EK Zell am See

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EK Zeller polar bears
EK Zeller polar bears
Greatest successes
Club information
history ETC Zell (1928–1946)
EK Zell am See (1946–1993)
EKZ Die Eisbären (1993–2009)
EK Zeller Eisbären (since 2009)
Nickname EKZ
Club colors blue yellow
league Alps Hockey League
Venue Zell am See ice rink
capacity 2,600 seats
Head coach Jaka Avgustincic
AlpsHL 2018/19 13th place, playoffs missed

The EK Zeller Eisbären club , also known as EKZ or Zeller Eisbären , is an Austrian ice hockey club from Zell am See that plays in the second highest Austrian league, the Alps Hockey League .

The predecessor clubs of the Zeller Eisbären were champions of the national league six times . The home site is the Zell am See ice rink , which has around 2,600 seats and standing room.

history

Bandy was operated in Zell am See from around 1910 . It wasn't until the mid-1920s that people began to play ice hockey in Zell.

The Eislauf- und Tennis-Club (ETC) Zell im Pinzgau was founded in 1928 as an association of ice skaters, ice hockey players and tennis players by Erich and Willi Schandlbauer, Ing. Gross and Otto Hainz, and in 1929 it was accepted into the Austrian ice hockey association . At that time, a natural ice rink (on the Bräuwiesen) was operated as a playground, which was used as a tennis court in summer.

During the Second World War, regular game operations were only maintained in Vienna and the surrounding area, so that the Zell team only played friendly games.

At the end of 1946, the rebuilding of the club began, a team was set up and the game was later resumed. In the 1952/53 season the EKZ took part in the middle west / B division and also played some international friendly matches. Between 1955 and 1958, no team from Zell took part in regular match operations.

In the 1950s, ice hockey developed very positively in Austria, and successes began again in Zell at the end of the decade. Under the leadership of the Dutchman Robert Zalinge as a player-coach, the EKZ took first place in the League Middle West / B in 1959 . However, the club missed promotion to the top division both in 1959 (against Union EC Vienna ) and in 1960 against the Vienna Ice Skating Club . Two years later, the club made it to the top division, with the Canadian Bob Bergeron and captain Volker Hölzl playing a key role . In the promotion games, the EKZ beat Union EC Vienna with 20: 4 and 6: 2 and thus secured their first participation in the National League.

In the national league it was initially difficult for the EKZ to survive against the established clubs such as WEV, EC KAC and Innsbrucker EV and lost in some cases by double digits. Due to three victories, the EKZ nevertheless reached fifth place in 1962. In the 1962/63 season the EKZ only lost double digits twice and reached the penultimate rank. In the 1963/64 national league, which was played in two, only four games were played per team and the EKZ was fifth overall.

For the 1965/66 season , a league reform was carried out that defined the Bundesliga as a new first game fund with only four participants (KAC, WEV, IEV and Kitzbüheler EC ). The EKZ was divided into the now second-class national league and belonged to the top clubs there in the following years. In 1967 the EKZ initiated a referendum, which led to a clear majority for the construction of a new artificial ice rink. The new Zell artificial ice rink with temporary spectator stands was built in just 90 days and opened on December 6, 1967.

In 1968 the EKZ managed to move up to the Bundesliga as the runner-up in the national league and was able to defend its place in the league relegation against the Salzburg EC one year later . The later national player Michael Herzog and Josef Wimmer played in the Bundesliga team at that time . Until 1972, the club was able to hold in the top division, but had to relegate to the league after the last place in the 1971/72 season .

After relegation followed many years in the second division, first in the league, later in the Oberliga-West and then 16 years in the national league. The most successful period of the second division was through the Polish players Mieczysław Jaskierski and Henryk Janiszewski , especially the latter was the outstanding player in the team in the 1980s and later acted as a player-coach. 1986 won the Zeller national league championship, with was Zdeněk Vaněk , the father of the later NHL player Thomas Vanek . In 1988, Manfred Mühllechner and Gerhard Wimmer were committed to other former players from the bankrupt Salzburg EC .

