What Happened to the Portugal National Ice Hockey Team?

[Theroalder]

Alright so I'm very curious. According to wikipedia the team existed from 1996 to 2006. Yet I found an article which stated that the team was going to play against a select Czech team in a friendly tournament in January of this year. Yet I also can't find the results of that tournament. So.. Does it still exist? I know it certainly doesn't participate in any IIHF tournaments. But does the team itself still exist? I'm of Portuguese heritage, (Both my parents were born there) and my curiosity piqued when I visited the hockey hall of fame and saw the Portuguese jersey.

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[JoeCool16]

http://www.iihf.com/iihf-home/countries/portugal/

Looks like they're still a member, but as you saw haven't participated in awhile. The numbers are also telling... only 48 male players registered in the entire country. Only one indoor rink. Look around at the other countries in the IIHF... even the Philippines has double the players and 4 indoor rinks.

Meanwhile, a country where hockey is the most popular sport, Finland has 29,683 male players. 284 rinks.

To look at why Portugal isn't regularly participating, it'd be helpful to look at some div 3 regulars (the lowest IIHF division). Turkey is usually in div 3, and Australia used to be there. Turkey has 226 male players, and then 727 in junior coming up. They have 8 indoor rinks, and 20 outdoor ones (I thought Turkey was hot?!). Australia, meanwhile, is one division up and has 2,700 male players, and 10 rinks.

To play, you not only need a place to practice but enough of a player base to replace those who stop and enough rinks to grow the game at a grassroots level. Spain, right next door, has 16 indoor rinks, so they can keep the game alive.

 

[Deleted member 93465]

Portugal is in the south of Europe, as you know, which places limits on natural growth as it doesn't have natural ice, and is, I would imagine, one of the hottest European countries.

 

[Sverra]

To me it looks like it still exists.

The game vs "a selection of czech" was held in in December 2015 (probably again in december 2016?). I think in portugal it only makes "sense" to try it in December or January every other month is probably to warm.

By the way according to Google Translate Portugal won against "the Czech selection" 6 - 2 and 6 - 4:
http://desporto.sapo.pt/hoquei/arti...tugal-venceu-rep-blica-checa-em-jogo-amig-vel


With this article I could find the rink in Elvas. Here is the link to Rink
http://www.cm-elvas.pt/pt/98-banner-de-destaques/499-pista-de-gelo-em-elvas


The association appears to not have a website, but they have at least a facebook group:
https://www.facebook.com/FEDERAÇÃO-PORTUGUESA-DE-DESPORTOS-NO-GELO-322623083666/


Regarding Turkey. The country has some mountains to offer. In eastern Anatolia Temperatures of -30 to -40 ° C (-22 to -40 ° F) can occur and snow may remain at least 120 days of the year. Here Outdoor Rinks can make sense.

 

[Theroalder]

To me it looks like it still exists.

The game vs "a selection of czech" was held in in December 2015 (probably again in december 2016?).

I think in portugal it only makes "sense" to try it in December or January every other month is probably to warm.

By the way according to Google Translate Portugal won against "the Czech selection" 6 - 2 and 6 - 4:
http://desporto.sapo.pt/hoquei/arti...tugal-venceu-rep-blica-checa-em-jogo-amig-vel


With this article I could find the rink in Elvas. Here is the link to Rink
http://www.cm-elvas.pt/pt/98-banner-de-destaques/499-pista-de-gelo-em-elvas

Regarding Turkey. The country has some mountains to offer. In eastern Anatolia Temperatures of -30 to -40 ° C (-22 to -40 ° F) can occur and snow may remain at least 120 days of the year. Here Outdoor Rinks can make sense.

Wow, I thought the last rink they had was demolished, good detective work.

Wow they actually won? Go them. I suppose the cover photo they have on there facebook is from that tournament. Interesting jersey choice from them.

I think Turkey is definitely a lot more suited for Ice Hockey than Portugal.

 

[Theroalder]

http://www.iihf.com/iihf-home/countries/portugal/

Yep, and I don't really see that number changing any time soon. Roller Hockey is actually quite popular in Portugal, and I don't see anyone ditching a roller rink for an ice one any time soon.

 

[Cristina Lopes]

Portugal Ice Hockey
To find out what’s been going on with ice hockey in Portugal...Please feel free to visit our Facebook page!

 

[Albatros]

Basically they have been attending the IIHF Development Cup the last few years, and are also playing quite a few games against amateur sides from lesser hockey countries like Spain and the Netherlands. They've also had annual meetings with the Finnish fifth tier side PiTa, losing the last two only narrowly.

 

[Jets4Life]

Portugal is in the south of Europe, as you know, which places limits on natural growth as it doesn't have natural ice, and is, I would imagine, one of the hottest European countries.

I thought Portugal was one of the coldest European countries.

 

[Deleted member 93465]

I thought Portugal was one of the coldest European countries.

By average annual temperature, Portugal is the 4th warmest nation in Europe. Or put another way, the 42nd coldest country in Europe.

 

[Jets4Life]

By average annual temperature, Portugal is the 4th warmest nation in Europe. Or put another way, the 42nd coldest country in Europe.

I was just kidin'

 

[Albatros]

There are some albeit small in scale natural winter sport locations in Portugal, after all it has higher mountains than Czechia or Finland for example.

 

[fbalmeida]

Kudos to the Portuguese posters here. Coming to you live from Braga.

IIHF Error page

Yep, and I don't really see that number changing any time soon. Roller Hockey is actually quite popular in Portugal, and I don't see anyone ditching a roller rink for an ice one any time soon.

Considering the exceptional talent Portugal produces in roller hockey, I've always found the lack of a hockey culture here to be a crying shame.