Slovenian Prospects

FTowwn

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Jan 25, 2006
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2 years in a row now, there has been a slovenian prospect drafted into the Nhl. first Kopitar, then this year Jan Mursak. then today in the CHL import draft, Ziga Pance was selected 24th overall. Slovenia (i am from Croatia which is right next to it) seeems to becoming the next Latvia when it comes to hockey. They have also been in the last 2 world championships, and with these upcoming and more abundance of prospects, they could be an upcoming hockey nation in years to come.

but anywyas, i needed some more info on these new propsects Jan Mursak and Ziga Pance. plese get me some details
 

boredmale

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Jul 13, 2005
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My grandparents from my dad's side are Slovenian, so i know a little about the country. The fact that only 2 million people live there i can't really see them becoming a hockey power anytime soon.
 

Hockey-Freak

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Apr 18, 2005
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boredmale said:
My grandparents from my dad's side are Slovenian, so i know a little about the country. The fact that only 2 million people live there i can't really see them becoming a hockey power anytime soon.


Sweden has about 8 Million people so Slovenias population is not that much less compared to 250 Million Americans...
 

boredmale

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Hockey-Freak said:
Sweden has about 8 Million people so Slovenias population is not that much less compared to 250 Million Americans...

I guess they can be 1/4 the team Sweden is:P

In the big picture though, with such a small population it will be hard for then to get into that big 7 hockey nations(Russia, Sweden, Finland, Canada, Czech, Slovakia, USA) picture. They could fight for the 8th spot though.
 

insider

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Nov 14, 2003
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My beloved Switzerland pretty much has a stranglehold on #8 for now...
 

scott99

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May 13, 2005
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What's the difference between Slovenia & Slovakia (country & geographically) ?
 

Joretus

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scott99 said:
What's the difference between Slovenia & Slovakia (country & geographically) ?

Slovenia is part of former Yugoslavia and Slovakia is former part of Czechoslovakia.

http://images.google.fi/imgres?imgu...rope+map&start=2&sa=X&oi=images&ct=image&cd=2

Slovakia=Sk over Hungary Slovenia=Sl west of Hungary

Slovenia have like just couple of hundreds registered players, couple of real teams and not much places to play ice hockey. So it won't come hockey power any time soon.
 

boredmale

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insider said:
My beloved Switzerland pretty much has a stranglehold on #8 for now...

very true, but if slovania ever wants to be a hockey power they will have to fight for that spot or even the germans first.
 

Tb0ne

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Nov 29, 2004
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It's time for the NHL and IIHF to start building ice rinks in some of these countries, especially one like Slovenia that is starting to produce hockey talent. Heck, they should also be talking to equipment makers to try and come up with some cheaper (yet safe) equipment, which would open up the game to a lot more people.
 

insider

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Shane said:
I think Germany would beg to differ.

I don't want to start another one of these, but lately the Swiss have had the German's # in the Juniors and Seniors.
 

Buddhaa

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Feb 12, 2006
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Tb0ne said:
It's time for the NHL and IIHF to start building ice rinks in some of these countries, especially one like Slovenia that is starting to produce hockey talent. Heck, they should also be talking to equipment makers to try and come up with some cheaper (yet safe) equipment, which would open up the game to a lot more people.
Why would a private profit oriented organization build ice rinks in Slovenia just to increase the production of talent?!
 

Burgs

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Sep 10, 2005
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Slovenian hockey club HK Jesenice (national champion 2005 and 2006) will apparently play in the Austrian Hockey League (first tier) next season as the 8th team. Slovenia itself seems too small to sustain its own leagues so joining Austria should help develop better players.
 

Tb0ne

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Nov 29, 2004
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Victoria
Why would a private profit oriented organization build ice rinks in Slovenia just to increase the production of talent?!

Other than it potentially paying off with a higher average talent level within the NHL many years down the road, it grows the sport internationally (which I imagine is a mandate for the IIHF). Given that both are massive businesses, you can't tell me that they couldn't justify building one rink a year in a country where the sport shows potential for growth (China, Denmark, Latvia, Slovenia, for examples).

Many private for provite oriented organizations give back to the community.. just look at FIFA, I've actually heard of them building quality soccer pitches in countries where building such things with public money isn't a priority.. Granted FIFA is much, much larger than the IIHF and NHL, that's why they'd set their own goals to what they can justify spending.

Beyond that, hockey has an inherant disadvantage to growth that sports like Soccer and Basketball do not have, simply because facilities and equipment are so expensive... so anything the NHL and IIHF can do to help offset that, will help hockey from becoming even more of a fringe sport internationally than it already is.
 

cmdevisser

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Apr 9, 2006
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Slovenia already prduces a number of professional basketball players, they aren't great players, but the are in the NBA. Anybody follow the raptors...check out you're newest center Rasho Nesterovic
 

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