Promotion to the Bundesliga and two bankruptcies (1989–2002)

On December 28, 1989, the roofing of the ice rink was completed and the Zell ice rink opened. At the end of the 1989/90 season , the EKZ defeated the UEC Graz 2-0 in the playoff final and won the third National League championship in the club's history. Due to the financial situation of the club, however, the EKZ decided against promotion to the Bundesliga. A year later, the EKZ team repeated the championship win, this time in the final against EHC Linz and decided in the summer of 1991 to move up to the Bundesliga. This rise also meant participation in the newly created Alpine League . To strengthen the team, Frank Carnevale was hired as coach and the two Olympic champions Mark Johnson and John Miner . In 1992, the professional team's gaming operations were transferred to the EKZ company. In the 1992/93 season, EKZ took third place, the best place in the Bundesliga, but was financially overwhelmed and went into bankruptcy.

As a successor club, the EKZ Die Eisbären was founded in 1993 under the direction of Gottfried Huber and registered for play in the National League. In the 1993/94 season , the polar bears reached fifth place in the table and were eliminated in the playoff semifinals. Due to the increase in the first division for the 1995/96 season, the EKZ played again in the Bundesliga, but participation in the Bundesliga ended with both sporting relegation and renewed insolvency. The club was then rebuilt under the leadership of Albert Herzog, games in the National League resumed in 1996 and in 1998 the German patron Otto Wittschier, who lives in Pinzgau , was won as a sponsor for the club. At the end of the 1990s, the polar bears failed three times in a row in the national league finals. After VEU Feldkirch and the Vienna Ice Skating Club withdrew from the Bundesliga in summer 2000 , almost all national league participants were accepted into the top division. After two sixth places in the table and subsequent quarter-finals, the EKZ voluntarily withdrew to the national league in 2002.

Two championship titles and renewed bankruptcy (2002-2010)

After withdrawing from the Bundesliga, EKZ took second place in the 2002/03 season , reached the playoff final with two 2-0 victories over EC Dornbirn and Kapfenberger SV and defeated EC Red Bulls Salzburg with 3: 2. With this, the club won the fifth championship title in the club's history, but refrained from promotion to the Bundesliga for financial reasons.

The 2004/05 season was one of the most successful in the history of the Zeller polar bears. The team achieved 40 wins in 45 games. In the playoff final, the team met EHC Lustenau and won the best-of-five series with 3-1. Jozef Daňo was the top scorer in the National League with 92 points and was also the top scorer with 48 goals. In addition, the long-time EKZ player Walter Putnik ended his career after the season, after which his jersey number 29 was banned.

At the end of the basic round of the following season , EKZ took second place behind VEU Feldkirch . With a victory over the W-EV in the quarter-finals, the team reached the semi-finals against EV Zeltweg , to which the EKZ lost 3-2.

In the following years, the EKZ failed mostly in the playoff semifinals, in 2008 already in the quarterfinals. After the death of the president and main sponsor Otto Wittschier, the association went bankrupt in June 2009 with debts of EUR 220,000 for the third time after 1993 and 1995. During the summer of 2009, the EK Zeller Eisbären were founded as a successor association. Despite the bankruptcy, those responsible for the new club applied to the Austrian ice hockey association for admission to the national league, which the latter confirmed, contrary to previous decisions. Finally, at the end of July 2009, the association and the participating clubs agreed on a field of seven teams including the Zeller Eisbären.

successes

Venue

The Zell am See ice rink was originally built in 1967 as an open, uncovered artificial ice rink. After many years of discussion about a roof, the covered ice rink was inaugurated in 1989. Today it offers space for 2,600 visitors. Of these, 1,215 are standing and 1,385 are seated. The hall was renovated for the 2003/04 season.

In the 2016/17 season , 20,000 spectators came to the EKZ's 22 home games.

player

Squad for the 2019/20 season

Status: May 18, 2019

No. Nat. Surname Date of birth in the team since
goalkeeper
31 AustriaAustria Alois Schultes March 14, 2001 2004
defender
24 AustriaAustria Johannes Schernthaner July 6, 1992 2006
13 AustriaAustria Patrick Sporer November 3, 2001 2004
17th AustriaAustria Marko Simic March 19, 2001 2009
32 SwedenSweden Tobias Dilsky January 10, 2000 2003
40 AustriaAustria Martin Haffner November 15, 2000 2008
43 AustriaAustria Martin Oraze October 9, 1984 2017
55 AustriaAustria Daniel Vojta January 23, 1998 2019
striker
15th AustriaAustria Florian Aigner April 12, 1996 2011
26th AustriaAustria Christoph Herzog July 31, 1991 2013
27 AustriaAustria Tobias Dinhopel October 18, 1989 2012
57 AustriaAustria Franz Wilfan October 14, 1985 2012
6th AustriaAustria Tobias Radacher January 9, 2002 2008
18th BelgiumBelgium Jack Maes September 18, 2000 2008
29 AustriaAustria Philip Putnik September 8, 1992 2019
33 SloveniaSlovenia Jure Sotlar July 26, 1993 2019
49 AustriaAustria Jürgen Tschernutter July 12, 1990 2019
51 AustriaAustria Daniel Wenghofer September 26, 2000 2012
Trainer
SloveniaSlovenia Jaka Avgustincic October 27, 1976 2019

