Spain men's national ice hockey team

Summary

The Spanish men's national ice hockey team (Spanish: Selección de hockey sobre hielo de España) is the national men's ice hockey team of Spain. The team is administered by the Spanish Ice Sports Federation, itself a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). As of April 2020, the Spanish men's national program is 31st on the IIHF World Rankings and has 135 registered players. The men's national team currently competes at the IIHF World Championship Division II, Group A level.[2]

Spain
Shirt badge/Association crest
AssociationFederación Española de Deportes de Hielo
General managerMaurizio Mansi
Head coachLuciano Basile
AssistantsMiguel Baldris
CaptainAlejandro Carbonell
Most gamesSalavador Balnola (88)
Top scorerIñaki Salegui (53)
Most pointsIñaki Salegui (88)
Team colors       
IIHF codeESP
Ranking
Current IIHF32 Steady (28 May 2023)[1]
Highest IIHF29 (first in 2011)
Lowest IIHF37 (first in 2005)
First international
Spain  6–4  Belgium
(Luchon, France; 21 December 1923)
Biggest win
Spain  38–0  Turkey
(Johannesburg, South Africa; 27 March 1992)
Biggest defeat
Netherlands  19–0  Spain
(Las Palmas, Spain; 13 March 1978)
IIHF World Championships
Appearances33 (first in 1977)
Best result22nd (1977)
International record (W–L–T)
97–131–13

History edit

On 10 March 1923,[2] Spain joined the IIHF after the Spanish Winter Sports Federation was founded in the same year. After building an artificial rink in Madrid, Spain, they entered their first international tournament in late 1923. Spain won their first international game against Belgium in the Challenge de Haute–Garonne tournament held in Bagnères-de-Luchon, France. They lost their next game in the tournament to France.[3]

In 1924, Spain competed in the Ice Hockey European Championships held in Milan, Italy. During their first game against Switzerland, two of Spain's seven players were injured. Due to this, Switzerland agreed to play with only five players allowing the game to continue. Switzerland ended up winning 12–0. Spain was forced to forfeit their second game against Sweden due to the injuries suffered by their players. Sweden had also agreed to play with five players.[3]

After the European Championships, Spain entered the Coupe de Davos in Davos, Switzerland. Days before the tournament, Spain had upset Switzerland 4–0. The tournament had 12 teams broken into four groups with Spain being placed in group two along with Switzerland and Germany. Spain lost to Switzerland, 6–0 and to Germany, 7–0. Spain also lost to Germany's second team, 2–0 but avoided being in last place by beating Italy, 4–0. On 1 January 1925, Spain played Germany's second team again, winning in double overtime 3–1. After beating Germany, Spain went on a Swiss tour winning three of the games they played. Spain played in the Challenge de Haute–Garonne for the second time in January 1925. During the tournament, they defeated Belgium's second team 4–1 and tied France 3–3.[3]

In 1926, Spain again competed in the European Championships held in Davos, Switzerland. In their first game against Belgium, Spain lost 5–0. They also lost their second game to Czechoslovakia (9–2). In the consolation pool, Spain tied Italy 2–2 and lost to Poland, 4–1.[3]

Spain has competed in the IIHF World Championship Division II since it began in 2001. During the first year of the tournament in 2001, Spain defeated South Africa, Iceland, Australia and New Zealand. However they lost to South Korea preventing Spain from finishing in first.[4] In 2002, Spain finished in third place in Group B after defeating Bulgaria, Iceland and Luxembourg and losing to Yugoslavia and Lithuania.[5] During the 2003 version of the tournament, Spain defeated South Africa, Mexico and Australia and lost to Yugoslavia and South Korea. Spain finished in third place in Group A.[6] Spain hosted the Division II tournament in 2004 and finished fourth place in Group A by defeating Israel and Luxembourg. Spain lost to China, Croatia and Australia.[7] 2005 was a down year for Spain as they finished in fifth place in Group B with only two points. Spain's only win came against Iceland while they lost to Serbia and Montenegro, Belgium, Israel and North Korea.[8]

