HK Poprad

History

HK Poprad, in its current incarnation, was founded in 1935 by the merger of two existing teams. Those teams were "SK Vysoke Tatry" (founded in 1926), and a team called "HC Poprad" (founded in 1929 as "Karpathenverein Poprad", name changed to "HC Poprad" in 1930). The 1935 merged team was named "HC Tatry". They started playing in the original SNHL, a 2nd-tier league, and eventually played as one of the strongest teams in various other 2nd-tier leagues. During this time, they went through various name changes, and won Slovak championships in 1970, 1981,1985, and 1991. The 1991 team, known at the time as "SKP PS Poprad", was admitted into the 1st-tier Extraliga of Czechoslovakia.

After the dissolution of Czechoslovakia in 1993, Poprad started playing in the new independent Slovak Championship which was named the Slovak Extraliga. The team underwent more minor name changes until 2010, and since that year, the official team name has been HK Poprad.

In the 1996–97 season Poprad was eliminated in the semifinals by HC Košice. In the next season 1997–98, they played semifinals again against HC Košice and lost 0–3. However, these two seasons were successful because the team won bronze medals. In the 2005–06 season the team reached the most remarkable success, but lost 3–4 in the final series against MsHK Žilina. This success was repeated in the 2010–11 season, when they played against the long-time rival HC Košice and lost 1–4 in the final.

Season-by-season record

This is a partial list of the last tenth seasons completed by HK Poprad.

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, OTW = Overtime/shootout wins, OTL = Overtime/shootout losses, L = Losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against

Honours

Domestic

Slovak Extraliga

• Runners-up (3): 2005–06, 2010–11, 2020–21
• 3rd place (2): 1996–97, 1997–98

Czechoslovak Extraliga

• 3rd place (1): 1937–38

Slovak Hockey League

• Runners-up (1): 1941–42
• 3rd place (2): 1942–43, 1943–44

1st. Slovak National Hockey League

• Winners (4): 1969–70, 1980–81, 1984–85, 1990–91
• Runners-up (4): 1966–67, 1979–80, 1981–82, 1987–88
• 3rd place (6): 1968–69, 1970–71, 1977–78, 1978–79, 1982–83, 1985–86

Pre-season

Tatra Cup

• Winners (15): 1936/1937, 1937/1938, 1938/1939, 1941/1942, 1946/1947, 1995, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2012, 2014, 2018, 2020, 2023, 2025

Players

Current roster

Retired numbers

Franchise scoring leaders

These are the top-ten-point-scorers in franchise history. Figures are updated after each completed regular season.

• – current Poprad player Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; P/G = Points per game

Franchise playoff scoring leaders

These are the top-ten playoff point-scorers in franchise playoff history. Figures are updated after each completed season.

• – current Poprad player Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; P/G = Points per game; * = current Poprad player

NHL alumni

• CAN Jamie Arniel (2022)
• SVK Ľuboš Bartečko (1993–1994, 2010, 2014–2015)
• SVK Peter Bondra (2004)
• SVK Michal Handzuš (1996)
• CAN Kevin Henderson (2016)
• SVK Miroslav Ihnačák (1992, 2004)
• CAN Brandon Mashinter (2021)
• SVK Ladislav Nagy (2010)
• SVK Andrej Nedorost (2011)
• SVK Radoslav Suchý (1994, 2004–2005, 2010–2016)
• SVK Tomáš Surový (2000)
• SVK Ľubomír Vaic (1993–1994, 2011–2013)
• CAN Kyle Wanvig (2010)
• KAZ Viktor Svedberg (2024)
• CAN Adam Cracknell (2025)
• FIN Teemu Pulkkinen (2025)
• CAN Ben Thomas (2025)
• RUS Ivan Vishnevskiy (2021)

References

References

1. "HK Poprad has eliminated the legendary number 13". www.hkpoprad.sk.
2. "Poprad to retire Arne Kroták". www.hkpoprad.sk.
3. "HK Poprad Career Leaders – eliteprospects.com". www.eliteprospects.com.
4. "HK Poprad - All Time Playoffs Player Stats – eliteprospects.com". www.eliteprospects.com.