The history of the ice hockey in Karlovy Vary dates back to the 1932,[1] when a few enthusiasts established SK Slavia Karlovy Vary. The home arena of this club was a small lake nicknamed Little Versailles. In 1948, an artificial ice rink was built, which significantly improved the standards. Within a few years, the ice hockey team Karlovy Vary was competing on a national level. The club steadily remained in the first league (Přebor republiky) in the years 1951–52, 1952–53, 1953–54, 1954–55. The numbers of spectators coming to the games in those days were up to and over 10 000. In 1953 the team's name changed to 'Dynamo'. One of the greatest achievements of those days can be considered the games with HK Lokomotiv Moscow which ended 2:3 for Dynamo, or victory 8:5 against the Czechoslovakian National Team (which was training for the World Championships). Many key players were injured during the season 1954-55 and the club got relegated to the second league. However, as dominant as Dynamo was in the second league, they never managed to get back to the top league. The team was renamed back to Slavia in 1965. As harsh times came at the end of the 70s when the arena started to fall into disrepair and was not fit for purpose any more, the council decided to build two ice rinks. The construction of the first, training rink commenced shortly and was completed in 1975. The project to build the arena of national standards next to the training ground was never realized. The existing ice rink had the roof put on by the end of 80s. In 1990, changing rooms were built and further improvements were carried out such as new services, cooling of the surface, barriers with artificial glass, etc.[2] Basically everything that was missing right from the start. A large financial burden and no interest of the local council caused that the club was relegated to the division group (note: 1) Extraliga ('Extra League'), 2) 1. liga ('First League'), 3) 2.liga ('Second League'), 4) krajské přebory ('Division').[3] All changed in 1991 with a new management and generous sponsor: firm Jan Becher.[4] From the season 1993/1994, the team's name was changed to HC Slavia Becherovka Karlovy Vary (from season 1996/1997 HC Becherovka Karlovy Vary). The club reached the First League in 1995 and a couple of years later in 1997, HC Becherovka Karlovy Vary fought their way into the Extra League. They did not managed to defeat Opava in the playoffs, but with a stable position in the competition, the club bought the rights of HC Olomouc which was in financial difficulties. The club got a new sponsor in 2002, the Sokolovskou uhelnou a. s., and was renamed to HC Energie. In season 2007/2008, the team, led by coach Zdeňek Venera, fought their way into the finals, but lost in a 7-games battle to Prague's team Slavia.
The club's effort paid off next year under the coach Josef Paleček and captain Václav Skuhravy in repetition of last year's finals, HC Energie won 4:2 on games and celebrated their first Extraliga title. The best player of the playoffs that year was Lukáš Mensator.[5] The Extraliga Finals of the 2008/2009 season was also the last game in the old arena in Dolní Kamenna. From the next season, the club moved into the newly built KV Arena.[6]
Energie's junior team joined the MHL, the KHL's junior league, for the 2012–13 season, but then left after the 2014–15 season.[7]
In 2017, the team lost the main sponsor Sokolovská uhelná and played the season 2017/18 in the second highest league. The next year, however, the team returned to the Extraliga.
HC Dynamo Pardubice is a professional ice hockey club that plays in the Czech Extraliga. Its home venue is Enteria arena located in Pardubice. The club was originally named LTC Pardubice, acquiring its current name at the start of the 2015–16 season.
Antonín Dušek is a Czech professional ice hockey Centre for Aigles de Nice in the Ligue Magnus. He previously played in the Czech Extraliga for HC Bílí Tygři Liberec, HC Slavia Praha, Piráti Chomutov, HC Karlovy Vary and HC Dynamo Pardubice.
The Chance Liga is the second-highest level of professional ice hockey in the Czech Republic, after the Extraliga. It began in 1993 and is run and administered by Czech Ice Hockey Association.
Václav Skuhravý is a Czech ice hockey player, playing currently for HC Energie Karlovy Vary in Czech Extraliga, with whom he is contracted until 2021. He is a forward, and has played for the national team.
HC Olomouc is an ice hockey team in the Czech Extraliga from Olomouc. They won the Extraliga championship in the 1993/1994 season. In 1997 the club sold the Extraliga license to HC Karlovy Vary, and was thus relegated to the second-level league. They returned to the Extraliga in 2014.
The Czech Extraliga is the highest-level ice hockey league in the Czech Republic. It was created in 1993 following the peaceful dissolution of Czechoslovakia midway through the 1992–93 Czechoslovak Extraliga season.
Lukáš Mensator is a Czech former professional ice hockey goaltender. He currently works as a goaltending coach for HC Baník Sokolov of the Chance Liga.
The 2008–09 Czech Extraliga season was the 16th season of the Czech Extraliga since its creation after the breakup of Czechoslovakia and the Czechoslovak First Ice Hockey League in 1993.
The 2007–08 Czech Extraliga season was the 15th season of the Czech Extraliga since its creation after the breakup of Czechoslovakia and the Czechoslovak First Ice Hockey League in 1993.
The 2006–07 Czech Extraliga season was the 14th season of the Czech Extraliga since its creation after the breakup of Czechoslovakia and the Czechoslovak First Ice Hockey League in 1993.
The 2000–01 Czech Extraliga season was the eighth season of the Czech Extraliga since its creation after the breakup of Czechoslovakia and the Czechoslovak First Ice Hockey League in 1993.
Jakub Grof is a Czech former professional ice hockey defenceman. He currently works as an assistant coach for HC Energie Karlovy Vary of the Czech Extraliga.
The 1996–97 Czech 1.liga season was the fourth season of the Czech 1.liga, the second level of ice hockey in the Czech Republic. 14 teams participated in the league, and HC Becherovka Karlovy Vary and HC Kralupy nad Vltavou were promoted to the Czech Extraliga.
HC Energie Karlovy Vary (juniors) is a Czech ice hockey team based in Karlovy Vary competing on an international level in Czech Extraliga juniors. HC Energie won the Czech Extraliga juniors 2007/08 season and from the year 2012 to the year 2015 onwards competed in the MHL. The team is using the nickname Wolf Pack. The home stadium of the club is KV Arena. The adult professional ice hockey team is HC Karlovy Vary
Petr Koblasa is a Czech professional ice hockey player. He is currently playing for HC Verva Litvínov ]] of the Czech Extraliga.
Jan Bednář is a Czech professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League (AHL). Bednář was drafted 107th overall by the Detroit Red Wings in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft.
Martin Osmík is a Czech professional ice hockey forward. He is currently playing for HC Baník Sokolov of the Chance Liga on loan from HC Karlovy Vary.
Vladislav Habal is a Czech professional ice hockey goaltender. He is currently a free agent having last played for HC Slovan Bratislava of the Tipsport Liga.
David Honzík is a Czech professional ice hockey goaltender who currently playing for HC Dynamo Pardubice B of the Czech 1.liga.
The Czech Women's Ice Hockey Extraliga or Women's Extraliga is the premier league for women's ice hockey in the Czech Republic. Founded in 1985, it was known as the 1. liga ženského hokeje from 1989 until 2017, at which time the league came under the oversight of the Czech Ice Hockey Association and the current name was adopted. The victorious team of the Women's Extraliga is named Champion of the Czech Republic.
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Karel Holoubek 