Well-known former players

Record player since 1988

As of January 31, 2019

player Sp Gates Assists Points Pt / col SM Period Seasons
Walter Putnik 381 189 314 503 1,320 557 1988-2005 14th
Ryan Foster 165 194 159 353 2.139 225 1999-2008 5
Petr Vala 213 131 190 321 1.507 109 2011-2019 7th
Igor Rataj 216 128 184 312 1.444 503 2011-2017 6th
Franz Wilfan 263 94 162 256 0.973 132 2012-2019 7th
Stephan Uhl 515 87 137 224 0.435 613 1998-2015 16
Jozef Daňo 106 99 101 200 1,887 489 2002-2006 4th
Thomas Schwab 312 89 105 194 0.622 224 1999-2009 9
Wolfgang Trup 290 32 157 189 0.652 469 1990-2005 11
Philip Wurzer 220 67 116 183 0.832 220 2003-2009 6th
Thomas Guggenberger 534 77 78 155 0.290 526 1996-2014 18th
Günther D'Ambros 473 21st 49 70 0.148 669 1996-2013 17th
Harald Estermann 394 69 101 170 0.431 717 1993-2010 14th

Master squad

1990/91

National league champions 1990/91

Goalkeeper:

Defender: Wolfgang Trup

Attackers: Thomas Frühwirth, Rodger Huiatt, Walter Putnik , Krunoslav Sekulic, Dieter Werfring

Head coach:

2003/03

National league champions 2002/03

Goalkeepers: Patrick Machreich , Stefan Horneber , Alexander Krätschmer

Defenders: Patrik Aronsson, Günther D'Ambros, Albert Fersterer, Markus Hausegger, Jakob Lainer, Victor Lindgren, Wolfgang Trup

Attackers: Jozef Daňo , Harald Estermann, Ryan Foster , Thomas Guggenberger , Robin Johnston, Florian Kaindl, Gerald Lederer, Walter Putnik , Christoph Rud, Matthias Schwab , Thomas Schwab, Stephan Uhl, Philipp Wurzer

Head coach:

2004/05

National league champions 2004/05

Goalkeepers: Bernhard Bock , Michael Suttnig , Viktor Leitner, Alexander Krätschmer

Defenders: Shayne McCosh, Wolfgang Trup , Markus Hausegger, Günther D'Ambros , Peter Dilsky , Jakob Lainer, Albert Fersterer, Marcel Wurzer CanadaCanada

Attackers: Jozef Daňo , Michael Henrich , Walter Putnik , Philip Wurzer, Stephan Uhl, Andreas Geier, Harald Estermann, Christian Widauer, Thomas Guggenberger , Robin Johnston, Gerald Lederer, Michael Warner, Michael Leimgruber , Nikolaus Lang SlovakiaSlovakia