In 2006, they lost to Serbia and Montenegro, Romania men's national ice hockey team and twice to Bulgaria while beating South Africa for their lone win. They finished in fifth place in Group A for the second straight year.[9] In 2007 they defeated Bulgaria, Turkey and Serbia and lost to Belgium and Croatia. Unlike the prior two years Spain finished in third place with nine points.[10] In 2008, Spain finished in third place by defeating Australia, Iceland and Mexico and lost to China and New Zealand.[11] Spain won three games and lost two in 2009, their three wins came against Mexico, Bulgaria and South Africa while they lost to South Korea and Belgium. Spain finished in third place with nine points.[12]

Spain was ranked 34th in the IIHF World Rankings in 2009. In 2010, Spain rose in the rankings to 30th and competed in Division II of the 2010 IIHF World Championship. They finished first in their group at the tournament and hence got promoted to Division I for the first time in their history.[2]

Honours edit

World Championship record edit

Year Division Position GP W D L
Tier Div. Ov Div.
1977 3 Pool C 22nd 5th 6 1 0 5
1978 3 Pool C 23rd 7th 7 1 0 6
1979 3 Group C 24th 6th 7 2 0 5
1981 did not participate
1982 3 Group C 23rd 7th 7 1 0 6
1983 3 Group C 23rd 7th 7 1 1 5
1985 3 Group C 24th 8th 7 0 0 7
1986 3 Group C 24th 8th 6 2 0 4
1987 did not participate
1989 4 Group D 28th 4th 4 1 0 3
1990 4 Group D 28th 4th 4 0 2 2
1991 did not participate
1992 4 Group C2 27th 1st 5 5 0 0
1993 3 Group C 29th 5th 5 1 0 4
1994 4 Group C2 29th 2nd 5 3 1 1
1995 4 Group C2 32nd 3rd 5 4 0 1
1996 4 Group D 31st 3rd 5 2 1 2
1997 4 Group D 31st 3rd 5 2 0 3
1998 3 Group C 32nd 8th 5 0 2 3
1999 4 Group D 33rd 1st 4 3 1 0
2000 3 Group C 31st 7th 4 1 1 2
2001 3 Div II 31st 2nd 5 4 1 0
2002 3 Div II 33rd 3rd 5 3 0 2
2003 3 Div II 33rd 3rd 5 3 2 0
2004 3 Div II 35th 4th 5 2 1 2
2005 3 Div II 37th 5th 5 1 0 4
2006 3 Div II 37th 5th 5 1 0 4
2007 3 Div II 34th 3rd 5 3 0 2
2008 3 Div II 34th 3rd 5 3 0 2
2009 3 Div II 33rd 3rd 5 3 0 2
2010 3 Div II 30th 1st 5 5 0 0
2011 2 Div I 26th 5th 4 1 0 3
2012 4 Div II A 30th 2nd 5 4 0 1
2013 4 Div II A 34th 6th 5 0 0 5
2014 5 Div II B 35th 1st 5 5 0 0
2015 4 Div II A 32nd 4th 5 2 0 3
2016 4 Div II A 30th 2nd 5 4 1 0
2017 4 Div II A 34th 6th 5 1 0 4
2018 5 Div II B 35th 1st 5 5 0 0
2019 4 Div II A 32nd 4th 5 2 0 3
2020 4 Div II A Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic[13]
2021 4 Div II A Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic[14]
2022 4 Div II A 30th 4th 4 1 0 3
2023 4 Div II A 29th 1st 5 5 0 0
2024 3 Div I B

All-time record edit

Correct as of 22 April 2023.[15] Overtime and game winning shot victories and losses are counted towards wins and losses. Teams in italics are defunct.

