eliteprospects.com. Retrieved 14 May 2025.
  10. "Elite Prospects - Team Standings WC D1B". www.eliteprospects.com. Retrieved 14 May 2025.
  11. "2003 Ice Hockey World Championship Division I Group B". hockeyarchive.info. Hockey Archive. Retrieved 14 May 2025.
  12. "2005 Ice Hockey World Championship Division II Group A". hockeyarchive.info. Hockey Archive. Retrieved 14 May 2025.
  13. "2007 Ice Hockey World Championship Division II Group A". hockeyarchive.info. Hockey Archive. Retrieved 14 May 2025.
  14. "2011 Ice Hockey World Championship Division II Group B". hockeyarchive.info. Hockey Archive. Retrieved 14 May 2025.
  15. "2022 IIHF Division II A Schedule". iihf.com. International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved 14 May 2025.
  16. "2014 Men's Olympic Ice Hockey Preliminary Qualification Group K". hockeyarchive.info. Hockey Archive.
  17. "2022 Men's Olympic Ice Hockey Pre-Qualification Round 2 Group M". hockeyarchive.info. Hockey Archive. Retrieved 14 May 2025.
  18. "Men's Division II, III cancelled". IIHF . Retrieved 13 March 2020.
  19. "IIHF – IIHF Council announces more cancellations". International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved 18 November 2020.