Head coach: Richard Novak

Trainer

Season statistics

Sources : hockeyarchives.info, eliteprospects.com

season league Sp S. OTS U OTN N T GT Points placement Finals
1972/73 Oberliga 20th 13 - 2 - 5 76 43 28 3 place 2
1974/75 Oberliga 20th 18th - 1 - 1 227 42 37 1 (west) master
1975/76 National league 20th 12 - 0 - 8th 91 68 24 3
1976/77 National league 20th 12 - 2 - 6th 26th 3
1980/81 National league 24 18th 5
1982/83 National league 24 17th - 2 - 5 147 76 36 3
1983/84 National league 20th 13 - 2 - 5 115 71 28 3 3
1984/85 National league 24 14th - 2 - 8th 128 106 31 3 2
1985/86 National league 24 14th - 3 - 7th 148 129 31 5 master
1986/87 National league 28 11 - 3 - 14th 85 129 25th 4th 5
1987/88 National league 30th 8th - 3 - 19th 156 206 20th 4th 5
1988/89 National league 30th 15th - 3 - 12 220 195 34 4th 4th
1989/90 National league 24 15th - 1 - 8th 125 98 31 2 master
1990/91 National league 24 16 - 4th - 4th 163 103 36 2 Master , rise
1991/92 Alpine League 18th 9 - 0 - 9 70 80 18th 6th Missed play-offs
1991/92 Bundesliga 24 4th - 3 - 17th 81 132 11 7th Missed play-offs
1992/93 Alpine League 30th 13 - 6th - 11 121 118 32 9 Missed play-offs
1992/93 Bundesliga 20th 10 - 3 - 7th 66 55 23 3 Semifinals
1993/94 National league 18th 9 - 3 - 6th 98 74 21st 5 Semifinals
1994/95 Bundesliga 30th 7th - 3 - 20th 108 150 17th 10 descent
1995/96 no professional gaming operations due to bankruptcy
1996/97 National league 12 0 - 2 - 10 37 68 2 7th Missed play-offs
1997/98 National league 20th 14th - 4th - 2 111 58 26th 1 final
1998/99 National league 28 19th - 0 - 9 139 99 28 3 final
1999/00 National league 28 16 1 0 2 9 133 111 30th 2 final
2000/01 Bundesliga 36 14th 2 - 4th 16 136 151 36 6th Quarter finals
2001/02 Bundesliga 32 11 4th - 2 15th 107 117 32 6th Quarter finals
2002/03 National league 28 21st 1 0 3 3 204 99 35 2 master
2003/04 National league 28 11 2 0 2 13 91 101 22nd 5 Semifinals
2004/05 National league 36 29 3 0 1 3 181 103 49 1 master
2005/06 National league 32 17th 4th 0 3 8th 143 110 34 2 Semifinals
2006/07 National league 32 17th 4th 0 4th 7th 171 129 35 4th Semifinals
2007/08 National league 32 16 2 0 3 11 138 119 31 5 Quarter finals
2008/09 National league 28 15th 3 0 0 10 121 93 37 3 Semifinals
2009/10 National league 36 8th 2 0 5 21st 109 173 23 6th Quarter finals
2010/11 National league 34 8th 6th 0 1 19th 85 122 37 7th qualification
2011/12 National league 32 12 1 - 2 17th 105 113 40 7th Quarter finals
2012/13 INL 30th 17th 5 - 0 8th 116 93 61 1 Semifinals
2013/14 INL 36 22nd 1 - 4th 9 150 90 72 4th Semifinals
2014/15 INL 28 17th 3 - 0 8th 107 85 57 1 Semifinals
2015/16 INL 32 11 1 - 5 15th 81 100 40 6th Quarter finals
2016/17 AlpsHL 38 15th 2 - 3 18th 107 114 52 11 Missed play-offs
2017/18 AlpsHL 40 18th 2 - 2 18th 105 138 60 12 Missed play-offs
2018/19 AlpsHL

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Championnat d'Autriche 1958/59 at hockeyarchives.info (French)
  2. ↑ Championnat d'Autriche 1960/61 at hockeyarchives.info (French)
  3. ↑ Championnat d'Autriche 1961/62 at hockeyarchives.info (French)
  4. ↑ Championnat d'Autriche 1971/72 at hockeyarchives.info (French)
  5. ↑ EK Zell am See at hockeyarchives.info (French)
  6. ↑ Zeller polar bears facing bankruptcy? In: vienna.at. June 9, 2009, accessed January 31, 2019 .
  7. ↑ EK Zell am See files for bankruptcy. In: orf.at. July 2, 2009, accessed January 31, 2019 .
  8. ↑ Der Standard , National League Clubs Before Bankruptcy , June 24, 2009
  9. ↑ hockeyfans.at, Zeller Eisbären before bankruptcy
  10. ↑ Ice hockey in Zell / See starts again. In: hockeyfans.at. August 11, 2009, accessed January 31, 2019 .
  11. ^ National league with only 7 clubs. In: hockeyfans.at. July 26, 2009, accessed January 31, 2019 .
  12. ↑ EK Zell am See , www.ek-zellereisbaeren.at (July 2017)

Web links