Release from 03.05.2017

Vienna and Znojmo strengthen defense

Short text 260 CharactersPlain text

Champion UPC Vienna Capitals extended the contract with defenseman Tyler Cuma. HC Orli Znojmo presented with the goalies Tomáš Halász and Jan Pechek and the defensemen Pavel Skrbek, Rostislav Šnajnar, Jan Pohl, Tomáš Hanousek and Josef Zajíc seven new players.

Press release 2546 CharactersPlain text

With Tyler Cuma another player, who won with the UPC Vienna Capitals this year the title in Erste Bank Eishockey Liga, stays at Vienna! So the defenseman will play 2017/18 already his third season for the Champion. Last season the Austro-Canadian made 53 games for the Capitals and scored 15 points (three goals and twelve Assists, Plus-Minus: + 16)!
 
Seven new players at Znojmo
Slovakian Tomas Halasz and young Czech Jan Pechek will relieve Marek Schwarz on the goalie-Position.
Tomas Halasz started his career at HC Kosice. With his home-club the goalie was twice Slovakian Champion (2010 and 2011)! 2011 he also had the best GAA (1.48). After another year at Kosice the goalie 2012/13 switched to Czech Republic, where he showed 2013/14 at HC Olomouc with eight Shut Outs and the best GAA (1.62) his talent and promoted with his club into the Extraliga. His next station was HC Pardubice. With his new team the 26-years old Czech also played in the CHL. Two years ago Halasz returned to Kosice. Last season he played for four different clubs, inter alia the two Czech Extraliga teams HC Litvinov and BK Mlada Boleslav.
With Jan Pechek a big talent arrives at Znojmo! The 20 years old goalie started his career at  ICH Pisek and spend the last 2 ½ years overseas. 2016/17 the goalie played 32 games for  the SCS Fighting Saints in the FHL and had a save% of 89.7.
 
For the defense Znojmo signed with Pavel Skrbek a Leader. The 38-years old Czech played some games in the National Hockey League for the Pittsburgh Penguins and Nashville Predators. The major part of his career the strong defenseman spend in Sweden, he made between 2002 and 2014 totally 536 games in Swedens Top-League for Lulea, Mora and Skellefteå AIK and scored 154 points. 2013 Skrbek won the European Trophy with Lulea and was Vice Champion with his club in Sweden! The last three years the defenseman was player of HC Olomouc. 2016/17 he played just one game, because of an injury.
 
New at Znojmo is also Jan Pohl. The 26-years old defenseman played so far always in Czech Republic. The 2016/17-season the Czech spend with HC Sparta Praha in Czechs second highest League and made 26 points from 38 games.
 
Besides the three Youngsters Rostislav Snajnar, Josef Zajic and Tomas Hanousek, who played the last four years for the youth team of Södertälje SK in Sweden, are new at Znojmo. All three defensemen went through the Czech youth national teams.
 
And Youngster Michal Kruckovyč gets the chance to show his talent during summer practice.