Opponent Played Won Drawn Lost GF GA GD
  Australia 18 10 3 5 78 51 +27
  Austria 1 0 0 1 4 14 –14
  Belgium 18 7 0 11 75 67 +8
  Bulgaria 15 6 1 8 63 74 –11
  China 11 4 0 7 36 55 –19
  Chinese Taipei 1 1 0 0 11 0 +11
  Croatia 13 3 1 9 36 51 –15
  Czechoslovakia 1 0 0 1 2 9 –7
  Denmark 6 0 0 6 8 42 –34
  England 2 1 1 0 14 10 +4
  Estonia 4 1 0 3 9 26 –17
  France 8 0 0 8 15 70 –55
  Georgia 1 1 0 0 2 0 +2
  Great Britain 5 1 0 4 17 46 –29
  Greece 3 3 0 0 37 2 +35
  Hungary 8 0 0 8 19 75 –56
  Iceland 11 9 0 2 64 27 +37
  Italy 4 0 1 3 3 26 –23
  Israel 9 7 1 1 76 17 +59
  Japan 1 0 0 1 2 11 –9
  Kazakhstan 2 0 0 2 0 31 –31
  Lithuania 3 0 0 3 6 26 –20
  Luxembourg 4 4 0 0 67 1 +66
  Mexico 8 7 0 1 62 17 +45
  Netherlands 7 0 0 7 13 60 –47
  North Korea 5 3 0 2 32 20 +12
  Norway 1 0 0 1 3 18 –15
  New Zealand 7 7 0 0 89 12 +77
  Poland 2 0 0 2 1 9 –8
  Romania 10 0 0 10 12 86 –74
  Scotland 2 0 0 2 7 9 –2
  Serbia 9 5 0 4 37 33 +4
  Serbia and Montenegro 8 1 2 5 15 37 –22
  Slovenia 1 0 0 1 0 12 –12
  South Africa 7 7 0 0 67 10 +57
  South Korea 14 4 3 7 52 54 –2
  Sweden 1 0 0 1 0 5 –5
   Switzerland 1 0 0 1 0 12 –12
  Turkey 5 5 0 0 79 4 +75
  Ukraine 1 0 0 1 0 7 –7
  Yugoslavia 3 0 0 3 2 29 –27
Total 241 97 13 131 1 115 1 165 –50

References edit

  1. ^ "IIHF Men's World Ranking". IIHF. 28 May 2023. Retrieved 28 May 2023.
  2. ^ a b c "Spain". International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved 19 February 2010.
  3. ^ a b c d "History of Ice Hockey in Spain" (PDF). Spanish Ice Sports Federation. Retrieved 19 February 2010.
  4. ^ "2001 IIHF World". IIHF. Retrieved 20 February 2010.
  5. ^ "2002 IIHF World Championship Div II, Group B". IIHF. Retrieved 20 February 2010.
  6. ^ "2003 IIHF World Championship Div II,Group A". IIHF. Retrieved 20 February 2010.
  7. ^ "2004 IIHF World Championship Div II Group A". IIHF. Retrieved 20 February 2010.
  8. ^ "2005 IIHF World Championship Div II Group B". IIHF. Retrieved 20 February 2010.
  9. ^ "2006 IIHF World Championship Div II Group A". IIHF. Retrieved 20 February 2010.
  10. ^ "2007 IIHF World Championships Group A". IIHF. Retrieved 20 February 2010.
  11. ^ "2008 IIHF World Championship Div. II Group B". IIHF. Retrieved 20 February 2010.
  12. ^ "2009 IIHF World Championship Div. II Group B". IIHF. Retrieved 20 February 2010.
  13. ^ "Men's Division II, III cancelled". IIHF. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
  14. ^ "IIHF – IIHF Council announces more cancellations". International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
  15. ^ "Spain - National Teams of Ice Hockey". nationalteamsoficehockey.com. 7 August 2016. Retrieved 24 May 2023.

External links edit

  • Official website  
  • IIHF profile
  • National Teams of Ice Hockey