Orli Znojmo

History

The club was founded in 1933 originally as TJ Sokol Znojmo and played until the early 1990s, at only a regional level. In 1993, Znojmo entered a sponsorship with Czech-Austrian company Excalibur under Jaroslav Vlasak. With this financial support club moved to become a professional outfit and in 1994 joined the Czech Second League. Renamed SK Agropodnik Znojmo, they competed for the following three seasons in the Second League. From 1996, the club served as an affiliate to Extraliga clubs, HC Pardubice and HC Dukla Jihlava, in order to further establish junior players experience.

In their two seasons in the Czech First League, Znojmo now known as HC Excalibur Znojemští Orli, in reflecting their sponsorship, formed a competitive team and won their first Championship title in 1997–98 before failing to gain promotion in a 4:3 series defeat to HC Slezan Opava. After claiming their second consecutive title in the 1998–99 season, Znojmo were victorious in the promotion playoffs against Dukla Jihlava to celebrate their first entry into the Czech Extraliga.

In the following years, the club was able to hold its own in the Extraliga, but never managed to get past the playoff semi-finals. In 2001 was called again changed their name due to sponsorship to new sponsor in HC JME Znojemští Orli. The club's largest success in the Extraliga came in the achievement of the play-off semi-final in the 2005–06 season.

After two seasons in the First League in the spring of 2011, the club applied for inclusion in the Austrian Erste Bank Eishockey Liga. Under the ambition to give the team a new perspective, without having to take the financial risk of promotion in the Extraliga. On 31 May 2011, the EBEL granted the application after the Czech Ice Hockey Association's consent on the condition that the club continues to participate with a team in the first league. This requirement was not later maintained.

Following the 2021–22 season, the club announced they will compete in the 2nd Czech Republic Hockey League next season, having bought the licence of HC Kometa Brno B. They left the ICE Hockey League owing to economic reasons and the uncertain continuation of the league.

Honours

Domestic

Czech Extraliga

• 3rd place (1): 2005–06

International

Austrian Hockey League

• Runners-up (1): 2015–16

Pre-season

Tipsport Hockey Cup

• Winners (1): 2003
• Runners-up (3): 2002, 2008, 2010

Players

Current roster

Source: hcorli.czSource: eliteprospects.comAs of December 4, 2021.

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References

References

1. "Basic Information".
2. (2011-05-31). "Znojmo to join Austrian EBEL".
3. "Czech 1.liga 1998/1999 Standings".
4. (2011-05-31). "EBEL expands to Czech Republic".
5. (2022-05-04). "The Eagles return to Czech competitions.".
6. "Orli Znojmo Roster".
7. "Team Roster / Orli Znojmo". www.eliteprospects.com.